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Not that any of you care....BUT


Distel32

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Serious question: Why do people boulder rather than do roped climbing? Is it because it feels freer not to deal with ropes? Because you can boulder without trying to wrastle up a partner (unless you need a spotter)? Shorter approaches? A cultural thing (snowboarders vs. skiers, etc.)?

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I think some people would ask the same question about sport/trad/mountaineering/hill walking/ice climbing/climbing in general....no? it's fun, who cares? I tie in, I boulder, I even used to hill climb, such famous and arduous climbs like mt. baker, mt. persus in winter (at least grade VI, 5.16d, snow walking grade 9) and barring peak. WHAT WHAT! troll

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I don't think there's anything wrong with alpine climbing and longer roped climbs generally. I think the logical climbing progression is to start bouldering and sport climbing, and as you get older and weaker, start more alpine stuff. The lack of required power and skill is offset by other things that make it exciting, like, I guess, reaaaaallly long bushwhacks, or falling snow or crumbly rock or something. I for one fully plan on being a "V 5.9 A2" climber when I can't pull hard moves anymore.

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The average gym climber wants to sport climb outside. On sport climbing, they find that it's sometimes a long way between cruxes so they take up bouldering which is all crux and no filler. But the bouldering is better the longer it is so they start highballing. it's only a short step from highballs to trad climbing - runout trad climbing is really just a series of highballs above gear instead of mats - and trad climbing leads to alpine climbing. There you have it. Gym climbing is the lowest rung on the ladder and alpinism the highest.

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You folks are making shit way too complicated. Bouldering is for those that want to call themselves "climbers," when they are really just gymnasts with funny shoes. Boulderers like to represent that they belong to some perceived desirable climbing lifestyle without actually putting forth much effort or sacrifice for it. It is very similar to ski bunnies you might find at a ski area who hang out in the lodge on powder days sipping foofoo drinks, just so they can wear ski outfits and go to skier parties, etc.

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Boulderers like to represent that they belong to some perceived desirable climbing lifestyle without actually putting forth much effort or sacrifice for it.

 

Those king size mats can be pretty heavy for some girl with skinny legs to carry around!

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Tell me about it. Those pads are heavy.

I guess that's true about boulderers. Definitely the lowest common denominator in climbing. I think the most important skill in climbing (and in that sense, this site is full of skilled climbers) is finding out what part of the sport you are bad at, then saying that part is for poseurs and wannabes. It's a great way to save your ego and make you feel better about your desk job. I know it works for me.

 

It's weird, though: I've never met an actually GOOD climber who criticizes other parts of the sport. Huh.

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Funny how you just criticized us for being one-dimensional climbers who dislike bouldering simply because we are not good at it. However, ALL you do is boulder. I know Dru boulders and I do too. I'm not great at it, but then again, I usually only do it in the winter as training. I don't think bouldering is silly or a waste of time, but pursuing it as an ends in itself, just isn't really climbing.

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Yeah. It would be a hell of a lot funnier and more ironic if it were true. But it's cute of you to make that assumption - you say that because of my name?

I started my climbing career mountaineering, then got into trad climbing and into big walls. As I got better at the actual physical aspects of climbing, I got into bouldering and sport climbing more. My personal ideal of the coolest climbing is long free routes on granite and sandstone, and in the global scale of climbing ability, I am a much better trad climber than a sport climber or boulderer. That's how I know they are more exacting disciplines.

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Stella's right, getting all jumped up to slam some aspect of the sport as invalid is weakass bullshit. I'm no more a boulderer than Dru and "Harry" but that doesn't mean I have no respect for folks who focus on that portion of the mosaic that makes up "climbing" these days. And hey, I know some kickass world class knitters, but I don't want to be a name dropper.

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