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Hot Diggity! posted:Yeah same. I get producing interesting and difficult problems, but when the final hold is a greasy chip and the feet aren't great and I've got larger holds directly underneath me from other problems then self preservation kicks in. At a certain level of difficulty, that's just how slab climbing is. A lot of people hate slab for that reason, there are often no clean fall options.
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# ? Jun 5, 2019 22:03 |
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# ? May 22, 2024 16:18 |
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Slab is awesome. The gym doesn't need to be unnecessarily dangerous though.
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# ? Jun 5, 2019 22:12 |
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armorer posted:At a certain level of difficulty, that's just how slab climbing is. A lot of people hate slab for that reason, there are often no clean fall options. For sure, and I would certainly expect that outside and I prefer climbing slab. But in the gym when you do not even have the ability to safely push off the wall to avoid hitting holds on the way down it's not great.
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# ? Jun 5, 2019 22:17 |
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I've had a solid week of climbing so far. Went outdoor bouldering at a place called Wishing Rock. It apparently used to be a meetup spot for Native American chiefs way back in the day, but now it's kind of a hooligan spot with rocks tagged and broken glass everywhere. Fairly decent climbing for what I can manage to find in between Annapolis and Baltimore though. Here are some pics starting with a graffiti penis: https://imgur.com/a/mUzcesS I also tried speed climbing for the first time. My gym has theirs open to members on the first Monday of every month so I figured it was worth trying. Not gonna lie it feels more like parkour than actual rock climbing, but it's neat how the same route is used universally. I also think I'm gonna trade in my Mythos for a half size smaller. They were really snug at first, but now they've kind of stretched out and have the comfort of a sneaker. I feel like a half size down would be a good balance of "not comfortable but not painful either"
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# ? Jun 5, 2019 23:16 |
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Hot Diggity! posted:For sure, and I would certainly expect that outside and I prefer climbing slab. But in the gym when you do not even have the ability to safely push off the wall to avoid hitting holds on the way down it's not great. Don't get me wrong, I agree, but I don't have any useful ideas to avoid this specifically when it comes to slab. I've just kind of accepted it as the slab experience.
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# ? Jun 6, 2019 03:56 |
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scrambled our way up to sushi slab in CCC today, would not recommend also saw a dude free solo a ~400’ wall across the canyon from us next to a conga line of people all doing a 5.8 multipitch who just stopped dead to watch him
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# ? Jun 10, 2019 01:10 |
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Not sure how I feel about watching people free solo. On one hand, their lives, their prerogative. On the other hand, I don’t want to be around when someone plummets to their death. I’ve seen people free soloing in Eldorado Canyon and it always skeeves me out.
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# ? Jun 10, 2019 01:44 |
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gamera009 posted:Not sure how I feel about watching people free solo. On one hand, their lives, their prerogative. On the other hand, I don’t want to be around when someone plummets to their death. Someone just died a couple of weeks ago free soloing in Eldo. https://www.denverpost.com/2019/05/20/eldorado-canyon-free-solo-climbing-death/amp/
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# ? Jun 10, 2019 02:08 |
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Bud Manstrong posted:Someone just died a couple of weeks ago free soloing in Eldo. At least it was a clean death falling off the Bastille. The last time I did Army Route, a popular(ish) 3 pitch 5.5 here in the Springs, I was passed three times by the same dude running solo laps. Now, I'd solo the hell out of some 5.5, except the Army Route is a chosspile full of ledges and gravel. Too each his own, I guess, but I was a little concerned for the guy. Also guess whose ACL graft is failing and gets to have an MRI and two surgical consults this week?
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# ? Jun 10, 2019 02:20 |
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gamera009 posted:Not sure how I feel about watching people free solo. On one hand, their lives, their prerogative. On the other hand, I don’t want to be around when someone plummets to their death. yeah, I think midmorning on a weekend next to a super-popular moderate is probably not the time or place if you feel inclined towards soloing Bud Manstrong posted:Someone just died a couple of weeks ago free soloing in Eldo. someone just died a couple days ago in CCC too, apparently another miscommunication with belayer
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# ? Jun 10, 2019 02:24 |
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Woohoo, I did my first 5.11 on rock today. So stoked. It's kinda soft for the grade but it's 5.11 in the guide book and I'll take it. Also bought new shoes, sportiva Maverinks. Apparently it's a kid's model so I got 2 pens in the box so I can draw on my shoes? We'll see about that.
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# ? Jun 11, 2019 18:10 |
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Grats Tangentially related, what do you guys look for when buying shoes? Like how do you decide on a pair? Just a matter of personal preference as far as how "aggressive" the shape is? Also I ordered shoes through my local gym because they do a 20% discount which made them much cheaper than Amazon... But apparently their shipping speed is approximately as fast as molasses, which means I've now spent more in renting shoes than what I saved from the discount, which is dumb Unrelated, how many different disciplines do you guys do? I don't have any good climbing friends so I've only done bouldering so far and I enjoy it a lot, but I kind of want to try top rope just to do something different Sab669 fucked around with this message at 18:42 on Jun 11, 2019 |
# ? Jun 11, 2019 18:29 |
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I lead sport and trad. Very very rarely TR. Boulder a bit in the gym and maybe outside once a year.
