Under the clouds of San Francisco, The North Face gathered some of the most celebrated rock climbers in the world for Climb Festival 2025. The two-day event kicked off on September 5, with preliminary rounds, panels, and other segments before the finals, all set against the serene waterside of China Basin Park.
Ahead of the weekend, Teen Vogue caught up with three pro climbers in between their practice sessions to learn all about the preparation behind the scenes of Climb Festival 2025, from packing bags to hand care. We chatted with prodigy Angie Scarth-Johnson, Olympic medalist Brooke Raboutou, and national champion Melina Costanza about all things climbing, skin care, and more.
Melina Costanza: I’m doing well. It is a beautiful day out here. I was thinking that it was going to be a little bit gray and cold, but the sun came out and a bunch of people were out on the beach watching, and it's a really good time.
MC: I'm feeling excited, a bit nervous. This is my first time ever doing an event like this. It was my first time really climbing that high over water this morning, but it was really fun. And I'm nervous but excited for the next race.
MC: I wanted to push myself a little bit outside of my comfort zone. There are a lot of opportunities to do different types of climbing, and this is something that I've never really explored. So I wanted to prove to myself that I could do something this scary.
MC: I use a powder sunscreen. I don't know the brand, but I use it every day. Not just the days that I'm climbing, doing deep water solo competitions, but also the days that I go to the gym and every single day in between, even days I'm just going to work. So I like to have coverage all the time, ideally.
MC: I do my own fake lashes, and the problem is that the glue is water-soluble. So I've been having to battle with that a little bit in Climb Fest and do re-applications and whatnot. But typically, in most competitions indoors, that is not an issue. This is my first time having to do that. But I am into doing makeup, false eyelashes, and hair. Doing those things makes me feel confident and kind of put on a persona so that I'm ready to compete.
MC: Over COVID, I watched a ton of beauty tutorials, because there wasn't a lot of opportunity for going out, social interaction, and staying at home a lot made me get into more experimental stuff, and then figure out what I liked. And then once competitions resumed, I was able to play around a little bit with it and see what made me feel good and confident and what helped me perform the best and be myself.
Brooke Raboutou: It's really fun to be back with The North Face team and at a super big, well-organized event like this. Like I was in New York about the same time last year, and so I'm having a lot of deja vu. It feels like it's even more put together and already a solid crowd for just the first round, so I'm excited to see where it goes. And I love the thrill of deep water soloing, so it's been a good time.
BR: I always pack multiple shoes and multiple chalk bags in case we do fall into the water. For sure sunscreen and ChapStick — getting in the water can dry my body out and my face. And, light clothes that are easy to get wet, like some of my favorite sports bras and spandex, or just shorts. Then, a nice hoodie to stay warm after.
BR: Yeah, honestly, the skin that I feel like climbers pay the most attention to is on our hands, which is funny. Unique for most people. But I have an electric file, which I use to make sure I kind of shave down my calluses so that they don't turn into cracks. And then I put on dry spray a lot too, because I have generally pretty sweaty skin, which makes friction really hard while climbing. And so drying it out a bit can just make me feel more confident on the holds and have better friction to move faster.
Angie Scarth-Johnson: I'm having a really good time. I always have a lot of fun at these events because I find them to be extremely unique and like no other sporting event that I've seen that can be seen in a city like it is now. And this is my third Climb Fest. So I've been to other ones, and this one's been really fun and I'm glad the weather's holding up, but the water's super cold.
ASJ: I use The Ordinary. I have super sensitive, acne-prone skin, so I always like to use things that feel a little clean, I guess. And I like wearing makeup, so I usually wear a really clean sunscreen and then a bit of makeup on top for climbing.
ASJ: I definitely have a go-to look. I always conceal certain spots of my face, and then I will laminate my eyebrows every day. And then I've been, of course, using that trendy lip tint where it's like a lip tint mask, and you take it off and then it's stained in your lips. I've been using that a lot lately, actually. I really like it.
ASJ: I think it's perfect.
ASJ: I really feel like when I get out of the water, I'm not tired from climbing. I feel like my body keeps the cold inside. Even if I'm in the sun, my bones feel cold. And I've felt like that since I fell in the water this morning. I'm not cold right now, but I can feel it inside of my bones. So I've been trying to get in a lot of calories and trying to lie in my hotel room between climbs. But we have one more climb today in an hour, so I'll probably go and have a nap and read.
These interviews have been cut and edited for length and clarity.
