The Gneiss Life: Your Epic, Adventuring Moments Celebrate the Climbing Spirit For Batso's Birthday

EVERGREEN, Colo. - June 5, 2016 - PRLog -- Sit down and mull this over:  Five miles down a terrible dirt road, three hours into a gnarly approach, dark clouds ominously threatening, have you had the thought run through your head:  "Am I really that stoked to do this?" Yet for some (unknown) reason, you keep trudging up the trail, wiggle into your harness, and tie into a rope that'll take you to the top of a climb that inevitably changes your perspective-on how you approach the day, the week, maybe even the year-and you'll regret ever questioning your resolve.

In encountering those pre-climb moments, Jack and Amanda Schuler--Colorado-based Gneiss Apparel Supply Co. founders, designers, and new parents--found inspiration to celebrate the uncrushable spirit characterizing climbers regardless of their circumstances. In recognizing that we, as climbers, belong to something larger than ourselves, this celebration of those "adventure times" moments belongs to our community, not just the Gneiss team.

Still sitting? This story of what it means to climb--for the scare, the glory, the thrill, the laughs--is a story of not just us, but of you. It is a story that we're telling over the next two weeks, leading up to the birthday celebration of one of climbing's original personalities, Warren "Batso" Harding. And, it's a story that we want you to help write.

Jack and Amanda created Evergreen, CO-based Gneiss to represent the adventure-seeking, fun-hogging, teeth-gritting tenacity that drives each of us to forge the paths in life that make us happy and allow us to thrive. Jack sums it up:  "our ultimate goal is freedom. Freedom to spend life the way we want to, to have more time for our daughter, to not be tied down." There's a little bit of the riotous Batso energy in all of us, isn't there? That same renegade spirit that drove Harding to put up numerous Yosemite FAs may not mean we're scaling 1000+ ft walls, but it does mean we laugh in the face of "normal" to pursue our own freedoms.

When Batso's birthday rolls around on June 18, we're giving away 3 of these limited run Batso tees to the most liked and shared Instagram and Facebook posts you submit--stories that show the world your take on those adventuring moments that make you who you are. Use the hashtags #begneiss and #gneisslife, DM us on Instagram or Facebook, or email us at hello@gneissapparel.com, and we'll share your story.

Between now and June 18, we'll share some of our own "adventure times" moments so you can learn a little more about us, and what it means to #begneiss. An example from Amanda:

…[It was] one of the first times I'd trad climbed. We were on the second pitch of a climb at Parachute Rock and it wasn't the tallest climb but it felt pretty stinkin' tall when I had to place my own gear. I was inching my way up, carefully testing each piece as I placed it. And of course, to add to the excitement, we could see a storm starting to roll in so I had to get moving. I had a bit of Elvis leg going on but I had to suck it up and force myself to move above each piece as I placed it, trusting that it'd hold. When I finally made it to the top it was such a sense of relief that I couldn't help but start yelling - and I'm typically a pretty quiet person, haha. I kinda couldn't believe I'd made it.

So share your story with us today, and you could win one of the Batso Gneiss tees--which is just as appropriate around a campfire as worn in a squeeze chimney. Amanda:  "Our shirts are super soft, easy to move in, and breathable. We paid special attention to the printing process and carefully chose methods for each of the designs that would result in the most comfortable/breathable end result possible."

These ultrasoft tees aren't the only thing you'll take away from the Batso competition:  this tee represents the everyday you, and the you that you'll become…because that's just who you are.

Have fun. Make time. Be Gneiss.

About Gneiss Apparel Supply Co.

Gneiss clothing is gear made by climbers, for climbers, to express the lightheartedness, seriousness, and every feeling in between that goes into the climbing lifestyle. Every design is inspired by climbing, from the ultra-soft combed cotton tees to the graphics we design to the Denver-based production. Gneiss tees are designed to feel as much like your favorite, worn-in tees as possible, and are just as comfortable on multi-pitch climbs as they are in the boardroom. Sold online at http://www.gneissapparel.com/, you can also find Gneiss for sale at Reel Rock 11 in Denver. Gneiss supports the Access Fund, the American Alpine Club and the American Safe Climbing Association, donating 1% of its profits to these organizations' efforts to promote safe, accessible climbing for all.