Lambone Posted February 11, 2002 Posted February 11, 2002 I think that the people who are most dissapointed with gym climbing are the ones who expect it to be like the "real" thing. Its not, its the gym, its plastic, plywood and concrete. Sure you can recreate some of the same types of movement, but its useless to compare the gym to real rock, saying one is better than the other. It's like apples and oranges. I think sayjay has a good point, the features are more like real edges than most plastic footholds. And erik is just used to climbing at a place where ther are no edges, so he cant relate. Quote
Marcus_Engley Posted February 11, 2002 Posted February 11, 2002 quote: Originally posted by offwidthclimber: i like SG for the bouldering and funky appeal (at least the old one... haven't been since the remodel). the crack in the bouldering area is fun for runing laps up and down in your tennies to completely waste yourself before heading out the door. i think it confuses the nearby mutants pulling V8 Sorry to tell you, offwidth, but with the remodel, that crack in the bouldering cave is now a flaring, crappy thin finger crack. Really frickin' hard, but fun to try and get a couple of moves on. If you could run laps on it, I'd buy you a pitcher at the Sloop, while I sat in awe... Lambone, The new texture isn't paint, it's a troweled on concrete stuff-- pretty durable, though they didn't add as many little edges and features as VW has. It's much better for friction than just plywood though... Oh, and about your new Redmond manager-- I expect you know him already, but if not, he's a great guy. The gym will do well by him, I think. For my part, I go to SG when I'm not in my garage-- the bouldering's better, and that's what I do most inside. Much as I think VW is an impressive gym, I always feel like I'm getting wierd looks from the people in there (not the staff, but the customers)-- who knows? Maybe I'm funny looking... Apart from that, SG is a little cheaper (not much), and they have student rates, which I don't think VW has. The routes don't get changed as often as they should maybe, but they've got a sparse group of setters right now. Certainly not as many as VW has... m Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted February 11, 2002 Posted February 11, 2002 I take everything back. Danimal's Crack house is the best gym in the PNW. Beer, cigs, j's, dirthounds, and good friends only. Lots of cracks and boulder problems. Gigantic crash pad 3 feet thick. Heater for winter use. Slackline out back! Real crags close by if it stops raining Quote
offwidthclimber Posted February 11, 2002 Posted February 11, 2002 the sayjay v. erik battle aside, texture is obviously not *critical* to gym climbing, but very cool when done right. there is some good stuff on the slabby wall at VW seattle (next to the lieback corner) if you only use wall features/texture and no bolt on holds. makes for some fun crimpfests. i also like routes with challenging feet, so it's fun to do ones with only the features/texture for feet. then again, we're just talking about gym climbing... who cares Quote
Lambone Posted February 11, 2002 Posted February 11, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Marcus Engley: Oh, and about your new Redmond manager-- I expect you know him already, but if not, he's a great guy. Fer sure. I'm not sure why so many people think SG bouldering is better than VW's. Is it because the problems are better, more bouldering space, better holds??? Whats up? I'm just curious, I don't go there much. Quote
erik Posted February 11, 2002 Posted February 11, 2002 sayjay i took your response as stating that trad climbers do not use features....i use them all the time. my fat ass needs everything i can to get up the hardest 5.4+ route in the world.... and actually i levitate to the top of most climbs....all that gear just wieghs my soul down...... Quote
sayjay Posted February 11, 2002 Posted February 11, 2002 Lambone: quote: I think that the people who are most dissapointed with gym climbing are the ones who expect it to be like the "real" thing. Its not, its the gym, its plastic, plywood and concrete. just to clarify: I didn't intend to say indoor climbing was like real rock. I really think of it as really a separate entity altogether that has the great benefit of helping me get in shape for the climbing season. If I didn't have to work okay I'm sure I could get conditioning in outside during the week but, hey, some of us have jobs! Quote
