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nightshade777
Jan 26, 2007, 9:34 PM
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I'm from Minnesota. The North shore of Lake Superior has a No-Chalk ethic. What can I use that isn't white?
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taydude
Jan 26, 2007, 9:37 PM
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There are companies that make colored chalk or you may be able to make some yourself. If there'd no chalk whatso ever then i believe you can find products to dry your hands. I know my friend that works at a supermarket said they have a liquid to put on their hands so they can stock shelfs w/o dropping stuff.
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vegastradguy
Jan 26, 2007, 9:43 PM
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have you even tried not using chalk?
most folks, by and large, don't need chalk as much as they think they do. for the most part, its a placebo....some truly do need the white stuff, but most of us can get along fine without it.
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d1ll1gaf
Jan 26, 2007, 9:47 PM
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You may want to consider going down to any sports store and buying a pair of wristbands (the kind basketball & tennis players use) or get a clip on golf towel and attach it to your harness. You would then be able to dry your hands without using chalk.
Keep in mind that the sole purpose of chalk is to dry your hands, chalk actually reduces the coefficient of friction between your skin and the rock. Dry skin is much better at holding the rock.
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styleboy
Jan 27, 2007, 4:43 AM
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d1ll1gaf wrote: Keep in mind that the sole purpose of chalk is to dry your hands, chalk actually reduces the coefficient of friction between your skin and the rock. Dry skin is much better at holding the rock.
Not entirely true.
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Creek_Nostalgia
Jan 27, 2007, 6:07 AM
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rock chalk... or just go without
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healyje
Jan 27, 2007, 6:07 AM
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vegastradguy wrote: have you even tried not using chalk? most folks, by and large, don't need chalk as much as they think they do. for the most part, its a placebo....some truly do need the white stuff, but most of us can get along fine without it.
Vegas completely hits it. Chalk is the one part of climbing that is basically robotic in terms of never even rising to the level of a question or even thought of at all. And it would be curious to know whether there aren't legions of folks out there these days who have never even felt the touch of bare hands on clean rock; maybe even who think they can't climb without it.
Are there times and places for chalk? Sure - but it's so overdone it would seem a comedy except for the fact everyone is doing it. And that's not even getting into the climbing-by-the-dots/'Twister' aspects of it.
(This post was edited by healyje on Jan 27, 2007, 6:13 AM)
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a.a.
Jan 27, 2007, 10:54 AM
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styleboy wrote: d1ll1gaf wrote: Keep in mind that the sole purpose of chalk is to dry your hands, chalk actually reduces the coefficient of friction between your skin and the rock. Dry skin is much better at holding the rock. Not entirely true.
Well, chalk does dry your hands and it does reduce the coefficent of friction. So what exactly is not true about that statement?
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charley
Jan 27, 2007, 1:42 PM
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styleboy wrote: d1ll1gaf wrote: Keep in mind that the sole purpose of chalk is to dry your hands, chalk actually reduces the coefficient of friction between your skin and the rock. Dry skin is much better at holding the rock. Not entirely true.
Wellll, if it isn't true what is.
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noshoesnoshirt
Jan 27, 2007, 2:47 PM
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a.a. wrote: styleboy wrote: d1ll1gaf wrote: Keep in mind that the sole purpose of chalk is to dry your hands, chalk actually reduces the coefficient of friction between your skin and the rock. Dry skin is much better at holding the rock. Not entirely true. Well, chalk does dry your hands and it does reduce the coefficent of friction. So what exactly is not true about that statement?
You're on the right track, but technically wrong. A decrease in the coefficient of friction means less friction per normal force. Slimy sweaty hands on rock have a lower frictional coefficient than dry hands.
And Vegastradguy, chalk is not an absolute necessity, but try climbing in the southeast in the the non-winter seasons without it.
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hibby11
Jan 27, 2007, 4:43 PM
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You'll be fine at the north shore without chalk. I went up there and climbed without chalk for the first time and it was fine. Rock has good friction and its not going to be warm enough for your hands to get too sweaty.
H
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curt
Jan 27, 2007, 5:27 PM
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charley wrote: styleboy wrote: d1ll1gaf wrote: Keep in mind that the sole purpose of chalk is to dry your hands, chalk actually reduces the coefficient of friction between your skin and the rock. Dry skin is much better at holding the rock. Not entirely true. Wellll, if it isn't true what is.
When it is very cold--and there is basically no moisture in your skin, you will sometimes notice that the chalk doesn't seem to even stick to your skin. Under those conditions, the chalk isn't doing any good. However, under any other conditions (i.e. where there is perspiration on your hands) chalk increases the coefficient of friction between your hands and the rock--it does not decrease it.
Curt
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mturner
Jan 27, 2007, 6:36 PM
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taydude wrote: I know my friend that works at a supermarket said they have a liquid to put on their hands so they can stock shelfs w/o dropping stuff.
