pope Posted September 7, 2001 Posted September 7, 2001 Just got Climbing No. 207 in the mail (my Frau got me a subscription for Christmas last year). I'm sorry, but this is a bunch of horseshit. Look at that fruitcup on the cover. He's got that special Michael Jordan facial thing going that says, "Hey, I'm really accomplishing something here." If you turn the photo sideways, it's easy to imagine this guy taking a crap. Then I noticed he's flipping me off...and I pay money for this crap? Then there's the adds. Just inside the cover a couple of pages, some creepy looking goof with red contacts and a fish hook in his nose is trying to sell me a rope. Like I'd take that guys advice. Flip a couple of pages to see Barry in a Patagonia add sporting that stubborn-turd look. Over on page 49, Ms. Hill looks like Nurse Servius about to administer a barium enema. I remember when she was hot, but then American cars used to be reliable....a long time ago. Finally, I see P. Croft in what might just be a North Face add, or maybe it's a Pete's Coffee add, although it appears the s.o.b. is demonstrating how to be a lush to all the kiddies out there. Jeeeeesh. Quote
johnny Posted September 7, 2001 Posted September 7, 2001 Hey Pope, were there any words in that mag or just pictures of people going to the bathroom after drinking coffee? Wierd how the same thing happens to me just about every morning.......Coincidence?? P.S. Ms. Hill will have to be dead with maggots chewing on her to be considered unnattractive. Besides she has the kung fu grip! Quote
pope Posted September 7, 2001 Author Posted September 7, 2001 Words? I haven't even tried to read that rag since the New York bouldering article. Apparently, I just don't speak the language. Quote
johnny Posted September 7, 2001 Posted September 7, 2001 Well, for starters, "crank" is now both a noun AND a verb in the bouldering world. Climbing lingo is a strange one isn't it? Any other good new words we all should know so we can impress our friends? Quote
Stefan Posted September 7, 2001 Posted September 7, 2001 Pope, Maybe you should put together your own magazine for cascade climbers. Quote
miker Posted September 7, 2001 Posted September 7, 2001 But you gotta admit that the Evolution traverse or ridge that Pete's article was about looks kick-ass. You climb up 3rd, 4th & 5th to get on the ridge and then follow it for miles with the hardest moves being 5.9, basically lay a couple of El Caps down in a line and start going. It is one long summit @ ~13k Pete did it in a day, but I se myself taking a more liesurely time of 2-5 days. The biggest problem I see is the hauling on such a route. Have to trim down that backpack and hope you have enough water. Now I do agree on the general proliferation of ads and minimization of articles, but considering I paid next to nothing for a years subscription I figure they need the advertising to keep up. I think I am for the bird on the cover, but I am just a dirty birdy myself. Quote
goatboy Posted September 7, 2001 Posted September 7, 2001 How about "moderates?" Climbing Ragazine uses this word to refer to climbs 5.11 and under . . . Not exactly a "moderate" day for me, but hey, I'm still a sport-climber-wannabe . . . I'm not good enough yet for spandex or a stick clip!!! That said, I do enjoy the tech tips and John Long's articles. The recent issue has a good story about Donini and the accident up in the alaska range. So it's not all bad. Quote
fredrogers Posted September 7, 2001 Posted September 7, 2001 Well, gents, the sad thing about all those ads is that it keeps the price of the magazine at about $5. Without those, you'd be paying a hell of a lot more for it, should you deem it a worthy expense at $40-50 a copy. I just wish the ads were better. Most of them are an insult to anyone with a heartbeat. Quote
Bronco Posted September 7, 2001 Posted September 7, 2001 I don't know how many of you have seen this month's issue of Outside but the biggest section of paper is dedicated to some fashion type show and is really wierd. I kept looking at the cover to make sure I hadn't picked up one of the Eddie Bauer cataloges around our house. Anyway, the cloths in the spread were mostly $300 leather pants and $200 baggy cotton sweaters and useless for most activity's OUTSIDE. I was pretty disapointed, but, I only paid $9.99 for 12 issues and a free gypo swiss army knife, so, I won't lose any sleep. Quote
offwidthclimber Posted September 7, 2001 Posted September 7, 2001 not that i expect much from outside magazine, but the whole "outdoor fashion" thing was way out of place. since when did expensive sweaters and fucking leather pants become outdoor appearal? jesus. worse yet was the "dream towns 2001" feature. talk about the kiss of death for folks living in the top 10 places they mentioned. bring on the masses! cheers. Quote
verticalswamp Posted September 7, 2001 Posted September 7, 2001 I knew an old horse packing guide who swore by leather, but that was in the twenties, for wind proofness. But he never mentioned leather pants. Nice chaps though. And he was out there. Not just mentally. C Quote