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# ? Jun 11, 2019 18:37 |
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With shoes I guess you should decide what kinda shoes you want, like do you want a soft slipper, an aggressive downturned shoe for steep routes or a flat shoe for crack climbing etc? And then find the shoe in that category that fits your foot the best.
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# ? Jun 11, 2019 18:40 |
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Pretty much the same. I mostly lead sport and trad. I almost never boulder outside, but I boulder in the gym a decent amount. I'll TR in the gym if I'm with non-leaders, or outside if I'm trying to figure out moves on something really hard. I also do a bit of ice climbing if I can over the winter. I've done a bit of alpine climbing, and want to do more. Haven't done any big wall or aid stuff.
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# ? Jun 11, 2019 18:43 |
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I suppose a better way to phrase that question is what makes a particular style of shoe better at X
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# ? Jun 11, 2019 18:44 |
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Sab669 posted:I suppose a better way to phrase that question is what makes a particular style of shoe better at X Assuming they fit you the same (big assumption) you'll find that an aggressive shoe tends to be better on small chip-like feet, and also at hooking into stuff in overhung roof systems. A flatter shoe may be better for thin edges and slab though. In either style, I prefer a shoe with a rigid toe platform, because I think they're more stable. Lace up shoes tend to be more comfortable than velcro, because you can tighten them just right, but they're a pain to take off and put on. Typically I have a pair of aggresive velcro shoes (Miura VS) and a pair of flatter lace-ups (TC Pro) in rotation at any given time. I use the aggresive shoes for single pitch cragging days where I can kick them off and put on sandals, and the lace-ups for multi-pitch routes where they'll be on my feet for several hours at a time.
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# ? Jun 11, 2019 18:49 |
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Sab669 posted:Unrelated, how many different disciplines do you guys do? I don't have any good climbing friends so I've only done bouldering so far and I enjoy it a lot, but I kind of want to try top rope just to do something different Everything except big wall, and that because we don't have so much of it in merrie England. Look for clubs advertising at your climbing wall if you want to try out other types of climbing. You're likely to find a group of people who are keen and friendly and want to help people surmount the greater barriers to entry that exist in other disciplines. It might seem a bit of a weird or uninstinctive if you're generation facebook, but it's the traditional way into climbing and it does work well. If you do have the $$$ try a couple of taster sessions or training courses so have some exposure to competence. This can be very useful because there is a slim demographic who are club members because they're too dangerous to hold on to a partner for long. The challenge is spotting them and avoiding a harrowing experience that's more than likely to put you off. Tips: - Did they arrive alone? - Do they pounce on new recruits like a hungry cannibal? - Did they fix their plans on one route before they knew who they'd be climbing with? - Is their plan for your first route anything but easy? - Do they question and test your ability in a low consequence location like on the ground? - Are they dismissive of your new training session skills and can't adequately explain why? - Does the element of fun seem absent from their relentless monologue about near death experiences?
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# ? Jun 11, 2019 21:59 |
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How can I get comfortable leading real slab? Falling is petrifying and makes me want to take no chances whatsoever. I just figure I'll be dragging my body across the rockface and that seems tremendously unfun.
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# ? Jun 11, 2019 22:31 |
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Find some safe route, take progressively bigger falls until you’re desensitized.
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# ? Jun 11, 2019 22:43 |
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I tend to 90% boulder indoor and outdoors. That other 10% of the year I'll sport climbing or top rope, but I really dislike having to carry around a lot of climbing gear, which makes other climbing hard for me. Shoe talk: I think it's a good idea to try sport climbing first. Try finding someone to top rope with via a Facebook group, and if you like it, that will dictate the shoes you end up with. Bouldering shoes are generally much more aggressive than sport climbing shoes, but if you choose to climb outside, the rocks nearby should probably play a part in what shoes you buy. Ubiquitus fucked around with this message at 23:39 on Jun 11, 2019 |
# ? Jun 11, 2019 23:36 |
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ShaneB posted:How can I get comfortable leading real slab? Falling is petrifying and makes me want to take no chances whatsoever. I just figure I'll be dragging my body across the rockface and that seems tremendously unfun. Talk to your buddies and ask if that has ever happened to them. My friends are all nervous about this but I don't think any of them have had a bad experience with it.
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# ? Jun 12, 2019 02:19 |
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The nervousness about slab comes from the fact that slips of footing are usually sudden and difficult to anticipate, so they can be nerve wracking.
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# ? Jun 12, 2019 02:54 |
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IMO taking progressively bigger falls on slab is a terrible idea
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# ? Jun 12, 2019 03:54 |
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Slab falls are just scary and can have consequences. Unfortunate fact of life, but I suppose you can practice running backwards while falling on low angle terrain.
