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Trust AAE Speakers Bureau for Booking Top Professional Speakers. Find a Keynote Speaker Today.
Matt Samet

Matt Samet

Keynote Speaker: Author of "Death Grip: A Climber's Escape from Benzo Madness"

Matt Samet Biography

Death Grip chronicles a top climber's near-fatal struggle with anxiety and depression, and his nightmarish journey through the dangerous world of prescription drugs. Matt Samet lived to climb, and craved the challenge, risk, and exhilaration of conquering sheer rock faces around the United States and internationally. But Samet's depression, compounded by the extreme diet and fitness practices of climbers, led him to seek professional help. He entered the murky, inescapable world of psychiatric medicine, where he developed a dangerous addiction to prescribed medications—primarily "benzos," or benzodiazepines—that landed him in institutions and nearly killed him.

With dramatic storytelling, persuasive research data, and searing honesty, Samet reveals the hidden epidemic of benzo addiction, which some have suggested can be harder to quit than heroin. Millions of adults and teenagers are prescribed these drugs, but few understand how addictive they are—and how dangerous long-term usage can be, even when prescribed by doctors.

After a difficult struggle with addiction, Samet slowly makes his way to a life in recovery through perseverance and a deep love of rock climbing. Conveying both the exhilaration of climbing in the wilderness and the utter madness of addiction, Death Grip is a powerful and revelatory memoir.

Samet also served as the editor of Climbing Magazine and is now the editor at Pocket Outdoor Media. He has been an avid climber since the mid-1980s, and is the author of the Climbing Dictionary and The Crag Survival Handbook. He enjoys early-morning MoonBoard sessions, spending time with his family, and scoping for new routes in his backyard of the Flatirons, Colorado.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Matt Samet and other top speakers and celebrities.

Matt Samet Videos

Open Paradigm Project - Matt Samet

How do I book Matt Samet to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Matt Samet for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Matt Samet, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Matt Samet or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Matt Samet for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Matt Samet, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $10,000 - $20,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Matt Samet, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Matt Samet speak about?

Matt Samet is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Health, Mental Health, Editing, Adventure, Authors, Sports Writing, Overcoming Adversity, Motivational and Mountain Climbing.

Where does Matt Samet travel from?

Matt Samet generally travels from Boulder, CO, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Matt Samet?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Matt Samet for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Matt Samet for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Matt Samet or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Matt Samet is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Health, Mental Health and Editing. The estimated speaking fee range to book Matt Samet for live events is $10,000 - $20,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. Matt Samet generally travels from Boulder, CO, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Paul Deegan, Stephen Koch and Ed Viesturs. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Matt Samet for an upcoming event.

Matt Samet Videos

Open Paradigm Project - Matt Samet

Matt Samet News

  • Beauty in the Breakdown

    What happens when a rock climber, gripped by the natural high of his sport, gets hooked on powerful prescription tranquilizers that help him beat back the fear and anxiety?

  • Listen to an Interview With Climbing Editor Matt Samet on the ReddyYeti Podcast

    For decades Climbing Magazine has delivered some exceptionally captivating stories, reporting, reviews, and features keeping us entertained and connected with the climbing world but, have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of all those captivating headlines? For current editor-in-chief Matt Samet, his introduction to Climbing Magazine was a mix of great timing and the drive to follow his true passion, climbing.

  • "Death Grip" author Matt Samet talks climbing, addiction, drugs - The ...

    Veteran Colorado climber Matt Samet, former editor in chief of Climbing magazine, was at the top of his form as an athlete when his avocation was sidelined, ...

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