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alibaba
Dec 21, 2005, 3:54 PM
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The "my first trad climb" thread got me thinking. Ever since I started climbing trad i can't stand sport climbing anymore. I find it boring beyond belief to clip one bolt after another on a wall that's ten meters high. Where's the fun in that?
When i climb trad the ability to actually pull the moves through is just one aspect of the whole thing. Trad climbing taught me to really read the lines, to think about the rock and find the best gear placements and most of all to be confident in my own abilities. It also taught me the hard way how important endurance is (remember that 30m of steep hand jamming where you just can't find a decent placement?).
Mind you i wouldn't lead a climb i'm not absolutely sure i can do. So when i want to climb my limit i'll go to a sports crag. But i never seem to enjoy myself like i did before i discovered trad.
Does anybody else feel that way?
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nuts_r_us
Dec 21, 2005, 4:03 PM
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Worst troll ever. :boring:
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keithlester
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Dec 21, 2005, 4:05 PM
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In reply to: The "my first trad climb" thread got me thinking. Ever since I started climbing trad i can't stand sport climbing anymore. I find it boring beyond belief to clip one bolt after another on a wall that's ten meters high. Where's the fun in that? When i climb trad the ability to actually pull the moves through is just one aspect of the whole thing. Trad climbing taught me to really read the lines, to think about the rock and find the best gear placements and most of all to be confident in my own abilities. It also taught me the hard way how important endurance is (remember that 30m of steep hand jamming where you just can't find a decent placement?). Mind you i wouldn't lead a climb i'm not absolutely sure i can do. So when i want to climb my limit i'll go to a sports crag. But i never seem to enjoy myself like i did before i discovered trad. Does anybody else feel that way?
It wasn't lost, mate
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acacongua
Dec 21, 2005, 4:08 PM
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Out of curiousity, how hard are you climbing trad? I find that many people who knock sport just found it too hard for them and find trad better because of the "thinking" aspect. When the reality is, it's just easier for them.
I think that's great. Do what you love and don't worry about being a well-rounded climber - be a well rounded person.
But for those who love the movement that sport offers over crack climbing, all I can say is I'm sorry it didn't work for you, but you don't have knock it.
-Stephanie, avid lover of sport climbing
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markc
Dec 21, 2005, 4:17 PM
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Maybe you just suck at sport climbing?
Let us know when trad climbing starts to bore you, as you've become a really hardcore aid climber.
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j_ung
Dec 21, 2005, 4:24 PM
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Well, to each his own, for sure. But it doesn't sound like you've really experienced a wide variety of sport climbing. Many of routes near where I am are longer than 10 meters and some are every bit as interesting to me as the trad routes I get on, minus the gear work.
BTW, 30m of hand jamming with no decent gear placements? ahem... n00b... cough... :P
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redpointron
Dec 21, 2005, 4:45 PM
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In reply to: -Stephanie, avid lover of sport climbing
geez, steph, you probably like climbing in the gym, too? :shock: :wink: :roll:
see you at hoosier heights, hehe
r.r.
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tradgal
Dec 21, 2005, 4:49 PM
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Anyday on rock is better than a day in the office.
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sandstonejunkie
Dec 21, 2005, 4:50 PM
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In reply to: Mind you i wouldn't lead a climb i'm not absolutely sure i can do. So when i want to climb my limit i'll go to a sports crag.
In reply to: Do what you love and don't worry about being a well-rounded climber... |
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j_ung
Dec 21, 2005, 4:55 PM
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Well, to each his own, for sure. But it doesn't sound like you've really experienced a wide variety of sport climbing. Many of routes near where I am are longer than 10 meters and some are every bit as interesting to me as the trad routes I get on, minus the gear work.
BTW, 30m of hand jamming with no decent gear placements? ahem... n00b... cough... :P
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qulith
Dec 21, 2005, 4:56 PM
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I actually understand what the OP is saying. I have been sport climbing for about 8 years, and in the past year and a half I have started climbing trad. I wouldn't say that I hate sport climbing or that it "sucks", since I still love it, but my love of it has changed.
I enjoy sport climbing for the challenging flow of movement. For solving the puzzle of moves that connects the line of bolts. For failing and trying again till the 70 feet of rock has become a dance up the rock and I am the chorographer.
I enjoy trad for an entirely different reason.
Leading trad gives me something I could not get from sport climbing. A freedom so sorts. To stare up at an unmarked cliff and to follow it into the unknown is amazing, simply amazing. Then to look down from my perch after my second has reached me and see the barren cliff unscathed and unmarked by my passing is once again simply amazing.
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vegastradguy
Dec 21, 2005, 5:00 PM
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In reply to: (remember that 30m of steep hand jamming where you just can't find a decent placement?).
um, no. can't say in the three years i've been leading trad that i ever ran across 30m of steep hand crack that wouldnt take a #1 or #2 camalot nicely. now, 30m of thin slab climbing with no good placements....that, i've done.
its great that you've found your calling, but bagging on sport climbing because you find it boring is a bit....well, immature. did you ever think that those who love sport climbing really enjoy those aspects of it that you don't? i mean, we're not all the same- everybody has their thing- so trad is yours....great! sport is someone elses...great!
so, sport climbing doesn't suck. climbers who bag on other types of climbing because they don't 'get it' suck.
