crack climbing sucks

[G-spotter]

duct tape the

[plexus]

Castlewood Canyon cobbles, South Platte granite -- um, yeah, gonna tape up. I would like to be able to use my hands before three days later. I've gotten my hands more trashed on Pikes Peak granite offwidths than Joshua Tree.

[sk]

I've never used tape before. My hands do get pretty scraped up, though, so maybe i should look into it. I thought scratched up and bleeding hands were just to be expected in crack climbing and that i was doing everything right.

 

i never really needed it til i started climbing in the .10's it has a lot to do with technique and with strength but honestly i think it is mental. i dont "need" the tape as much as it makes me feel better and makes my hands a bit bigger. i have small hands and what was rattely and really fricking hard becomes a really sweet hand jam.

 

it doesn't matter what i do or waht i tape i still come home with wounds all over me... no one ever said i was graceful it has however been a long time since i had a huge gobey on the back of my hand i so can't wait. i wonder if the scar tissue from learning to climb is still there???

[billcoe]

i never really needed it til i started climbing in the .10's

 

This may be why Dru (G-spotter) doesn't need it and derides it by calling it aid.

[G-spotter]

Oh, I've seen Americans taped to the elbows for Diedre Bill.

[blueserac]

The best road rashes I have seen are from folks jamming that short crack at the top of St. Vitus and then suddenly lean the wrong way and slip to the bottom of it.

 

But yeah, you can spot Americans with the tape ready for the best finger cracks.

Edited April 29, 2007 by blueserac

[cynicalwoodsman]

I'm too fat to climb cracks.

That's why the 'gunks kick ass!

Tons of gear climbs on juggy faces! I never even knew gear was synonomous with cracks until I moved to L'worth!

Cracks 'n slabs (yuck)... it only makes sense I ended up at Smith!

[SmallShoes]

I you say tape is aid. then so are wearing rock shoes.

 

Yup. Start free climbing or shut up!

 

 

Well let's not forget that bouldering isn't real climbing either. I want to see some barefoot jamming. That would be badass. Swear to God it would.

 

[sk]

there is actualy a guy here in eugene who does climb at the collums barefoot. i haven't seen him around in a while but it is impressive.

[luvshaker]

If think bouldering is lame, but love Crack, check out Bacher Cracker V4 (my ars) in camp 4. It's the only boulder prob I've ever felt worthy enough to go back to multiple times. Overhanging hands out of a cave to fingers to slopers to roof. I don't tape, but I do to work on that one.

[whirlwind]

iv'e climbed 5.10 barefoot.. it fucking hurts

[powderhound]

Crack climbing is great for me because if I have my hand in a crack then it is like having an anchor with me the whole way up the climb. Also the use of tape often is determined by the type of rock. I don't use tape on sandstone like in Indian creek but at devils tower and the wedge where often the jams are very painful due to coarse rock and edges it seems more applicable so that you can climb longer.

[MattStan]

Jim Bridwell uses tape. He's tougher than anyone on this board.

As do a host of other hardmen. Jay Smith (another person who's tougher than anyone on this board) has one of the most elaborate taping routines I've ever witnessed. Taping is less about compensating for poor technique and more about compensating for weak skin. Some people are lucky enough to have thick hides that can withstand a belt sander. The rest of us have to opt for a little epidermal augmentation.