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ikellen
Apr 27, 2004, 4:26 AM
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I will admit that this thread is being written from a skewed view, but I will stand by it.
I am in a climbing club at my high school. In it, there are about 12 kids, myself included. I consider myself a pretty all round climber. I like sport, bouldering, and multi-pitch, and I'll give trad and almost any other form of climbing a try before I decide whether or not I like it. Now some of the other people in my club are different. I'll let a situation recently explain this. Our faculty rep for our club announces we're gonna do another trip to Josh for a weekend. I'm stoked on it, because it's josh - who would complain??? :P Anyways, one kid pipes up and says "Will we be able to boulder while other people climb routes? If we cant I dont want to go." Of course I felt like telling this kid how much of an ignorant, elitist bastard he sounds like, but I keep quiet.
Anyways, what is it with kids my age only wanting to boulder? Do they all want to be the next sharma or something? I bet none of them know that Sharma climbed one of, if not the hardest sport routes in the world, a route which easily outshines all the hard problems he's sent over the years. Are kids to lazy to setup and use gear, or dont want to work to gain endurance to climb regular routes? I seriously don't get it. It's like if you dont boulder, you're not a cool climber or something. For god sakes people, throw on a harness and go climb TR/sport/trad and get off the boulders. I cant think that its a scared-of-heights thing, but you never know I guess.
Sorry for the rant, I just think this trend is ruining the future of climbing :(
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scclimber
Apr 27, 2004, 4:31 AM
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maybe their mommies won't let them get far from the ground.
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styndall
Apr 27, 2004, 4:34 AM
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Some folks, myself included, just like bouldering better.
I really dig athletic, gymnastic movement over heights or endurance pump-fest action. It's just a personal preference. Bouldering is the best way to go about enjoying the aspects of climbing that I like best. Ergo, I boulder most of the time.
I'm not going to make fun of or resent people who rope up, but I'm not going out of my way to tie in either.
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xprompt
Apr 27, 2004, 4:39 AM
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shoot...
you're lucky to have a climbing club at your school. i wish i had one.
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kalcario
Apr 27, 2004, 4:40 AM
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*Sorry for the rant, I just think this trend is ruining the future of climbing*
the pendulum will swing the other way and being a crash pad toting boulderer will be regarded like the lycra clad sport climbers of the 80's are today...it is a shame though, I know a few guys who probably would have been great climbers who got caught up in the bouldering fad and now have too much invested in it to get out...
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cgailey
Apr 27, 2004, 4:44 AM
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I love to boulder, but I also love roping up. There seem to be more and more people who get the elitist attitude about a sport they participate in...whether it be mountain biking, skiing/snowboarding, or whatever. Like any sport with many facets, there are going to be those who only like the park and pipe, or who think spandex clad XC racers are dorks (i.e. they are "freeriders" on their mtn. bikes), or worse yet, think that climbing while attached to the rope is for the dogs. Think of it this way, if those people are going to box themselves in to one thing without trying the other styles (no spraying you boulder junkies :wink: ), let them...they are the ones missing out on something else to add to their repertoire of outdoor activities.
Keep climbing it all and enjoy it all...
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jookyhead
Apr 27, 2004, 5:15 AM
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Lots of teenagers probably stick to bouldering for a while simply because it's cheapest, and us teenagers are broke :wink:.
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nicebooty
Apr 27, 2004, 5:36 AM
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so get a job u broke teenagers. im one of you
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dynoguy
Apr 27, 2004, 5:46 AM
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What the hell are wining about? The more climbers who boulder the less crowded all the good climbs will be.
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ikellen
Apr 27, 2004, 6:22 AM
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In reply to: Lots of teenagers probably stick to bouldering for a while simply because it's cheapest, and us teenagers are broke :wink:.
Yes it is cheap, but I know two of the bouldering-only kids in our club work decently paying jobs ($9 / hour), which is plenty if you save it to get a beginning sport/TR setup. I myself work 3 hours every weekend for $25 and now have a rope, 14 draws, and plenty of lockers and other misc. hardware. I can understand if someone doesnt have the resources to climb on rope, but to specifically avoid it (even when gear would be provided at no cost) sounds a bit retarded.
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jono
Apr 27, 2004, 6:50 AM
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when i was in high school i did quite a bit of bouldering cuz i didnt have a partner available most of the time and i only had a pair of shoes and a chalk bag. now that i have gear and belay monkeys i dont boulder at all, i prefer the heights and all the other shiz that comes with longer routes.
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boomrang7
Apr 27, 2004, 7:42 PM
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i only boulder because i dont have enough gear to do sport climbs and multi pitches. and some of the gear i do have i have to replace because i dont trust it enough to use it.
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jsj42
Apr 27, 2004, 7:52 PM
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In reply to: I consider myself a pretty all round climber. I like sport, bouldering, and multi-pitch, and I'll give trad and almost any other form of climbing a try before I decide whether or not I like it... ...Sorry for the rant, I just think this trend is ruining the future of climbing
Let me get this straight: You consider yourself an all round climber but you've never trad climbed? Furthermore, you are criticizing the "kids" in your school and "young climbers" in general but you are one of them. Perhaps you should at least try trad climbing before you make these kinds of statements.