Kyle Posted September 7, 2001 Posted September 7, 2001 The Donini Alaska story was cool, but it's overall a pretty boring issue (but then the last one was too). I did get a kick out of the closing article about climbing in Korea. God forbid if our crags should ever get that crowded... Quote
Dru Posted September 8, 2001 Posted September 8, 2001 C'mon Evans, you met that leather pants guy on Davie Street, not horse packing... Quote
nolanr Posted September 11, 2001 Posted September 11, 2001 I saw a dude up in Glacier NP in B.C. wearing black leather pants and a black leather jacket. It was a warm sunny day. Couldn't quite figure that one out. Quote
Dru Posted September 11, 2001 Posted September 11, 2001 I just re read a bunch of old Climbing mags and compared them to the present ones. The Hot Flashes have gotten more inspiring but the rest of the mag has declined since Kennedy left. Instead of John Sherman, Greg Child, Mark Twight as regular columnists we get Dave Pagel (yawn), Pete Takeda (yawn) and so on. I laugh at Samet but his targets are easy ones. Long hasn't written anything new in 10 years. And once you have read the mags for a few years you tune out the endlessly identical technique and gear reviews. The letters are boring, ditto the editorials, and I liked Tami Knights cartoons better when they were multiple panels instead of just one. What I wonder is, where do all the old sprayers go? What happened to Mia Axon, Alan Lester, Eric Scully and a bunch of other sprayclimbers that used to be in all the ads and hot-flashes 4 years ago but have vanished without a trace. Only perpetual mag whores Hans Florine and Timy Fairfield are still holding in there - and Sharma of course - but his accomplishments are actually noteworthy (bong huffin at the World Cup ) so he does not count... Quote
gearbot Posted September 12, 2001 Posted September 12, 2001 If you think Climbing is bad, start reading Rock and Ice. Quote
erik Posted September 12, 2001 Posted September 12, 2001 and the pages are to slippery to use as toliet paper! Â Quote
Rafael_H Posted September 12, 2001 Posted September 12, 2001 Hey, dear CC buddies, so "Climbing" and "R&I" are not worthy. Are there any climbing magazines worth reading? I agree, any of Florine's so called accomplishments are crap and boring. And that Twight dude is just too arrogant and unsafe. I'd much rather read TR's on CC about scrambling up the West Ridge of Forbidden but the problem is there are no cool pictures on CC. See, if every TR was accompanied by a nice shot, I'd definitely cancel my subscriptions too... Quote
Dru Posted September 12, 2001 Posted September 12, 2001 quote: Originally posted by erik: and the pages are to slippery to use as toliet paper! Plus they stick together when Rachel Babekirk gets you excited right Erik? Â Quote
goatboy Posted September 12, 2001 Posted September 12, 2001 I saw a climbing mag in canmore last winter called "Gripped" -- great name! It showcases canadian areas, ice, mixed climbing, etc -- good photos in the one issue I bought. They have a site: check em out www.gripped.com I've only seen the one issue, what do others think of this publication as an alternative? Steve Quote
Dru Posted September 12, 2001 Posted September 12, 2001 Gripped is Ok if you are a Canadian but the gear reviews are sycophantic to the extreme and much of the articles consist of blatant fawning over some big fish in a little pond. Needs some editors who aren't Ontario 1-pitch limestone climbers. maybe if it was based in Canmore or Squamish instead of Toronto it would be better mag? The bulletin board on the website is fun though. totally unregulated spray-anything-you-want under whatever name you choose. Quote
cj001f Posted September 13, 2001 Posted September 13, 2001 Gripped is a decent magazine - But your right the gear reviews are sycophantic(and extraordinarily incomplete - no Beal Ropes, no BD ropes?, and thats the B's). The regional climbing mags are the best when it comes to spirit/soul - Vertical Jones, Boulderdash, etc. As for Climbing/Rock & Ice - they both suck, though month to month it changes which sucks more. What's depressing is the complete absence of any quality quides in R&I anymore - there used to be almost a guidebook in every issue. As for Outside - they've got that bizarre mix of hardcore tips/destination with fashion photography (anyone remember the rock climbing shot they did last year with Beth Rodden? - almost soft core) Carl Quote
goatboy Posted September 13, 2001 Posted September 13, 2001 Teen pornography is what I'd call the Rodden shots from last year. And I see in the new Outside that some fashion designer (I think it's Chanel) is now making climbing helmets and harnesses (super expensive) and ice axes (so precious they're not even for sale??) What the HELL is going on in the world? Quote
philfort Posted September 13, 2001 Posted September 13, 2001 Gripped appears to be mainly a bouldering magazine, judging from the handful of issues I have :-( Quote
Dru Posted September 13, 2001 Posted September 13, 2001 quote: Originally posted by philfort: Gripped appears to be mainly a bouldering magazine, judging from the handful of issues I have :-( Yeah, Famous Boulder Problems like the Stanley Headwall  Quote
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