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shermanr6
Feb 19, 2008, 7:47 PM
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What tricks do you use to keep warm when the weather gets cold, but you still have the itch to climb outside on cold rock?
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tolman_paul
Feb 19, 2008, 7:56 PM
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How cold is cold?
The #1 key is climb on a face with southern exposure with the sun on the rock. I went out on a face the other week when it was 7F (combination of curiosity about how cold I could climb and needing to get on the rocks) and was suprised that with the sun on the rock it wasn't that bad, my hands and feet were a little cold, but it was tollerable. On the other hand a few days after that I was ice climbing in the same temp, but the wind had picked up, and I was miserably cold, especially while standing around belaying.
I've climbed plenty in the 30's and 40's, and so long as you are active and there is no wind, you'll be suprised how warm you stay.
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bigfatrock
Feb 19, 2008, 7:56 PM
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A recent one I learned; hand warmer in the chalk bag. Not super effective, but it helps some. Climb on walls that get sun too, that helps.
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corson
Feb 19, 2008, 7:59 PM
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Ummm.......more clothes.
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bizarrodrinker
Feb 19, 2008, 8:09 PM
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quit being a bitch and go do it is all I was ever told.
Other than that I would stick with bouldering...at least you can put a coat on between burns.
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charley
Feb 19, 2008, 8:10 PM
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The handwarmer in the chalk bag is good as is climbing in the sun. Thin socks or pieces of sock that cover the ankle help. Take a thermos of hot tea, coffee, soup, whatever.
Some of my friends just stand around me, they say it's just like a fire but no sparks.
My wife might differ on the sparks.
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shermanr6
Feb 19, 2008, 8:12 PM
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corson wrote: Ummm.......more clothes.
Great idea, I was going to go out naked this weekend but decided against it.
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coastal_climber
Feb 19, 2008, 8:33 PM
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Definitely get yourself a down jacket for belays and/or hanging around. I was out a couple weekends ago, it was 7 Celsius and I managed to get some climbing done.
>Cam
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kyleshea
Feb 19, 2008, 9:11 PM
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bizarrodrinker wrote: quit being a bitch and go do it is all I was ever told. Other than that I would stick with bouldering...at least you can put a coat on between burns.
keep moving. dont go bouldering with friends who just want to sit around and hang out on a cold day. warm up, stay warm, and dont stop til your back at the car or whatever. and whiskey.
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dobson
Feb 19, 2008, 9:31 PM
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Again, how cold is cold?
I've been climbing (almost) every weekend this winter here in the Northern Rockies.
My preference is to simply go ice/mixed climbing, but that doesn't always work out. When I have to climb rock in town, I get creative.
The winter isn't the time to be working those hard north
facing cracks (obviously). When it's really cold, I use my time to practice aid climbing or easy trad. It's amazing what you can climb with boots and heavy gloves on, given a little practice.
As the temperatures approach freezing, the gloves come off. Stay on south facing climbs and keep out of the icy chimneys. As soon as you get to the belays, put your "puffy jacket", and gloves back on. I find that hand cracks are pretty good in the cold because you really don't need to be able to feel your hands to jam.
The back of your neck is good for warming your hands quickly while climbing. Don't wear your really tight rock shoes, (they'll cut off circulation).
A good softshell jacket (my beyond cold fusion when it's cold, or MH offwidth in warmer temps), keeps the wind and snow off while being breathable and impressively durable.
Bring many pairs of gloves for use throughout the day. A fleece pair for hiking, some heavy warm gloves for the belay, and maybe some mittens and something dexterous.
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corson
Feb 20, 2008, 3:59 AM
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shermanr6 wrote: corson wrote: Ummm.......more clothes. Great idea, I was going to go out naked this weekend but decided against it.
The fact that people(including ME) post to question,is by NO means a quantitative factor to its quality. If you want to stay warm , then wear more clothes.Or find some other site to learn how to wear the right ones. And don't you dare try to call me out! I climb when it's COLD bitches! And I climb HARD!
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cmagee1
Jan 21, 2011, 8:00 AM
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Handwarmers in the chalk bag works remarkably well. Also not super tight rock shoes. Climb in at least a shell! And bring lots of layers to throw on while belaying/spotting, this includes hats and gloves!
Even when its not that cold out, the rock can be frigid. Make sure to rest and warm up your hand if you get numb. Its hard to tell if you have a good hold when you cant feel your fingers. 
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Rmsyll2
Jan 23, 2011, 1:08 AM
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"Its hard to tell if you have a good hold when you can't feel your fingers."
The solutions so far are good ones imo. But what exactly are the problems? 'cmagee1' states my main problem so far this winter. I had a fall from a hold I thought I had solid, but couldn't really know, because my finger tips were that numb. That problem increases with time on the cold rock, despite my own body warming with effort. I shiver when cold, which makes especially foot placements less secure. I become impatient and rash too, both of which can be dangerous. The top-rope anchor areas are always in a wind, and that chilling can be again cause for bad technique at the worst place possible. When it's cold, I will not rappel down to start, so choose only routes in sun that I can easily rig and easily walk down to. Which isn't many, but they are usually available, right?
With experience, I have weather prediction guidelines: below a certain temp etc., I just don't go.
LL
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ipaulsen
May 7, 2013, 4:08 PM
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Check out this heated chalk bag that solves this very problem of having poor circulation to your hands, or on those cold or shaded days. The chalk bag has an integrated heating circuit that you can turn on and off when ever you want!... http://www.varmclimbing.com
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edge
May 7, 2013, 4:45 PM
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ipaulsen wrote: Check out this heated chalk bag that solves this very problem of having poor circulation to your hands, or on those cold or shaded days. The chalk bag has an integrated heating circuit that you can turn on and off when ever you want!... http://www.varmclimbing.com
These actually work:
http://www.handwarmers.com/id93.html
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ipaulsen
May 7, 2013, 6:24 PM
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In reply to: These actually work: http://www.handwarmers.com/id93.html
I like the idea of the direct contact of the hand warmer to your hand. However I feel that strapping the hand warmer to my hand feels kinda bulky(tried this method during development and testing of the Varm chalk bag). Honestly the whole reason I like to use the Varm chalk bag is so I don't have to use chemical hand warmers. Its hard to knock something unless you try it first.
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edge
May 7, 2013, 7:15 PM
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ipaulsen wrote: In reply to: These actually work: http://www.handwarmers.com/id93.html I like the idea of the direct contact of the hand warmer to your hand. However I feel that strapping the hand warmer to my hand feels kinda bulky(tried this method during development and testing of the Varm chalk bag). Honestly the whole reason I like to use the Varm chalk bag is so I don't have to use chemical hand warmers. Its hard to knock something unless you try it first.
I admire your perseverance, but the dreaded chemicals in the handwarmers are iron and charcoal; environmentally friendly and a lot less impact than Lithium Ion batteries.
They do not get in the way even when hand jamming, and deliver heat constantly to the wrist where the blood flow to your fingers pass right underneath, as opposed to chalking up for a 2 second fix.
I don't need to throw $60 away on something I know is a half baked solution.
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peterdays
Nov 11, 2013, 10:20 AM
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A Stick Trick like moistening your hands and fingers with snow or a dribble from your water bottle, and then briefly airing them till about 70-80 percent dry.
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