Climbing is inherantly selfish. For better or for worse, you do it for you and you alone and you are entilted to have your own opinions. I've never been criticized by a boulderer for preferring hard trad over anything else, nor have I felt a need to criticize or convert a boulderer. Why would I? In fact, just the opposite has been true - bouldering purists have often shown me a respect for what I take for granted (in trad climbing) and I've returned that respect for what they take for granted (the power and technique that often go along with bouldering), and, frankly the less people chalking up and crowding up the climbs I want to do the better in my mind!
Let the boulderers boulder, the gym climbers gym climb, and the trad climbers trad climb.
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robmcc
Apr 27, 2004, 7:55 PM
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In reply to: Sorry for the rant, I just think this trend is ruining the future of climbing :(
So what's the problem? If I never find another party on a route I want to climb, I fail to see where that's a bad thing.
Rob
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sarcat
Apr 27, 2004, 8:01 PM
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It's a progression and age thing. Just wait 'til these boulderer grow up they'll sport. Then when they turn 36 they'll swtitch again to trad. Remember: less hair = need for more gear.
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cragmaster
Apr 27, 2004, 8:04 PM
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their scared of heights
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the_antoon
Apr 27, 2004, 8:10 PM
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[quote="kalcario"]*Sorry for the rant, I just think this trend is ruining the future of climbing*
...being a crash pad toting boulderer will be regarded like the lycra clad sport climbers of the 80's are today...quote]
Nothing will be ruined...just like the 80's, those who get caught up in the fads get left behind...or end up wasting a hell of a lot of time trying to catch up with the next fad. You can always tell who the real climbers are...I will climb with anyone regardless of what kind of climbing they enjoy most...i couldn't care less. Those who sit there and say everything but their type of climbing is gay, are normally douche bags and I usually just ignore them or try to hire a hitman. :twisted:
Don't worry about a thing...all the self-absorbed elitest bastards (i don't give a fuck if it is bouldering, sport climbing, trad, alpine, etc) that think they are hot shit now will be weeded out as soon as the fad changes. And this one has been here for a bit, so it shouldn't take much longer. 8^)
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dorkmaster
Apr 27, 2004, 8:13 PM
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I am 14 and climb sport and trad. I dont do much bouldering. I mostly climb sport, because I have to buy all my own gear, I dont have a job, so its hard to get money for trad gear. I have 2 sets of nuts, so I do an occasional easy, good gear lead though.
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keinangst
Apr 27, 2004, 8:13 PM
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What is it with younger climbers sitcking to the rock so well? :D
I think getting into bouldering is easy and convenient. Plus, young people usually have better power/weight ratios!!! The obvious reinforcement would be to get very good at something that's cheap, accessible, and at which they can outshine almost everyone else...
Props to any guys who make it through his late teens/early 20's without acquiring a big beer gut and a serious case of desk jockey syndrome!!
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craggy
Apr 27, 2004, 8:31 PM
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it's cheaper.
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boulderman
Apr 27, 2004, 8:41 PM
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I'm sure I'll be reamed for this, but here goes.
Lets put an end to this trashing the boulderers nonsense. Most of us (boulderers) enjoy pushing the limits of climbing, (power, technique, and movement), as well as the limits of our bodies. Bouldering is very different from other forms of climbing, but still climbing. Lots of us are much older than 15, I'm 32.... and getting stronger and better every day. I don't wear a beanie either. You won't see me with a trad rack until I can't lift my arms anymore. And yes.... I've tried many other forms of climbing; Sport, Mountaineering, and Alpine rock.
I'm sick of hearing fat a$$ed trad-weanies talking about us making climbing areas messy, loud, and unenjoyable. Lets examine a mostly trad area:
I was bouldering at the Gunks last weekend for the first time and was appalled by the loud mouthed, fat a$$ed (literally), lycra wearing tradsters standing around 60ft. up on a ledge looking for the no hands bear-gut jam resting spot. I heard a lot of yelling, (non command related). Lots of gear scatted til' kingdom come, a lot of terrible technique on 5.6-5.8 climbs, and mostly people just walking the trails with there jangling gear. I swear I saw a few people who never climbed, just walked with all of their shiny gear clankin' in the breeze.
I'm sorry, but I find that someone bouldering or climbing a nice line on a slightly overhung 5.11+ face is beautiful thing to see. Some 55 yr. old weekend warrior hauling his wife and 50lbs of gear up the wall is not what I call climbing.
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needmoregear
Apr 27, 2004, 8:46 PM
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probably because its easier to hang around with bunch of people and smoke up while bouldering, then going on some multipitch epic with only you and your partner.
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allarounder
Apr 27, 2004, 8:48 PM
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But boulderman - did you see miles of exploration trails through the desert/woods, smashed plants and from boulderpads, tape and trash all over the place, and were there stereos playing? Didn't think so.
you're criticizing poor technique? That's funny.
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dingus
Apr 27, 2004, 8:57 PM
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In reply to: You can always tell who the real climbers are...I will climb with anyone regardless of what kind of climbing they enjoy most...i couldn't care less.
Wow Antoon, that was cool. And you didn't even say 'could care less.'
DMT
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crazygirl
Apr 27, 2004, 9:03 PM
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not this again.
but i do feel that some kids, mostly the ones ranting on 'old trad climbers' are so privilieged, with their mommies driving them to the climbing gym after school and their daddies spotting them when they climb their first boulder.
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