MSR Welcomes Athletes Nina Caprez, Dani Arnold to the Team

Forces of power, strength and precision, Nina Caprez and Dani Arnold are helping to define human achievement in the mountains. As a climber and alpinist respectively, these athletes operate amid some of the planet’s harshest conditions and challenging scenarios. So we know they’ll put our gear to the test, and inspire us to continually engineer and refine the highest-quality gear possible. More, we’re proud to work with Nina and Dani because they embody the spirit of their disciplines; they strive for perfection, yet never take themselves too seriously. Join us in welcoming these two exceptional athletes to our team of ambassadors. Read on to learn more about Nina and Dani: 

Nina Caprez
Hometown: Grenoble, France

Nina Caprez MSR Athlete
Nina Caprez is one of the world’s best rock climbers. She holds first female ascents of numerous routes and excels in every discipline of the sport, from competition to high-altitude climbing to multipitch.

Swiss rock climber Nina Caprez became addicted to the wild nature of mountains at 13 when she took up mountaineering. Enchanted with the act of climbing, she threw herself into every discipline of the sport—from world championship competitions, to high-altitude peaks, bouldering to sport climbing, and finally multipitch, where she’s achieved some of the hardest routes on the planet. Today, as one of the world’s best rock climbers, she holds the first female ascent of numerous routes in France. The big, technical climbs energize her most. “Climbing should be a fun game,” she contends. With that positive spirit carrying her ever upward, she stays fiercely motivated, conquering dream route after daunting dream route.

Nina Caprez MSR Athlete - Smith Rock

Greatest Achievements:

Free ascent of El Nino, 1000 m/13b, Yosemite Valley
FFA of Divine Providence, 1000 m /7b+, Mont Blanc
Unendliche Geschichte, 420 m, 8b+, Rätikon
FFA Hannibals Alptraum, 300 m, 7c, Rätikon
Orbayu, 550 m, 8c, Picos de Europa
FFA Carnet d’adresse, 250 m, 8b+, Grenoble
FFA Silbergeier, 200 m, 8b+, Rätikon
FFA Ali Baba, 240 m, 8a+, Aiglun
Hotel Supramonte, 8b, Sardinia

 

Dani Arnold
Hometown: Uri, Switzerland

Dani Arnold MSR athlete
Alpinist, ice climber and free soloist Dani Arnold has claimed speed records on some of the world’s most formidable peaks, and his pace doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. (Photo by Senf Thomas)

The speed at which Dani Arnold climbs the world’s most formidable peaks puts him in an echelon few climbers will ever achieve. Young, powerful and precise, the Swiss alpinist has a remarkable tick-list of fastest ascents, including the Eiger North Face (2 hr 28 min), the Matterhorn (1 hr 46 min), and the Crack Baby ice climb in Switzerland (IV WI 6, 27 min 13 s). At home in a cold vertical world, Dani was raised in the Alps and acquired a fascination for towering peaks as child taking the cable car to school. Today, his life revolves around climbing, which leaves little time for much else. Still, he keeps a solid perspective, enjoying the “friendly competition” of mountain climbing and the pure joy he says it brings him.

MSR Athlete Dani Arnold Helmcken Falls
Photo by Senf Thomas

Greatest Achievements:

Eiger North Face Speed
Matterhorn Northface Speed
Beta Block Super WI 7, Free Solo Speed
Anubis, Scotland XII / 12
Carlesso, Dolomites Free Solo Speed
Crack Baby Free Solo Speed
Alaska, first ascent “Bird of Pray” with David Lama
Torre Egger, Patagonia, first winter ascent
Canada, Helmckenfalls, first ascent Power Shrimps

See the entire MSR team of ambassadors here.