Pads for Trad Climbing

[Figger_Eight]

I don't like hauling a pad around if I'm doing roped climbing (done it twice), but I couldn't give two shits if someone deducts style points. I'd rather have my ankles and heels intact if I didn't make. I've done this on 2 routes. On the one I described above, the route went up trad...came to find out after I did it that the FA used pre-placed gear.

Perfect style is great, being able to climb tomorrow because you knew when to do the smart thing is better.

[Szyjakowski]

NO, just bring the depends like glacier suggested.

swearing helps too!

[RURP]

[AlpineK]

Hi Don

[EWolfe]

You can also finesse a cam in with a stick clip.

 

AID!

[cracked]

You can also finesse a cam in with a stick clip.

 

AID!

Or a nut....

[whirlwind]

need i say more?

[mattp]

[Obnoxious post by mister Whirlwind noted. Grow up.]

[mattp]

I think your first post was more on the money, Fern. The idea of carrying around a bouldering pad for those climbs with scary starts strikes me as a rather silly idea though obviosly there ARE places where it might help. But if it is a ground-fall at the start of the route that we are talking about, Catbird ought to consider backing down when he gets ten feet up and starts to sketch -- and in the long term he'd benefit more from learning how to keep a cool head and downclimbing than he would from relying on a guidebook to tell him which routes had scary starts or carrying around a bouldering pad "just in case."

 

The idea that "if you're not flying, you're not trying" has its merits, as you note, but such statements are often flung about as juvenile puffery quite apart from their merit.

 

Yes, we all need to push ourselves in order to get better. Many beginning or even relatively advanced climbers these days are used to sport bolted climbing where there is no routefinding judgment involved, no reliance on sketchy gear, and no runout potential. Consequently, today more than ever some of us need more than a little "push" to get beyond being unwilling to suck it up and climb through some truly challenging or runout bit of climbing, but the idea that you are not worthy or will never improve if you are not taking leader falls is just plain wrong - and I think its an invitation to serious injury. Particularly so if this idea is adopted by climbers who for whatever reason lack judment or common sense.

[ketch]

The idea that "if you're not flying, you're not trying" has its merits, as you note, but such statements are often flung about as juvenile puffery quite apart from their merit.

 

Along with this rapidly becoming cliche is another proven cliche that "Discretion is the better part of valour"

 

I agree that it is good to push yourself. It's also good to have all your body parts intact when your done for the day.

[fern]

 

the cliche I am hoping to popularize is: "STFU n00bs I'll climb whatever I like in whatever style I please!!"

[mattp]

the cliche I am hoping to popularize is: "STFU n00bs I'll climb whatever I like in whatever style I please!!"

 

I see Polish Bob has an adherant. Hardcores unite!

[jkrueger]

Pad toting trad climbers are neither.

[chucK]

Perhaps I should have posted this in Newbies, but here goes. On some harder single pitch trad routes, it is sometimes difficult to get pro in to protect the first moves of a climb, or the pro you do get in might be unreliable. Do climbers ever bring along pads to protect against ground fall on roped lead climbs at cragging areas? It seems like it might be cheap insurance.

 

This thread has brought out all sorts of interesting tangents, but to more directly answer CBS's orginal specific question: I have never seen climbers bringing along pads protect against ground fall on roped lead climbs at cragging areas. Maybe I don't get out enough though, and I don't really tend to pay much attention to other people. I'm pretty self-absorbed.

[DPS]

I completely agree with this. Last time I was at mountaineers dome I just piled up all the packs that were left at the base should I crater from the intimidating 5.6 crack. Luckily I stuck the difficult opening sequence and did not test the system.

[catbirdseat]

You're my hero.