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# ? Jun 12, 2019 04:00 |
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crazycello posted:Slab falls are just scary and can have consequences. Unfortunate fact of life, but I suppose you can practice running backwards while falling on low angle terrain. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOz_NEr0aeY
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# ? Jun 12, 2019 04:13 |
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Niyqor posted:Talk to your buddies and ask if that has ever happened to them. My friends are all nervous about this but I don't think any of them have had a bad experience with it. I'll just speak up now & say yes, I am also nervous about this. I think I push myself harder on steep or overhanging routes, but a lot of slab holds feel super tenuous and I feel like if I slip a foot or a tiny crimp leading I'm gonna eat poo poo face-first on granite and then slide the rest of the way
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# ? Jun 12, 2019 05:08 |
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Ahhh just climb it. You will find that if it is bolted you are very rarely going to cheese grade.
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# ? Jun 12, 2019 05:25 |
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I dont get it what is "cheese rolling"? They throw cheese down a muddy hill then everyone falls after it?
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# ? Jun 12, 2019 06:54 |
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Personally, I love slabs. Routes where it's all about footwoork is definitely my jam. That said, they are scary as heck especially if they involve a bit of traversing as well. Bonus pictures from a climb earlier this year. This is a fairly easy 5.7, but it's a super nice continous crack system that runs for about 200 meters. The climbing is also really nice and sustained. https://imgur.com/gallery/v1BjmqM https://imgur.com/gallery/Hlrb0SE E: phone posting can't embed??
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# ? Jun 12, 2019 07:22 |
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The best (?) slab fall I ever had was a time when my fingers popped off this tiny little crystal nub. I didn't fall at all per se, I slid extremely quickly down the wall, still smearing on my toes. When the rope caught me there was a strong smell of burnt rubber, and I had a flat spot on each toe. That damned fall probably cost me over $50 in shoe rubber.
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# ? Jun 12, 2019 10:08 |
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i dont know how you'd climb slabs without falling a ton. cheese grating is probably not going to happen since you'll just kick off when you start to slip
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# ? Jun 12, 2019 13:37 |
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I just recently learned there's some outdoor bouldering to be had less than an hour from my apartment, so obviously now I want to check that out I don't own a crash pad, but assuming I did, what do I need to transport said pad from my car to the site? I've seen videos of people carrying them on their backs via some sort of backpack-esque thing but I don't know what these are called and I can't seem to find them on Moosejaw or Amazon. Under Moosejaw's "Climbing packs" section, it looks like they just carry backpacks that I presume would be used for hauling a frame/tent/other camping equipment up a cliff.
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# ? Jun 12, 2019 13:50 |
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Sab669 posted:I just recently learned there's some outdoor bouldering to be had less than an hour from my apartment, so obviously now I want to check that out I've only rented crash pads before, but I think they usually come with attached straps so you can just wear the pad itself like a backpack.
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# ? Jun 12, 2019 13:55 |
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A lot (all?) of crash pads have built in backpack straps and either fold in half or roll up to accommodate that mode of transport.
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# ? Jun 12, 2019 13:55 |
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Oh, yea, now that I've looked at a few more I do see they mostly seem to have backpack straps on the underside. the first few I clicked through didn't include photos of these / didn't make it explicitly clear in the product description. Well that's cool, because these are pretty expensive and I was not in love with the idea of needing to buy pad(s) AND a carrying device. And apparently I need a permit to boulder at this site (only $25, but just one more thing...) Thanks for putting up with all of my stupidnewbie.jpg questions
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# ? Jun 12, 2019 14:15 |
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beat9 posted:Personally, I love slabs. Routes where it's all about footwoork is definitely my jam. That said, they are scary as heck especially if they involve a bit of traversing as well. It can, not sure what is up with your link. Something seems screwed up as I can't get it to work now either. That looks cold as hell btw. spwrozek fucked around with this message at 14:34 on Jun 12, 2019 |
# ? Jun 12, 2019 14:21 |
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Sab669 posted:Oh, yea, now that I've looked at a few more I do see they mostly seem to have backpack straps on the underside. the first few I clicked through didn't include photos of these / didn't make it explicitly clear in the product description. No problem. Also, most boulderers sandwich their other stuff (shoes, snacks, water, chalk bag) inside the folded crash pad so it kind of doubles as a backpack.
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# ? Jun 12, 2019 15:37 |
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How do moonboards and kilter boards compare to outside climbing. My gym has a kilter board and v1s are pretty freaking hard
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# ? Jun 12, 2019 19:28 |
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# ? May 22, 2024 16:18 |
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There seem to be a lot of Denver folks here, so on Saturday Denver Bouldering Club is holding a tenth anniversary party with free climbing and food. Good folks, good climbing, good dogs.
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# ? Jun 12, 2019 21:34 |