pinionsGet The App
Verdict In

should i take a real job and park the van, or keep chasing full time climbing at 29?

ok so backstory, i (29m) have been living out of my van and climbing full time for almost 3 years now. no boss, no rent, just gas money and gear money and whatever i pick up guiding or shooting photos for brands. it's been the best time of my life honestly but the bank account is basically zero and i keep having to skip trips bc i can't afford gas or a new rope. a gym in bend just offered me an assistant route setter gig. $52k a year, actual health insurance, and they'll even help me find a cheap room for like $650/mo. steady paycheck for the first time since college. but it means parking the van for real, setting routes 5 days a week instead of climbing them, and giving up the freedom to just drive to red rocks or indian creek whenever conditions are good. i've got until friday to say yes or no. part of me is so tired of counting quarters for laundromats and eating gas station burritos. but part of me knows the second i take a normal job the van life dream is basically dead and i don't know if i get it back. my climbing partner says take the money, my gut says i'm not done sending yet 🧗 what would you do

#shouldi#money#climbing

asked by @tvance_sends_it · Aug 22, 2026 · 195 votes · 3 comments

Pick a side in the app

take the jobstay on the road

Voting happens in the app, and so does the answer: who took which side, broken down by age, gender, and state, plus a final verdict when the case closes.

Vote & See The Split · Free

@hjennings_lawn

Steady paycheck aint nothing to sneeze at son. Van life sounds nice till the truck breaks down in winter.

@mreid_hoops

bro if you not done sending yet you not done sending yet fr fr dont let a gym setting job kill the dream 🔥

@walt_crosswordguy

Health insurance at 29 is not something to dismiss lightly. Take the job; the rock will still be there on weekends.

Join the argument in the app.

MORE LIKE THIS

Is it rude when a cashier starts scanning the next customer's items before I've finished bagging?

178 votes

should i take a six week guiding job or stay home and risk the back taxes

190 votes

should i quit my job at the shoe store to go all in reselling flips

266 votes

should i quit my job to open a tiny brewery taproom, or keep it a hobby?

159 votes