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benwards
Apr 9, 2007

Another youthful indiscretion
I actually climbed in a pair of Boreal Jesters (same heel cup, near as I can tell) for the first few years that I climbed. They did soften up a bit over time, but mostly my feet just got a bit gnarlier (literal use of the term!), and the pain eventually went away. They're super comfy now, but I've blown through the rand, so it's time to have them resoled. :(

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PRADA SLUT
Mar 14, 2006

Inexperienced,
heartless,
but even so
I just got back from the wall and the backs of the shoes are still chewing up my heel.

Sounds like the fix is to sack the gently caress up and deal.

benwards
Apr 9, 2007

Another youthful indiscretion

PRADA SLUT posted:

I just got back from the wall and the backs of the shoes are still chewing up my heel.

Sounds like the fix is to sack the gently caress up and deal.

Yeah, to a certain point. Though, really, if it keeps bothering you in a couple weeks (past the point where your feet should have toughened up a bit), it might be worth looking into softening up the heel cup with some moleskin or something. It shouldn't be rubbing you raw in perpetuity.

potidaean
Nov 23, 2005

I've got a problem where once in a while one or both of my ring fingers suddenly give out on a hold. It'll feel almost like it's dislocated, and then I'm done for the day. There doesn't seem to be any lasting damage beyond a few hours of soreness, but it happens more than I'd like, maybe once a month (I climb 2-3x/week). Since I love crimps, this is particularly annoying. Ever since I started focusing on fingerstrength on my home board, it's gotten less and less frequent. Been a few months now. I'm still worried though since it was always the same two fingers, should I be taping them up every time regardless?

potidaean fucked around with this message at 06:32 on Feb 23, 2013

Covert Ops Wizard
Dec 27, 2006

potidaean posted:

I've got a problem where once in a while one or both of my ring fingers suddenly give out on a hold. It'll feel almost like it's dislocated, and then I'm done for the day. There doesn't seem to be any lasting damage beyond a few hours of soreness, but it happens more than I'd like, maybe once a month (I climb 2-3x/week). Since I love crimps, this is particularly annoying. Ever since I started focusing on fingerstrength on my home board, it's gotten less and less frequent. Been a few months now. I'm still worried though since it was always the same two fingers, should I be taping them up every time regardless?

Well, if it was an injury, you would have seen more instances, not less, since using the fingerboard. Or perhaps it's healing despite your best efforts, or taping your fingers has helped them heal. It's bizarre that it only hurts for a few hours and then you're right as rain afterwards.

Anyway, if you think it's going away, then don't bother taping. How long has this been going on?

Frown Town
Sep 10, 2009

does not even lift
SWAG SWAG SWAG YOLO
I'm going to be in Boulder, CO Monday and Tuesday for a job interview and will have a little bit of free time Monday night to do whatever. I'm probably going to go to a climbing gym and boulder -- The Spot has been recommended to me, but I was wondering if there were any other gyms with nice bouldering walls I should check out?
I'm staying at the St Julien and will have a rental car to use.

modig
Aug 20, 2002

Frown Town posted:

I'm going to be in Boulder, CO Monday and Tuesday for a job interview and will have a little bit of free time Monday night to do whatever. I'm probably going to go to a climbing gym and boulder -- The Spot has been recommended to me, but I was wondering if there were any other gyms with nice bouldering walls I should check out?
I'm staying at the St Julien and will have a rental car to use.

I'd go to the Spot or Movement for bouldering. The Spot has more, but last time I was there their main floor needed to be replaced. Movement also has a meetup group or something like that on weekday nights if you wanted to rope up I think.

Discomancer
Aug 31, 2001

I'm on a cupcake caper!
Movement is good for roped climbing, but their bouldering section seems like it was added in as an afterthought. The Spot is by far the best bouldering in the state, and Twisted Pine brewery is right around the corner.

potidaean
Nov 23, 2005

Covert Ops Wizard posted:

Well, if it was an injury, you would have seen more instances, not less, since using the fingerboard. Or perhaps it's healing despite your best efforts, or taping your fingers has helped them heal. It's bizarre that it only hurts for a few hours and then you're right as rain afterwards.

Anyway, if you think it's going away, then don't bother taping. How long has this been going on?

Thanks, that's a good way of looking at it.

Happened for about six months.To be more specific, the pain only lasts a few hours, but there's a weakness for another day or so. It probably hurts less just because I'm more careful with it. Are the ring fingers a frequent general climbing injury?

canis minor
May 4, 2011

I'll have a question regarding one thing that is becoming an issue for me lately - mainly, the smell.