Is it really that hard to stock a shelf without dropping things?
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a.a.
Jan 27, 2007, 7:30 PM
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noshoesnoshirt wrote: a.a. wrote: styleboy wrote: d1ll1gaf wrote: Keep in mind that the sole purpose of chalk is to dry your hands, chalk actually reduces the coefficient of friction between your skin and the rock. Dry skin is much better at holding the rock. Not entirely true. Well, chalk does dry your hands and it does reduce the coefficent of friction. So what exactly is not true about that statement? You're on the right track, but technically wrong. A decrease in the coefficient of friction means less friction per normal force. Slimy sweaty hands on rock have a lower frictional coefficient than dry hands. And Vegastradguy, chalk is not an absolute necessity, but try climbing in the southeast in the the non-winter seasons without it.
Hmmm, I think we might be saying the same thing here. If we put chalk on a perfectly dry hand it would actually be harder to hold on, right? There's nothing inherently sticky about the chalk, it just happens to absorb moisture which helps firction more than having white powder on our hands hurts it. Is that right?
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miademus
Jan 27, 2007, 9:27 PM
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a.a. wrote: noshoesnoshirt wrote: a.a. wrote: styleboy wrote: d1ll1gaf wrote: Keep in mind that the sole purpose of chalk is to dry your hands, chalk actually reduces the coefficient of friction between your skin and the rock. Dry skin is much better at holding the rock. Not entirely true. Well, chalk does dry your hands and it does reduce the coefficent of friction. So what exactly is not true about that statement? You're on the right track, but technically wrong. A decrease in the coefficient of friction means less friction per normal force. Slimy sweaty hands on rock have a lower frictional coefficient than dry hands. And Vegastradguy, chalk is not an absolute necessity, but try climbing in the southeast in the the non-winter seasons without it. Hmmm, I think we might be saying the same thing here. If we put chalk on a perfectly dry hand it would actually be harder to hold on, right? There's nothing inherently sticky about the chalk, it just happens to absorb moisture which helps firction more than having white powder on our hands hurts it. Is that right?
well when the weather is cold then there are other conditons, but in a normal weather then chalk is essential,not ony becasue it keeps the skin dry but also becasue of it's friction, for me here it is very important where to buy my chalk...some chalk keeps the skin dry but the friction is awful, more it slides on the rock....disclaimers might not have seen bad chalk....how much do you guys pay for your chalk per1lbs~0.5 kilo?
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he-man
Jan 27, 2007, 10:15 PM
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I too am from MN. There are several good explanations as to why chalk is not used on the N. Shore. I wont get into them here. The point is, with the exception of Sawmill Creek Dome Bouldering, no chalk is, or should be used North of Sandstone. This includes "colored" chalk.
Even a chalk fiend like myself hasn't felt the need to use chalk on the shore. None of the holds are greasy thanks to the fact there is no chalk caked on them. The lake creates a steady breeze the keeps the rock dry, even on foggy days.
If really need something to help keep your hands dry, try and eco ball or attach a small towel to your harness. Both of these options work well for me.
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nightshade777
Jan 28, 2007, 12:59 PM
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Thanks for the info. I will try it, and do what a friend of mine does, put candy in my chalk bag.
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climbingaggie03
Jan 28, 2007, 3:45 PM
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yeah, you really don't need chalk on the north shore, and there is a strict no chalk ethic. I have seen some liquid hand dryers out there that might help, but please please please don't be using chalk out there, colored or otherwise, while the north shore climbing isn't much, it is nice that there isn't any chalk, not only do I have to look for holds, but it's not greasy.
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redzit
Jan 28, 2007, 4:49 PM
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Ya know what guys
Last time I was on this forum (sadly it has been at least a couple of years now) people were debating this. years later... people are STILL debating this.
should tell ya something i guess
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mturner
Jan 28, 2007, 5:26 PM
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redzit wrote: Ya know what guys Last time I was on this forum (sadly it has been at least a couple of years now) people were debating this. years later... people are STILL debating this. should tell ya something i guess
Yep, that one year later we're still bored at work.
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redzit
Jan 28, 2007, 5:32 PM
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HAHAHAHA
ahhhh
sounds about right.
Amazing no one gets cought
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styleboy
Jan 28, 2007, 7:35 PM
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Why is there a no chalk ethic on the northshore?
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musicman1586
Jan 28, 2007, 7:47 PM
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Hi guys, my name's Kyle and I've been chalk free for over a year now, and let me tell you, I've never felt better. You can get over this addiction as well. You don't need chalk in your life to be able to cope, we all have to learn our own ways of dealing with the heat, the sweat, and those nasty slopers and micro-crimps, but it can be done. It's all in your head guys, and through the help of this group we can all learn to be chalk-free, or atleast learn how not to abuse it and to use it efficiently. This group changed my life and it'll change yours.
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