Ambassador Spotlight | Sam Enright

Hometown: Reading, Massachusetts

Q: What’s your climbing style?
A: Power on pinches/edges

Q: What is your proudest accomplishment in climbing, and outside of climbing?
A: Sending The Shield (V12) when I was 16 is up there. It is not the hardest boulder I’ve done but definitely the most memorable. Outside of climbing, I did a few kickflips in my life.

Q: What advice would you give to your first year climbing self?
A: Just keep climbing as much as you can. The strength and power will come.

Q: Who do you take advice from and why?
A: I try to absorb anything I can from anyone who knows their stuff. I think my progression over the last 2 years has relied heavily on that.

Q: How has your training for climbing changed in the last year?
A: Last year, I focused on strange movements, which made me a lot better at strange competition moves, but I also lost some strength and power. This year, I’ve been training for a lot more strength and power.

Q: How has climbing affected the people you choose to surround yourself with?
A: Climbing has always been an outlet for having fun and relaxing for me. Anybody who can contribute to that is a friend of mine.

Q: What have you done to give back to the climbing community?
A: I helped to coach the Metrorock Station Youth Climbing Team in 2016/17. I have also volunteered for a nonprofit called Urban Peaks, which is an organization that brings climbing to children who may not have access to it.

Q: What have you learned from failure?
A: Failure is the best teacher. Certain failures have made me reconsider my whole approach to training. Days that I have where I can’t climb anything and I feel heavy and weak are the days when I learn the most. Climbing is one of the few sports that one can never stop learning in.

Q: Who are the climbers that inspire you the most and why?
A: I think Nalle Hukkataival is the best boulderer in the world. Nobody else can climb the hardest boulders in every style. It blows my mind. Climbing a 9A boulder is crazy and groundbreaking, but an 8B friction slab is something I have trouble imagining.

Q: What is your favorite climbing location and why?
A: Pawtuckaway, NH. There are other areas with better rock quality and problems. But Pawtuckaway has given me some of my favorite days playing on boulders in the woods.

Q: Why Butora Climbing?
A: The shoes. I wouldn’t be with a company if I didn’t believe in the product. I have worn many shoes and I feel like the Acro combines the best aspects of all those shoes. I’ll be wearing this one for a while.

Q: What are your favorite before and after climbing meals?
A: I try to eat a lot of whole grains and greens. I do eat meat but not as often as I used to. I feel like eating like this is best for both before and after climbing, for me.

Q: What is your spirit animal?
A: Sloth Bear dude…

Questions from the Internet

Q: What differences have you found in climbing Narsha versus climbing in Acro?
A: I’ve found that the Narsha is much stiffer and is best at edging and heel hooks. When a climb requires hard heel hooking or standing on tiny, tiny feet, I would wear the Narshas. I’ve found the Acro is a great all-around shoe. I think I can do any climb in the Acros, but the Narshas can do specific things a bit better.

Q: What are some tips you would give to new outdoor climbers about crag etiquette?
A: Clean up after yourselves. Don’t be too loud. Brush your tick marks.

Q: Tips you would give to someone who is stuck on their project? How do you stay motivated when you are stuck?
A: I find taking a small break from a project is a great way to get some training time and to take a mental break from projecting. Some people get stuck in their projects and forget that climbing is supposed to be fun. As soon as projecting stops being fun, I take a break.

Q: How have you overcome fear in climbing (fear of falling, fear of failure, etc.)?
A: Trust. Trust your own abilities and all of the training you have done. Trust your belayer and that they will catch you. But above all, just going out and falling/failing is the best way to get over those fears. The more you deal with failure the better you will get at just that.

Check out our next Ambassador, Ben Hanna.