"Your Cams are So Shiny!" - Musings on being perceived a noob.

It depends on the location and social circles I suppose. I remember when I purchased my first set of cams I wasn't pestered much. Honestly the only comments I got were mildly envious/curious about new gear and folks wanting to play with new cams...

Then again I learned out near Lumpy Ridge and Vedauwoo, which tend to harbor a different breed of climber. I suspect the reactions would be different if I was starting to learn in a more populated area with easier access.

It would seem that the term "insecure rock climber" is redundant.

Duly noted.

Yes this! ^^^^

I dont know about anybody else but I actually get the opposite of this ALOT.... my gear is old, im not that old ive been climbing for 7 years with all the same gear essentially and dont spend thousands of dollars every year to buy the new shiny bullshit.... this leads to a perceived notion of my gear being dangerous because of all the shiny cams out there.

Can't win for losin!!
Lol

Ever time I see someone climbing well with brand new gear I wonder if their gear had been previously stolen. I think I read the posts here too much.

I used to get that back in the Gunks too. I owned a set of double ropes, so I always brought ropes for climbing and the partners were responsible for the rack. My rack seldom got to play. I used to think people were being judgmental, but now I know that they were just jealous.

Next time someone comments on your shiny rack, say "Heck ya, they give me free gear. So every time I go out climbing I break out a brand new rack!" Like my Russian friend says "and I'm too lazy to carry the gear back so I just leave the gear at the cliff"...

I used to think there was nothing more boring than the scourge of people that climb, that care so much about what others think of them/their gear/their performance/etc.

I was wrong.

It's when they take the time to document these perceived events online for discussion.

1/10

Adam, I will soon be marketing cam touch up and polish along with sling de-fuzzer. Can I get you down for my first order?

"your cams are so shiny...look at how shiny your biners are...etc"

"Yup. Is that your first rack? Because I climb enough that I wear out a rack every 2 or 3 years and have to buy a new one."

I wish I had something, anything really, that was shiny and new. The newest thing I've got is a 6 month old rope and it's black from grime. The shiniest gear I've got are some 5 year old c4's.

In other news, my 1973 Peugeot road bike is really slow and heavy.

highaltitudeflatulentexpulsion wrote:I wish I had something, anything really, that was shiny and new.

My wife just got a shiny new crash pad. It hasn't made the v-dub boulder project any easier, but the photos & videos sure look better w/ it than the shiny cams did. Speaking of cams, I still remember the trunk full of shiny new cams we walked by at IC that one time, with the knowledge those were extras left behind.

highaltitudeflatulentexpulsion wrote:In other news, my 1973 Peugeot road bike is really slow and heavy.

I wish my 14 yr old MTB didn't look all shiny. It probably wouldn't have gotten stolen.

Adam Burch wrote:I used to think there was nothing more boring than the scourge of people that climb, that care so much about what others think of them/their gear/their performance/etc. I was wrong. It's when they take the time to document these perceived events online for discussion. 1/10

#winning

I buy ALL my cams used from the MP for sale section so I can avoid this embarrassing situation.

Seth Jones wrote: Next time, dangle your dirty nuts right in their faces and tell them to mind their own business.

+1 =)

haha yeah people gave me so much shit about my new trad gear...this post from BD also doesn't help...https://www.instagram.com/p/BEi2F0NijfX/?taken-by=blackdiamond&hl=en

Hey at least you don't carry your chalk bag on a locking carabiner.

I bring two racks with me to the crags now. One shiny that I never use, It's my decoy. The second a nice seasoned set of gear that is still in great climbing condition.

I approach the crag with shiny stuff out and a few guide books in hand asking neighboring climbers what routes they are on. I then act as noob as possible and ask the neighboring climbers if my knot is right and them I have not tied a knot outside of the gym yet and I am going to try my first lead with my new gear.

Act sketchy and sometimes a bit obnoxious and it doesn't take long for everyone to leave the area.

I then get the crag to myself because who wants to climb next a noob with a shiny rack asking all the wrong questions.

After folks clear out I put my shiny decoy away and climb on my seasoned gear. I keep the shiny stuff fresh in case I want to walk up on another crowded crag later.

Had a friend In college who had his rack stolen from his car.
Shows up at a classic climb on the weekend with a fully color coordinated double rack, rope, harness.
The guy climbed 5.11, the route was a solid 5.8 sandbag.
Heads up fumbling gear sliding pro down the rope to the next piece and makes it up to the anchor with a 15foot run-out.
Everybody was freeking out, was fun.

Relevant judgmental musing:

Yesterday, my fiance and I pulled into an Arches parking lot and she held up her phone to compare a photo of the tower/route with the actual tower, Owl Rock.

An elder Texan (not relevant) in the car next to us motioned for her to roll down her window. After she did, the man chided:
"You should really learn to get out of your car before taking the picture."

His wife was standing in the parking lot 5 ft away taking a roadside photo with a $500 camera. She got back in the car and they drove off, having spent a grand total of 2 minutes at the stop.

--
Upon getting back to the car, another parking lot photographer sees another climbing party on the tower. He looks to his wife:
"I can guarantee you we're seeing more of the park and having more fun than that guy is."

Darren Mabe wrote:Id rather use shiny gear

+1