offwidthclimber Posted February 11, 2002 Posted February 11, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Marcus Engley: Sorry to tell you, offwidth, but with the remodel, that crack in the bouldering cave is now a flaring, crappy thin finger crack. Really frickin' hard, but fun to try and get a couple of moves on. If you could run laps on it, I'd buy you a pitcher at the Sloop, while I sat in awe... that doesn't sound like anything i'd be running laps on! the old crack was good though. the polished inside made you really hone the jams Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted February 11, 2002 Posted February 11, 2002 quote: Originally posted by erik: sayjayi took your response as stating that trad climbers do not use features....i use them all the time. my fat ass needs everything i can to get up the hardest 5.4+ route in the world.... and actually i levitate to the top of most climbs....all that gear just wieghs my soul down...... Fukin a' I swap leads with Erik on our redpoint of Saber last summer. We had an epic when I took a whipper on the first pitch! I took whipper because I did not see any edge to put my foot on and was not used to crack climbing! We were partners due to my godo 5.3+ face climbing skills and his crack expertise. Alas Erik rescued me with the aid of a big 420 joneser named Jordan. Check our report in Accidents in North American Mountaineering this year. I broke my punky and received a hang nail Quote
sayjay Posted February 11, 2002 Posted February 11, 2002 erik: quote: i took your response as stating that trad climbers do not use features....i use them all the time. my fat ass needs everything i can to get up the hardest 5.4+ route in the world.... so what's your problem w/ using features in a gym for practice? (i know, i know, it's not the *same* as being on real rock, but it does improve skills more than doing, well, *nothing*, which is the other option for those of us who can't get out on the real stuff during the week). Quote
Marcus_Engley Posted February 11, 2002 Posted February 11, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Lambone: Fer sure. I'm not sure why so many people think SG bouldering is better than VW's. Is it because the problems are better, more bouldering space, better holds??? Whats up? I'm just curious, I don't go there much. Well, it seems like there's a lot more space, though part of that may be the layout. SG has that whole back area, and the big cave up front with a huge 45. Thinking about it, VW has a lot of space as well, but it seems like the setting and the gym in general is just catered more to TRs and leading (at which it stomps on SG, no doubt about it). Even that big back wall at VW, though it has a lot of potential, seems to be sparse, routewise, compared to SG. It's also got the whole lead section above it, so maybe that makes it feel less boulder friendly? Who knows... For a long while SG had some really good setters putting up some great problems on a regular basis-- less so now, though it's been improving in the last month or so. I did have a great time at a VW boulder comp a couple of years ago (Seattle). Good problems, lots of fun-- and they let me keep the finish hold that snapped off in my hand as a trophy. Too bad it snapped off just as people stopped spotting me... m Quote
Matt_Anderson Posted February 11, 2002 Posted February 11, 2002 quote: i like SG for the bouldering and funky appeal (at least the old one... haven't been since the remodel). the crack in the bouldering area is fun for runing laps up and down in your tennies to completely waste yourself before heading out the door. i think it confuses the nearby mutants pulling V8 The crack has been violently texturized: The hand crack is now flaring off-fingers. What was easy .10 with feet in the crack is now at least mid-hard .12 using anything you want for feet. I shudder to think about only using the crack for feet . . . To my knowledge no one has gotten up the damn thing, and there are .12 crack climbers at that gym and at least one guy who's red pointed .13 crack. Quote
Lambone Posted February 11, 2002 Posted February 11, 2002 I saw a guy deck on the first pitch of saber once. We were waiting for them, and the guy was totaly schetching out, but was too spooked to protect the bomber crack right in front of his face. He just kept going, slipped and came crashing down. I think he was ok though. Just thought I'd share that... Quote
dyno_merchant Posted February 11, 2002 Author Posted February 11, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman: I am the cc.com bully. Now shut up and bend over here comes the dyno Up walks the Gimp. Enough said....... [ 02-11-2002: Message edited by: Cpt.Caveman ] Mr. caveman...i'll remember not to tell you what a rumpola is! hey erik (proper sp)... sorry about your name. tell your family i'm sorry too. i guess i had you mistaken for a real web bully type but now i know the truth. bring on the peace pipe. Quote