I'm currently living in a communal home and don't have a place to leave it outside. I've tried putting my shoes in a freezer (while it does work for a while in regards to the smell, I don't know if it doesn't do any harm to my shoes + the damp feeling when you put them on is another thing that I can't stand), leaving them for a night in a car trunk (don't recommend it, as in the morning I was greeted with a familiar smell emanating from everything). Currently I'm just putting baggies filled with baking soda inside the shoes and that kind of deals with it, though still, the day after climbing I'm greeted with familiar smell when coming back from work. I heard something about UV bags that kill off the bacteria, but all I was able to find on Amazon was UV lamps that cost definitely too much to allow myself it.

So, what to do?

ZeroDays
Feb 11, 2007

the fuck you know about what i need on my mind mother fucker
I'm also having this problem with evolves. Ugh. Someone suggested the washing machine but surely not.

Infinite Karma
Oct 23, 2004
Good as dead





I stuff dryer sheets in my shoes after I finish using them. I'm not sure if it actually dessicates/kills the fungi or bacteria that make a stink, but it does seem to dry the shoes out pretty quickly, and they are lightly scented, so that masks the smell.

AriTheDog
Jul 29, 2003
Famously tasty.
A REI employee told me to stuff them with newspaper after climbing, and it's been remarkably effective. No smell yet on my (synthetic) Evolv Defys.

Petey
Nov 26, 2005

For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow? Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?
That's one benefit to my bufos: not only do my feet never get sweaty in them (whereas after 15 minutes in evolv's they are soaking wet), but they somehow don't stink either.

Frown Town
Sep 10, 2009

does not even lift
SWAG SWAG SWAG YOLO

Discomancer posted:

Movement is good for roped climbing, but their bouldering section seems like it was added in as an afterthought. The Spot is by far the best bouldering in the state, and Twisted Pine brewery is right around the corner.

Excellent! I'll have to climb at the Spot then and then grab a drink the night before my interview. I'm excited!

Covert Ops Wizard
Dec 27, 2006

potidaean posted:

Thanks, that's a good way of looking at it.

Happened for about six months.To be more specific, the pain only lasts a few hours, but there's a weakness for another day or so. It probably hurts less just because I'm more careful with it. Are the ring fingers a frequent general climbing injury?

It's not the most frequent, but it happens. Given your clarification I think you're kind of playing with fire here, if you find yourself putting a lot of shock stress on those fingers you could really hurt yourself, the pain is your body giving you a warning. The best way to avoid injury is to give yourself a couple months to heal and not climb, to be honest. I know that's hard to do, if you won't do that you're gonna have to modify your climbing style and really baby that hand...I mean, it might be getting better slowly doing what you're doing but as somebody who has gotten a nasty little finger injury I personally am far less likely to take a chance on that happening again.


Also smelly shoe people- never buy synthetic shoes. They're no better than non-synthetics and they smell like crap always. I don't know why Evolv thinks it's such a great idea. Since I've gotten away from Evolvs my climbing shoes smell no worse than any other shoe I wear.

Papercut
Aug 24, 2005

The quickest substitution in the history of the NBA

Covert Ops Wizard posted:

Also smelly shoe people- never buy synthetic shoes. They're no better than non-synthetics and they smell like crap always. I don't know why Evolv thinks it's such a great idea. Since I've gotten away from Evolvs my climbing shoes smell no worse than any other shoe I wear.

Yeah this. I've been climbing several times a week (ignoring injury time) in my current shoes for at least a year and they don't smell at all, I can put my nose right in them and there isn't anything. The only thing I do for them is let them air out after climbing (instead of zipping them up in my backpack). My first pair of shoes were Evolvs and they smelled horrendous after about 6 months.

gamera009
Apr 7, 2005

Frown Town posted:

Excellent! I'll have to climb at the Spot then and then grab a drink the night before my interview. I'm excited!

My only complaint right now is that a Spot day pass is more expensive, and the floor is kinda terrible. Don't be surprised if you hit a seam and it punches through. Be pretty aware of the are you're in.

Bouldering there is awesome, however.

The floor at Movement is much better, incredible roped climbing, but the bouldering isn't as expansive. Also, the grades are a bit soft on the bouldering problems. Parking is notoriously bad at Movement, though they opened a new parking lot for customers across the street.

There are plenty of goons (read: 1 or 2) that boulder at the Spot regularly. I might swing by on Tuesday to see how the problems are, but I'm usually at Movement (until April) now.

Frown Town
Sep 10, 2009

does not even lift
SWAG SWAG SWAG YOLO

gamera009 posted:

My only complaint right now is that a Spot day pass is more expensive, and the floor is kinda terrible. Don't be surprised if you hit a seam and it punches through. Be pretty aware of the are you're in.

Bouldering there is awesome, however.

