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Anyone Rock Climb?


Willy

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Hay all,

In the title again really. Just wanted to know if anyone climb's, where they do it, where they've done it etc. The gear they use. And if they have any recomendations for going about how to learn, I've got the place to do it in Brum called "Creation" by Epic I think...

Anyway yeah im really interested in starting and need to get fit etc so thought it would be good to climb as I dont want to lift weights but want to be fit and have a good power to weight ratio.

Any information on the qualifications I could get/should get to prove what I've done. How much they cost on average etc.

Any help appricated.

Willy

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Hay all,

In the title again really. Just wanted to know if anyone climb's, where they do it, where they've done it etc. The gear they use. And if they have any recomendations for going about how to learn, I've got the place to do it in Brum called "Creation" by Epic I think...

Anyway yeah im really interested in starting and need to get fit etc so thought it would be good to climb as I dont want to lift weights but want to be fit and have a good power to weight ratio.

Any information on the qualifications I could get/should get to prove what I've done. How much they cost on average etc.

Any help appricated.

Willy

i can pm you my mates msn, he does it...goes to dorset alot to do it.

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I am an amature boulderer, I used to go to Huddersfield indoor wall, that has an awesome bouldering wall, really odd shapes with natural and holds on it. Unfortunatly its in the same room as the main climbing wall and they have a new thing where you have to answer 3 climbing questions to be allowed into the room. They are all about ropes and harnesses though, I dont know about those as I just like to boulder, its well annoying.

Theres a fairly new place in rochdale, I am going to start going there as the boulderingwall is seperate to the main wall, so hopfully I can just go in. I love climbing though, its ace, muscles mega hurt the next two days though!

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I am an amature boulderer, I used to go to Huddersfield indoor wall, that has an awesome bouldering wall, really odd shapes with natural and holds on it. Unfortunatly its in the same room as the main climbing wall and they have a new thing where you have to answer 3 climbing questions to be allowed into the room. They are all about ropes and harnesses though, I dont know about those as I just like to boulder, its well annoying.

Just lie. It's only a waiver form denying you the right to sue them if your knot fails or whatever. Every climbing wall I've been to has had that kind of form, you just sign it and forget about it. Either way, it's not hard to learn how to use a harness and tie a knot, just get someone to teach you and you're there. Plus climbing with ropes opens up a whole new world of climbing, so it's good to learn.

But yeah, back to the original topic, just go bouldering. It's good fun and great exercise, plus climbing is a life skill everyone should learn :P

In terms of qualifications there's not much as far as I'm aware, but you can always bullshit stuff about teamwork and leadership skills through climbing to put on your CV if you're that bothered.

If you're only interested in indoor bouldering, the only thing you really need are chalk (+bag) and shoes. I have seen some great offers on shoes recently, so now is probably a good time to buy. Try Cotswolds if there's one near you, they're usually very helpful and I believe they have a sale on (At least they do at the one in Manchester and the one in Betwy-y-Coed). You can hire shoes and stuff, but I wouldn't bother. At the Manchester wall it's like £3 per go to hire shoes (on top of £6.50 to get in), and you get skanky horrible shoes that are very basic. If you go a few times, the shoes will pay for themselves in no time. It might be worth going and seeing if you enjoy it first though, there's no point going climbing just as a workout really. It's like trials - you have to enjoy it otherwise what's the point?

EDIT: With shoes, the only thing to do is to try loads on. There's no point going for the cheapest ones or the grippiest ones, just get the ones that fit best. Well-fitting climbing shoes are very uncomfortable (I can't wear mine for more than an hour), ones that fit badly are a nightmare.

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before xmas i spent £70 on new harness and atc/crab.

shoes cost bout £40.

found my chalk bag out climbing in peak district after some boulderer's had left it :D

bouldering is fun though, and i prefer natural to man made stuff (check foundry), plus i dislike lead walls :P

Yeah, outdoor bouldering is fun, but it's very weather dependent. Also it depends where you go because some places have only impossible routes whereas others are very easy. At least the indoor climbing walls (should) cater for all abilities. Plus I live in Manchester and the indoor place is about 2 miles away. Whereas the nearest real rock is at least 20, and I don't even know if you can climb there.

But yeah, it's not really a very expensive sport, especially compared to trials or other mountain bikes etc.

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Cheers all, but just because im a noob whats the difference between bouldering and actual rock climbing with ropes harnesses etc?

And the point is that I enjoy it, I've "tryed" it, but never actually got round to doing anything properly.

You reckon if I show up at a climbing wall in Brum saying I just want to learn they'll steer me in the right direction?

Willy

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Bouldering is the more gymnastic/athletic side of climibing, and never really strays above ten feet from the ground, and usually move laterally along a wall or face rather than up it. Boulderers don't use ropes or harnessess becasue they are never usually high enough of the groud to hurt themselves. Actual climbing is the act of ascending a face, using ropes for safety as you only get higher and high and util it gets dangerous and falling willresult in serious injury or death.

Rich

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im going to have to do a climbing lesson (indoor) looks like such fun, its a good challenge.

ive been trying random things just recently, been ice skating again (i FOOKIN loved it), go karting on weds, snowboarding, want to do the indoor climbing.....

i dont know why, just when the opportunity is there i decided to take it.

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im going to have to do a climbing lesson (indoor) looks like such fun, its a good challenge.

ive been trying random things just recently, been ice skating again (i FOOKIN loved it), go karting on weds, snowboarding, want to do the indoor climbing.....

i dont know why, just when the opportunity is there i decided to take it.

wait till march then we can all go to the new indoor place at the beach in aberdeen. i used to do quite a bit of climbing mainly indoor but i got boarded of it, i still like bouldering just never get round to doing it and the rocks i like bouldering on are usually above water so if you fall it is very cold and you have like 3 mins to live in the water :turned:

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first time you go climbing, your arms will be pumped within minutes, its that intense, and next day - hmmmm :P

That route i posted on the pics, you can see we are using ropes, well some boulderers came along, and one of them just walked up to the top of that face with nothing, it was incredible yes, but also stupid, dont go there.

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There was a place in Scotland, can't remember what it was called, reasonably near Fort William for those who live there.

But they had a simulated ice wall in a climbing centre which looked fun, when we saw it we went to see inside the building but we arrived just after the last time slot or they were full, so i never got a go. >_<

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You reckon if I show up at a climbing wall in Brum saying I just want to learn they'll steer me in the right direction?

You'll probably have to book and in my opinion they tend to rape you on charges for lessons when you don't really need them. They rarely teach you how to climb (unless you're a retard and then they'll say helpful things like "put your foot up to the next one"), it's just how to use equipment, how to belay etc. Which is useful if you want to do top-rope climbs but not if you just want to boulder. If you have a friend who does it, maybe go with them? If not then book a lesson, yeah.

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Dont have friends in it. That is one problem and im going to just book a lesson for the weekend if my parents are ok with it. And cheers the info on bouldering, I would quite like to do but id prefer to be able to actually climb first... Once Ive got how to do handle the ropes will they just let me climb on my own (with another partner)?

Willy

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Im looking into this myself, as something different to do. Have tried a few small walls before, but nothing major. A mate an I are going to a place called Craggy Island in Guilford to do a course which will enable us to climb any wall in the UK on our own. Basically to show you how to use ropes etc safely.

This link shows a load of locations in the UK an around the world where you can go an climb.

This link takes you to the British Mountaineering Council's site and their wall locator. Also if you need any more info then the BMC will be the best people to contact.

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