Bad form/style or accepted technique?

[yakimuchacho]

I started climbing this last spring. From TR, I started trad. leading (up to 5.8). I have always avoided pulling on my gear for no other reason than I want to climb the rock without aiding. I have been sport climbing (some 5.10) for the last month and have noticed many climbers holding/hanging on their quickdraw (already clipped to a hanger) when they are clipping in the rope with their other hand. In other words, these climbers are not holding onto the rock, they are hanging from their gear. Is this common practice? I have been doing all of my clips "one handed" without the assistance of hanging onto the clipped draw. I could climb a lot harder routes if I hung onto a clipped sling while clipping the rope with my other hand, but style and good form must prevail. What is considered good form in sport climbing in terms of clipping the rope? To hang or not to hang, that is the .....

Edited September 22, 2004 by yakimuchacho

[Dru]

grabbing a draw to clip is aid

[ashw_justin]

How about when you pull yourself up with the rope while clipping. I think it aids in body tension in some cases, I've seen it done.

[Rad]

When in France...

[RuMR]

hmmm...why do you care? Last time i checked, there were no judges or panels rating climbing "form" or style...

 

i suspect that you are trolling though

Edited September 22, 2004 by RuMR

[ashw_justin]

Rope is aid.

[sobo]

It's called "French freeing" (or mebbe Freedom freeing now ) and seems to be becoming more popular every time I go out. It's also known as aid to us old skewlers. It's also a personal choice.

 

BTW, welcome to Yakivegas. Where/what do you teach?

[yakimuchacho]

Thank you for a simple answer. My gut was telling me it is "aiding" to hold onto the draw while clipping with the other hand, but I wanted a gut check.

[Dru]

Technically - if you aren't redpointing but just working the route, then who cares. But if you are going for the redpoint/pinkpoint, to grab the draws or final chains invalidates the ascent. So it's good practice not to.

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

But if you are going for the redpoint/pinkpoint, to grab the draws or final chains invalidates the ascent. So it's good practice not to.

 

 

Funny thing, the owner of the Portland Rock Gym once told DFA, regarding this very issue, that he often grabbed the anchors to clip, and didn't seem to see any issue with it. "You're already done with the route, right?" Or something to that effect.

 

Subtract one letter grade from your redpoint if you grabbed the chains to clip.

[SnowByrd]

I started climbing this last spring. From TR, I started trad. leading (up to 5.8). I have always avoided pulling on my gear for no other reason than I want to climb the rock without aiding. I have been sport climbing (some 5.10) for the last month and have noticed many climbers holding/hanging on their quickdraw (already clipped to a hanger) when they are clipping in the rope with their other hand. In other words, these climbers are not holding onto the rock, they are hanging from their gear. Is this common practice? I have been doing all of my clips "one handed" without the assistance of hanging onto the clipped draw. I could climb a lot harder routes if I hung onto a clipped sling while clipping the rope with my other hand, but style and good form must prevail. What is considered good form in sport climbing in terms of clipping the rope? To hang or not to hang, that is the .....

 

Isn't hanging and using the gear to pull yourself up technically cheating? I do it sometimes when I'm scared and because I'm a crappy climber but I've heard its a bad idea and I'm trying to stop....its sort of like a crutch. Sort of like going to your knees first when surfing....bad habit and hard ot break.

 

Innit?

[specialed]

But add one letter grade for every bolt you skip (but only if the climb is within 3 letter grades of your best Redpoint, if not only add .2); add .8 letter grades for every Gaston, Figure 4, or Drop Knee; two letter grades for a sit start, but subtract 1.56 letter grades for wearing pink lycra tights.

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

But add one letter grade for every bolt you skip (but only if the climb is within 3 letter grades of your best Redpoint, if not only add .2); add .8 letter grades for every Gaston, Figure 4, or Drop Knee; two letter grades for a sit start, but subtract 1.56 letter grades for wearing pink lycra tights.

 

Ah, a subscriber to the hardcore, straight-outta-mothafuckin'-Compton school of redpointing ethics. Sick!

[Bill_Simpkins]

Fine to hold onto draws if your working the route or just trying to get up, not fine if going for free ascent.

I think it's ok to grab the chains at the top.

[selkirk]

Unless your levitating naked it's aid suckaz!

[Dru]

Grabbing the chains to clip is aid, except on routes where the chains are specifically intended to be clipped - and these routes are bogus. You should clip the chains free before you take in order to redpoint successfully. Anything else is weak

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

I think it's ok to grab the chains at the top.

 

Weak.

 

Clip the chains from the holds or don't claim the send. Simple as that.

[fenderfour]

But more importantly, will holding the chains invalidate my 8a.nu points?

[james_e]

If you grad the draw it usually means you're scared, so you will gain more respect from other climbers if you do the whole thing free.

[fern]

 

it would be bad form to get injured in a fall that could have been prevented by grabbing the draw to make the clip.

[bDubyaH]

there is a route (hard 12) at the New that is so hard that you can't even get to the anchors (solves the whole problem of clipping while holding onto the chains). the anchors are open, so you pull up a bunch of slack, dyno, and fling the loop over the anchors, definitely earns the respect of your peers .

[chucK]

What about the chains on top of the Sword pitch?

 

I ask for two reasons.

1) It seems like it would be very hard to clip without using them!!

 

2) The next "pitch" is a bolt ladder anyway, so you could just say you're starting the next pitch, not finishing the sword

[chucK]

And to talk about really convoluted...

 

what if you just make a ring with your fingers and loop them around the draw, without weighting (or touching?!) them, while you clip with the other hand?

 

Here, you're safeguarding yourself should you slip, but you are not using the draw as a hold for aid in physical upward progress?

 

How about that question, oh ethics masters?

[Dru]

on the free Grand Wall you send the underfling then make a 13a crux move (so I'm told) to a no hands rest and clip the anchor from that. thus avoiding the problem. Since the regfular Grand has aid it is inappropriate to speak of redpointing it. We are talking sport ethics in this thread anyways. Please stay on subject.

[Alpinfox]

 

My answer is:

 

WHO GIVES A FUCK?

 

If you don't like a particular style, don't do it that way. Sheesh.