erik Posted February 12, 2002 Posted February 12, 2002 quote: Originally posted by sayjay: erik: so what's your problem w/ using features in a gym for practice? (i know, i know, it's not the *same* as being on real rock, but it does improve skills more than doing, well, *nothing*, which is the other option for those of us who can't get out on the real stuff during the week). two things sayjay: first of all when does the climbing season start and end??? i have heard this before....it worries me that i do not know when the season is cause i tend to be out there all the time and i would hate to get caught for clibing out of season.....any info oyu could relay would be greatly appreciated....thank you in advance... second of all i dont climb in gyms....see above and to trask werd!!!! Quote
Lambone Posted February 12, 2002 Posted February 12, 2002 Erik, quit being self rightous...we all know you think you are the lord of Index. Quote
sayjay Posted February 12, 2002 Posted February 12, 2002 quote: first of all when does the climbing season start and end??? i have heard this before....it worries me that i do not know when the season is cause i tend to be out there all the time and i would hate to get caught for clibing out of season.....any info oyu could relay would be greatly appreciated....thank you in advance... fine, fine, point taken. you can always find a place to climb outside though I'd like to know where you can get out on rock during the week in Dec-March if you have a 9-5+/7. and when it's winter i'd rather spend the weekends on snow/ice. quote: second of all i dont climb in gyms....see above right, gathered that. i just don't think you need to slam on those of us that do. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted February 12, 2002 Posted February 12, 2002 sayyournameisjay, I have found I can climb at Index a lot in winter. Climbed there last month like 4 times... Free and aid. Also Frenchmans and sometimes Tieton. [ 02-11-2002: Message edited by: Cpt.Caveman ] Quote
Lambone Posted February 12, 2002 Posted February 12, 2002 Yeah, but not at night, after work or school. Plus its hard to stop at index when stevens is only 20 minutes up the road and its dumping powder. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted February 12, 2002 Posted February 12, 2002 North Bend is ok after school and work. Just cant be picky.... I suppose you could builder too if you were cheap. Quote
dyno_merchant Posted February 12, 2002 Author Posted February 12, 2002 hey feature climbers... i think all gyms should have small features here and there but some gyms go overboard. if there's tons of features on a wall and you can climb it without holds at 5.10, 5.11 or even 5.12 or 5.13 don't you think that limits the wall. if you can climb a wall with only features then how long will it be before your bored with it and then the gym will need to retexure their walls again. why not just use holds. there are awesome screw on features and footholds that you can get now that can take the place of these "soon to be boring" features. by the way... i'm scared every time that eric enters a post. i feel like he's the cc.com bully.(or maybe i'm just a pussy!) Quote
erik Posted February 12, 2002 Posted February 12, 2002 bone i aint the lord of anything, never said i was....quit implying shit....i think i can climb only 2 or 3 routes out there .....sheesh all that chalk dust has gone straight to your brain...... and yes i am self rightous as all get out....part of my self destructive personality....... sayjay i never did knock on gym climbers....just made an observation and commented on it.... and where do i climb with a 7am-6pm/5 job, well shit bro i dont know i got other things going on during the week.......get hold of me thursday night..... feel free to join us anytime.....caveman and i are shooting for a winter ascent of sabre soon, does anyone have any extra pitons for the anchor we can borrow.....? Quote
Lambone Posted February 12, 2002 Posted February 12, 2002 It's cause of that freakin signature, I just gotta give you shit! Quote
Bronco Posted February 12, 2002 Posted February 12, 2002 There is a new gym opening in Monroe this month, It's near the McDonalds/Chevron on the West side of town. My name is Bronco and I have been gym free for over 1 year now. HMMMMM sunny today, dry Granite at GNS tomorow. Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.