The floor at Movement is much better, incredible roped climbing, but the bouldering isn't as expansive. Also, the grades are a bit soft on the bouldering problems. Parking is notoriously bad at Movement, though they opened a new parking lot for customers across the street.

There are plenty of goons (read: 1 or 2) that boulder at the Spot regularly. I might swing by on Tuesday to see how the problems are, but I'm usually at Movement (until April) now.

:( I'll just have to downclimb everything, ugh. My biggest fear is loving up my ankles on a fall. I live in Baltimore and current climb at Earth Treks Timonium-- I'm willing to bet my gym rates problems much softer so I'll probably be a little sad with myself. I'm just going to have time to climb Monday night so maybe a goon will see me then :) I'm an asian chick - will be climbing in red shoes and probably wearing a lot of black.

Covert Ops Wizard
Dec 27, 2006

Papercut posted:

Yeah this. I've been climbing several times a week (ignoring injury time) in my current shoes for at least a year and they don't smell at all, I can put my nose right in them and there isn't anything. The only thing I do for them is let them air out after climbing (instead of zipping them up in my backpack). My first pair of shoes were Evolvs and they smelled horrendous after about 6 months.

I can throw my la sportivas in my bag right after taking them off, store them in my trunk in the middle of the humid rear end summer, and pull them out smelling like nothing.

My evolvs I could wear seven socks, dry them out with a hairdryer in the gym bathroom, store them in a bed of aromatic rose petals in a temperature controlled room with zero percent humidity and they'd still have smelled like a hobo died in them while using them as a latrine. gently caress evolvs.

PRADA SLUT
Mar 14, 2006

Inexperienced,
heartless,
but even so
Cedar shoe inserts?

Speleothing
May 6, 2008

Spare batteries are pretty key.

Covert Ops Wizard posted:

I can throw my la sportivas in my bag right after taking them off, store them in my trunk in the middle of the humid rear end summer, and pull them out smelling like nothing.

My evolvs I could wear seven socks, dry them out with a hairdryer in the gym bathroom, store them in a bed of aromatic rose petals in a temperature controlled room with zero percent humidity and they'd still have smelled like a hobo died in them while using them as a latrine. gently caress evolvs.

Leather vs synthetic. Simple enough.

Petey
Nov 26, 2005

For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow? Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?

Speleothing posted:

Leather vs synthetic. Simple enough.

Which is which in this scenario?

spwrozek
Sep 4, 2006

Sail when it's windy

Odor eaters works pretty good in the Evolv shoes I have had.

Speleothing
May 6, 2008

Spare batteries are pretty key.

Petey posted:

Which is which in this scenario?

Leather resists odor. It's a kind of magic.

Synthetics suffer mightily from various odoriferous growths.

canis minor
May 4, 2011

My shoes are indeed Evolv - I guess I'll decide on leather when buying my next ones and am glad this is not something I'll have to battle all the time. For now cedar wood / odor eater inserts do indeed sound like a good idea (I should have thought about it :doh:) - thanks!

YourCreation
Jan 4, 2004

A little creative surgery helps turn a few sick pets into a new and improved friend!

eithedog posted:

I'll have a question regarding one thing that is becoming an issue for me lately - mainly, the smell.


So, what to do?


These just hit the climbing scene in the UK and they have done a marvelous job of de-stinking my shoes.

http://www.bananafingers.co.uk/boot-bananas-p-1654.html

Cybor Tap
Jul 13, 2001

I have used cedar inserts in the past. They worked pretty well. I ended up ripping the fabric on the inside of the shoe after a month of usage just because of the way they're shaped. That kind of sucked. After that, any time I slipped my foot in to my shoe it would rip a little more.

RIP anasazis.

Stangg
Mar 17, 2009

YourCreation posted:

These just hit the climbing scene in the UK and they have done a marvelous job of de-stinking my shoes.

http://www.bananafingers.co.uk/boot-bananas-p-1654.html

Seconding this, they are miracle workers, a single pair of them fixed a pair of evolv bandits that had turned as well as keeping my new coyotes fresh. I got them in the summer and they are only now starting to lose their effectiveness.

ZeroDays
Feb 11, 2007

the fuck you know about what i need on my mind mother fucker
I had no idea of the whole leather/synthetic thing. I'd noticed in the old thread that Evolvs always came up when people were speaking of odour, but never really appreciated why. I didn't even pay attention to the make when I bought them, they were the ones that fit best out of three pairs I tried on. I'm going to order those banana things, because even if my current shoes are a lost cause (as far as odour is concerned), I'm sure they'll be useful for future shoes.

gamera009
Apr 7, 2005

I'm the machine washer.

I've pretty much done it with every Evolv I've had and never had issue - but I also tie them up in a pillow sack and wash delicate with towels. Works great. Air dry and they don't stink anymore.

