Sphinx

If you weigh the Rage you will notice they are among the LIGHTER tools on the market. And, if you measure the circumference, you will notice that they have among the SMALLEST grips on the market. And if you have ever swung either of these tools you will know that Grivel sucks!

While the limits may be obvious to you (no hammers on clean routes, etc.), I think newbies could use something like the Tyrol Declaration to refer to as they learn their own style. I don't really see the document as setting anything in stone and it's certainly not a rule book. But do you want to give control to committees and organizations? Like in Russia, where climbers had to join clubs, all climbs were recorded, and you could only attempt a 5.10 after the club decided you had climbed enough 5.9s. And if you failed on the 5.10 you would have to go back to 5.9s for three years?????? Long's book has a section on ethics for newbies who pound pins on Da Toof or Ingalls. But keep the rules out of it, thanks.

Damn you Dru, with your assisted pagetops!

Emphasis on fucking.

What silliness. Climbing is no more anarchy than baseball is anarchy. Climbers operate in a world full of standards of behavior, both between climbers in relation to non-climbers. These standards aren't laws or rules set in stone, but they're real nonetheless. You can ignore them if you wish, but don't expect the rest of the world (including the climbing world) to accept you if you do. The notion that climbers operate apart from the rest of the world is an empty conceit. I disagree, in that baseball is rigid, structured, and formulated. In climbing, you can do whatever you want (within limits, of course). You can attempt to climb whatever routes you want, in whatever style you want (I don't mean pounding pins on clean routes or leaving garbage, etc). There are no 'rule books', no committee telling you what you can or can't do. Climbing is much more free than other sports.

They're larger than POINTS.

What was that bout terrorists?

Now every pagetop is a pagetop!

First off, that's pathetic. If it's open to everybody, then it's open to EVERYBODY. Second, both Beck and Marylou are pathetic. Third, who the fuck would WANT to go to Beckfest? Sounds like it'll be really lame. Marylou