Jake Mason

Name: Jake Mason

D.O.B: 18/05/1991

Hometown: Boston, Lincolnshire

Sport: Climbing

I started climbing late at the age of 21 following a teenage life of track and field athletics. I had an obsession for the mountains, which quickly distilled into trad climbing and then even further into bouldering. After bouldering for a couple of years I managed to find myself setting regularly at a wall in London. 9 years later, I am now a full time route setter, freelancing across the UK and Europe, setting for the GB team and leading the setting programme at Hang in London.

I climb outside as much as I can, travelling regularly up to the grit during the winter months and wherever else takes my fancy throughout the rest of the year. If I have the chance, I try to travel to a new bouldering location at least once a year. Climbing outside compliments my setting and setting maintains my fitness for climbing outside.

Get to know Jake

Tell us about your successes so far?

Climbed The Ace, set for the BBC's and running a very successful setting program at Hang in London.

What are you working on? What are your goals for the future?

In the outdoors my main goal is to continue ticking off the life list boulders. Careless Torque and Cypher are two in the UK I hope to tackle this coming season.

On the work side of things, as well as setting as many comps as possible I also hope to travel overseas a little more. Generally continue to fine tune my craft and hopefully invent that elusive new move.

Why do you climb? What do you love about climbing?

I climb for a number of reasons; fitness, social, freedom, exploration, the excape, work! ...but the number one reason I love to climb is the infinite variety that climbing offers.

Even within bouldering, there is far more than a lifetimes worth of destinations and movements available. Every climbing day is different to the last, and that never ceases to be fun.

Which SCARPA shoe is your favourite?

As a comp setter I tend to share the choice of comp climbers, therefore the perfect combo is Drago LV and Instinct VSR.

I'm also a big fan of the Veloce as a comfort shoe for testing easy boulders on a set day.

Tell us about your best day climbing?

So many to choose from, but one extra special day stands out above the rest. Me and a big group of friends were at 'Sassies' in Rocklands, I had just sent my dream boulder; Shoshaloza 8a+. The sun had set and we're all on a giddy high.

Sassies has an especially prehistoric vibe, it really feels like you're 'out there'. We're laid on the ground looking up at the brightest stars I've ever seen and suddenly a train of about 20 Starlink satellites crosses directly above us. A crazy thing to witness in person! Emotions went from confusion to disbelief and back to giddy. This was a cool day, it's not always about the climbing.

What do you do away from your sport?

Woodworking, history podcasts and gaming.

Where is your #NoPlacetooFar?

One destination that has always been on my radar is Castle Hill, New Zealand. I'm a big fan of climbing on textureless features and by all accounts this is the place for that.