NTABA PROJECT

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A decade's worth of near-constant globe-trotting, often solo, has given Serina more real-life exposure to the challenges (and risks) for women on the road. One day, hopefully, these articles will have less cautionary content and more unbridled encouragement.

Real-world travel tips from a hardened nomad.

A decade's worth of near-constant globe-trotting, often solo, has given Serina more real-life exposure to the challenges (and risks) for women on the road. One day, hopefully, these articles will have less cautionary content and more unbridled encouragement.

22 days of projecting spread across 3 seasons, this is the story of the first 9a to be climbed by a South African

Catie Monteiro

The first South African to send 9a

July 31, 2023

In June of this year Mel Janse van Rensburg clipped the chains of Speed Intégrale in Switzerland, becoming the first South African to climb 9a. It took the 20-year-old climber 22 days over three seasons to send the route – his greatest climbing achievement since taking down South Africa’s hardest sport route, Mazawattee (8c+) in 2020.

Chris Allan

Never Waste a Good Climbing Injury

July 30, 2023

Suddenly you hear a “pop” from your middle finger and all the strength disappears from your right hand. You blow off the wall like you’ve just been shot by a sniper.That’s it. Pulleys blown. Off to see the physio first thing Monday morning. And all you can thinks is, “Will I be able to climb this weekend? How long before I can get back on my project?”As a physio I have a love hate relationship with those questions.

A sceptical trail runner reviews approach shoes. “Like what are they even? How do they differ from takkies??”

Robyn Johnson

An amatuer's guide to approach shoes

July 31, 2023

Approach shoes. “Like what are they even? How do they differ from takkies??” was the question that sparked off this review. Who uses them and how are they different to trail running shoes? After walking more than a few miles in these shoes, I am here to tell you the answer!

Jeff Ayliffe

In the Eyes, the Soul is Mirrored

July 30, 2023

Photographer, Jeff Ayliffe captures the vulnerability of defeat for 11 time World Champion surfer, Kelly Slater

Home to one of the finest routes at Monteseel! Easy Access and similarly good routes to the Pin-Up sector make the Lower Middle Buttress a great alternative.

Monteseel Middle Buttress

Taller and offering the possibility of late afternoon shade, The Western Buttress offers slightly more seclusion and more multi pitch options.

Monteseel Western Buttress

The most popular Buttress due to it's ease of access, however more prone to on-lookers (and potential theft).

Monteseel Eastern Buttress

In search of 'the look'

Photographing the African "Widowmaker"

I heard a loud, intense, snorting, that sounded like it was on top of me, and a split second later, I smelt something that was unnatural. At the same time that my brain was trying to identify what it was, my eyes adjusted to the light, and just meters from my face was the form of a huge buffalo head.

Unshifting our Paradigm

Never Waste a Good Climbing Injury

Catie Monteiro

Following six years abroad as a journalist for NBC News, Catie focuses her time on climbing boulders and growing her YouTube channel F8 Bouldering.

Chris Allan

Chris is a physiotherapist, endurance athlete and climber. Passionate about the mountains, on most weekends he can be found exploring boulders with his son around CT and Rocklands

Jeff Ayliffe

Jeff is equally at home under a canopy in the sky, on a board in the water or climbing rocks. He has spent the past 32 years working in media as a photographer, MC and sports radio journalist.

Kathryn Fourie

A love of adventurous outdoor sports, organic food and a graduate of Rhodes' School of Journalism, Kath's writing and adventures have taken her places - and brought those into your living room .

Marianne Schwankhart

A true adventurer with endeavours justifying a wikipedia page, Marianne is the unassuming over-achiever both in adventure climbing and professional photography.

Mark Johnston

Fusing his inner gear nerd, passion for the outdoors and writing, it is no surprise that Mark's gear reviews are bar-settingly informative, useful - and practical.

Robyn Johnson

Self-proclaimed novice-at-everything, but game for anything! Happiest adventuring in the mountains, Robyn gets by with a little tenacity and a lot of snacks

Serina D

A lifetime of adventure travel, often to exotic destinations, in search of authentic connections in raw environments, under the guise of rock climbing, Serina is the modern-day vagabond extraordinair.

all authors

In The Mirror

Jeff Ayliffe

In the Eyes, the Soul is Mirrored

Photographer, Jeff Ayliffe captures the vulnerability of defeat for 11 time World Champion surfer, Kelly Slater

4.0

Serina D

12 Tips for Solo Female Travellers

Mark Johnston

Are leather hiking boots dead?