The issue is the synthetic, which harbors bacteria. Use of foot powders or sprays with miconazole will minimize it, but then you get a film in there that you'll have to wash out eventually. Cedar works well, but I find it a bit expensive. The bananafingers inserts work really well from what I have heard from people at the gym that have them, but they sell out super fast. :(

Basically, if you wear synthetics and have sweaty feet, be prepared for stink. If you have leather shoes, they won't be as bad, but might still be stinky.

Everyone's got their own way of dealing with it - and some people have more extreme methods (read: me). Just find one you like and stick with it.

NB - I use the machine wash on shamans, talons/predators, and I've used it successfully with toras and optimus. Just stick to cold/cold cycle. YMMV

PRADA SLUT
Mar 14, 2006

Inexperienced,
heartless,
but even so
Is there such a thing as like a tiny little pouch that hooks to your harness (or somewhere) that you could put things like your phone or credit cards in? Where I climb there's no safe place to put my belongings, and my chalk bag will hold like a single small item like a wedding ring but nothing else really. Just get pants with cargo pockets?

WhatEvil
Jun 6, 2004

Can't get no luck.

Well you don't want to be carrying anything that might hurt if you fall on it, which is... well anything. I've heard of people getting huge nasty bruises and cuts from landing on keys and stuff like that. I'd say though if you can get cargo pants with the pockets down on the sides of your lower legs or something that might not be so bad since you'd be less likely to land with weight there than if they were in a side or back pocket? I only do bouldering so I don't know how much of a worry this is for roped climbing.

Speleothing
May 6, 2008

Spare batteries are pretty key.

PRADA SLUT posted:

Is there such a thing as like a tiny little pouch that hooks to your harness (or somewhere) that you could put things like your phone or credit cards in? Where I climb there's no safe place to put my belongings, and my chalk bag will hold like a single small item like a wedding ring but nothing else really. Just get pants with cargo pockets?

Get pants with pockets - I've got one of the hugest smart phones they make, and i never have a problem with it in my front pocket while I'm climbing. The leg loops actually stop it from falling out.

Or put them in a zipped jacket pocket and trust that you won' forget your entire jacket.

EDIT: You mean getting ripped off? Lock your poo poo in the car, and tuck your car keys into the toe of your other shoes. Or trust your partner to keep an eye on your pack.

Speleothing fucked around with this message at 23:07 on Feb 24, 2013

YourCreation
Jan 4, 2004

A little creative surgery helps turn a few sick pets into a new and improved friend!

PRADA SLUT posted:

Is there such a thing as like a tiny little pouch that hooks to your harness (or somewhere) that you could put things like your phone or credit cards in? Where I climb there's no safe place to put my belongings, and my chalk bag will hold like a single small item like a wedding ring but nothing else really. Just get pants with cargo pockets?

My chalk bag is a standard size but it has a pretty sizable zippy pocket in it. Check out your local gym, amazon, or etsy for some cool ones with pockets.

PRADA SLUT
Mar 14, 2006

Inexperienced,
heartless,
but even so

Speleothing posted:

Get pants with pockets - I've got one of the hugest smart phones they make, and i never have a problem with it in my front pocket while I'm climbing. The leg loops actually stop it from falling out.

Or put them in a zipped jacket pocket and trust that you won' forget your entire jacket.

EDIT: You mean getting ripped off? Lock your poo poo in the car, and tuck your car keys into the toe of your other shoes. Or trust your partner to keep an eye on your pack.

I run back and forth from the gym so I don't have any storage that isn't on my person.

armorer
Aug 6, 2012

I like metal.
Cargo pants are an obvious option, but if you want to hang something off your harness - go for it. It doesn't have to be special made for it really. If you are handy, hammer a grommet (or hand stitch a little fabric loop) into a little zipper pouch and hang it from a gear loop on your harness. I have climbed outdoors with all kinds of extra crap, largely for photography, and it works out just fine.

benwards
Apr 9, 2007

Another youthful indiscretion
If all you have is a phone, credit card, and house key, just bring one of those phone armbands with a compartment for a card and a key. Strap it out of the way on your arm while you're climbing, and try not to bang it on a hold.

modig
Aug 20, 2002
My chalk bag has a zippered pocket that I keep a role of tape in. I think you could fit some keys and a credit card or something.

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PRADA SLUT
Mar 14, 2006

Inexperienced,
heartless,
but even so

benwards posted:

If all you have is a phone, credit card, and house key, just bring one of those phone armbands with a compartment for a card and a key. Strap it out of the way on your arm while you're climbing, and try not to bang it on a hold.

I actually have one of those, like a neoprene sleeve. I wasn't sure if it was a bad idea to climb with (if it got snagged or something), but I presume I could keep it up underneath my top if I had to.

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