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alibaba
Dec 21, 2005, 5:01 PM
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I apologize for having offended anybody and for exaggerating. These are just my very personal feelings towards the issue.
I stuck to climbing in the first place because i loved the movements on the rock so much. And i still do. It's just that when I have to chose between a sports climb and a trad route i'd chose trad anyday because of the aforementioned reasons.
I probably do suck at sports climbing, true - my best redpoint is 5.12a on sports and 5.11a on trad. And most likely i'm not getting better than that considering age and time requirements for training.
So all I'm saying is that me discovering trad was really good and I enjoy it big time. And i wanted to know if anybody else has had a similar experience.
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alibaba
Dec 21, 2005, 5:04 PM
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I apologize for having offended anybody and for exaggerating. These are just my very personal feelings towards the issue.
I stuck to climbing in the first place because i loved the movements on the rock so much. And i still do. It's just that when I have to chose between a sports climb and a trad route i'd chose trad anyday because of the aforementioned reasons.
I probably do suck at sports climbing, true - my best redpoint is 5.12a on sports and 5.11a on trad. And most likely i'm not getting better than that considering age and time requirements for training.
So all I'm saying is that me discovering trad was really good and I enjoy it big time. And i wanted to know if anybody else has had a similar experience.
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ikefromla
Dec 21, 2005, 5:05 PM
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sport climbing is teh shiznit. uh duh. hardprojects4lyfe.
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flowerchild
Dec 21, 2005, 5:05 PM
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I have been an avid sport climber my entire climbing career. I just recently started to trad climb and although I enjoy it thoroughly, my heart is still set in climbing hard sport routes. I am also amused by the sport of bouldering, I find it delightful as well.
You need to see the beauty in all types of climbing, as it will make you a more well rounded climber. It is fine to have a favourite, but to state that one sucks is just plain silly.
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esallen
Dec 21, 2005, 5:06 PM
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The argment is way too old. All types of climbing are good. I've learned to enjoy it all: sport, trad, bouldering, aid, ice, etc. Its all good. Variety is where its at for me.
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acacongua
Dec 21, 2005, 5:07 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: -Stephanie, avid lover of sport climbing geez, steph, you probably like climbing in the gym, too? :shock: :wink: :roll: see you at hoosier heights, hehe r.r.
Dude, only if it's in HH! I'll spend three days this weekend on rock and SPORT CLIMBING!!! Woohoo!!!
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billl7
Dec 21, 2005, 5:07 PM
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Yes, following a bolted line has something in common with following a route where every hold is marked for you, just different degrees.
On the other hand, consider the fact that many (most?) of us climb sport routes at a grade or two higher than we would on trad. That fact means that people are trying (read "daring") harder moves on sport routes than they would on trad, or could due to the endurance issue. No? Right now I consider myself more of a trad person but sport doesn't have to be boring either. You're just suffering from a common case of myopia. :D
Bill
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rockhound71
Dec 21, 2005, 5:13 PM
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Personally, I think I suck because I don't climb it all...yet. Sport, trad, getting into aid soon, and hopefully ice this winter. But that's where I want to take my climbing. Everyone makes there own choices.
Basically, my point is...your cup is either half-full or half empty. Don't knock other peoples passions, because they aren't your own.
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crackmd
Dec 21, 2005, 5:39 PM
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It's cool that you have seen the rewards that crackclimbing has to offer. My take as a long time crack and sportclimber (who does not boulder) is that these two disciplines complement each other quite well. There have been countless times when I have negociated a difficult stretch of crack by pulling some kind of kneedrop funk. On the flip side, it is quite common to find some kind of flaring handjam or fingerlock on a sportroute which actually gives you a rest that noncrackclimbers are not able to use. As you become skilled in the crackclimbing techniques and protection, the real rewards of pushing it on your own gear are achieved. I see a lot of sportclimbers who when they take up tradclimbing their tradleading comfort level is at least 2 grades lower than what they lead sportclimbing. That's seems reasonable since trad climbing adds another element (protection) to climbing which must be done well to ensure safety. My greatest rewards have come in pushing my limit while placing my own gear safely. Over the years that trad limit has become basically the same as my sportcliming limit (assuming good protection). We should stop arguing about what style of climbing is better. It all rocks!
Check out the forum called Tradical to get psyched to climb cracks.
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markc
Dec 21, 2005, 6:10 PM
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In reply to: I probably do suck at sports climbing, [snip]. So all I'm saying is that me discovering trad was really good and I enjoy it big time. And i wanted to know if anybody else has had a similar experience.
Don't take my dig to heart. I get tired of people putting down one activity to enhance the one they're promoting. If your original post more closely matched your last paragraph here, you might be receiving less grief.
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paganmonkeyboy
Dec 21, 2005, 6:14 PM
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sport climbing doesn't suck...
Work sucks
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rockinrock
Dec 21, 2005, 6:24 PM
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I'm putting my vote in with trad climbing. Sport is ok, but trad rocks. Not because sport is boring and lacks challenge, it's kind of exciting to take big falls and climb your hardest. I just prefer trad because of the freedom it offers. I can look at any rock face anywhere and just start climbing, even if no one went up that way before.
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