Is it time to retire our trusty leather clompers? Or do they still have a place in our hearts and on our hikes? Our resident gear expert, Mark Johnston has the answer.

Mazawatee Free (Lessons)

Life lessons learned while working sport routes at our limits are transferable and tangible from the crag to the workplace...to life!

Trystan Firman

Freebasing

In the Death Sport Capital of the World, finding new ways to nearly die is a regular occurrence. My friend Mike is an Acro Pilot; he is, also, enthusiastic to share his realm, and sometimes it is difficult to pass up an opportunity to experience fringe sports like ACRO and BASE when one is neither an Acro Pilot nor a BASE jumper.

Kathryn Fourie

Breathing new life into cranky knees - Distance FL-Z Review

When I was 21, I went skiing for the first time in my life in Sweden. It was a showstopper event – and not in a good way. My impressive first day on the slopes ended with me cartwheeling through a spruce tree thicket and tearing my ACL, PCL, MCL – all the Ls really. In my naivety at the time, I remember saying “Well at least I didn’t break a bone…” – years of rehab and a couple of surgeries later I WISH I had only broken a bone!

Catie Monteiro

Photographing a classic Matt Climber "hang 10"

After much huffing and puffing on the steep approach, we made it up to the hilltop in good time. I packed out my camera while we debated an important question – which pair of tights would pop the most?

Jeff Ayliffe

In search of 'the look'

Marianne Schwankhart

The Magaliesburg: A Photographer's Canvas

Walking around the gentle slopes and boulder fields in different seasons, time of day and weather, presented the same shapes but with different graphic elements that intrigued me. Breaking the rule of shooting, I embraced the mid-day sun. Shadows revealed texture in the form of images.

Kathryn Fourie

Robyn Johnson wins the X-Berg Challenge

The X-Berg Challenge is a "truely unique" event. Runners, cyclists and paragliders all race against each other in the Drakensberg mountains. Up against some of the best athletes in their descplines trail runner, Robyn Johnson came out on top. Her friend and fellow competeitor Kath Fourie caught up with her to hear about her race.

Mark Johnston

How to care for your climbing rope

Whether you’re a weekend warrior at the sport crag or one of those crazies who enjoy swinging ice axes in Patagonia your climbing rope is literally your lifeline - so looking after it is a no-brainer. Here’s how.

Catie Monteiro

Overcoming fear and expectation through trad climbing

As a committed boulderer who is terrified of heights, Catie swore she'd never trad climb. And yet, one day she found herself crying in the rain on Jacob's Ladder. Catie reflects on the frustrations of being a beginner again and how trad climbing ultimately helped her confront her fears and surrender to the unknown.

Kathryn Fourie

Salewa's Sierra Leone 4-Season Tent Reviewed

With all the small camping trips it was a comfortable and spacious tent, true to its word about being waterproof. But then sh*t got real. I took our precious tent to a yoga festival in Underberg, and that turned out to be far more dangerous than any storm.

Mark Johnston

How to choose a rain jacket

When deciding what jacket to buy you will have to consider what sport you do, where you will be using it and what your specific needs are. And I’ve got bad news (or good news if you enjoy accumulating lots of sexy outdoor gear like me): if you do a variety of sports then you will likely have to buy more than one jacket.

Robyn Johnson

Salewa Ultra Train Trail Runner - The Jack of all Trades

Are there different levels of Trail Running Shoes? What about hiking shoes, are there different levels of Hiking shoes? Can there be a crossover and, if so, what would that be?

Catie Monteiro

The first South African to send 9a

Catie Monteiro

5 tips and tactics every new runner should know

Is a beginner qualified to offer advice? I think so. It’s been three months since I started running and I’ve gone from hating it to loving it. Here are the 5 tips and tactics that have made all the difference.

Mark Johnston

Are Totem Cams really a cut above the rest?

Tinie Versfeld has a reputation as one of the hardest trad climbers in the country. He also has a reputation for being pedantic about what gear to include in his rack! So we were interested to discover that he has added five Totem cams to the mix. Mark Johnston chatted to him to find out why.