There is a problem that could go, but a crucial hold will break off if pulled on. What type of epoxy should i use to keep the hold on? That's fair game right? i don't wanna be labeled as a chipper or something lame like that.

Epoxy is a VERY grey area. I think it really depends on the area you are in. For example, one of my local sport crags/piles has epoxy all over it. The routes are maintained by Valley folks who participate, but if you did that on the granite in the Ditch, your ass would get sunk to the bottom of the Merced. Talk to the locals and try and figure out the ethic for the area.
Best.

Hey Trey -

I'm not going to tell you not to glue it, and there is definitely a precedent in Tucson for gluing, both on boulders and cliffs. But personally, I think we should avoid gluing boulder problems from here on out.

If you do use epoxy, try to make it unnoticeable. There are a handful of atrocious glue jobs on boulders around town where the holds are harder to use because of all the epoxy smeared on the holds (I'm sure you've seen a couple of these).

Hey Trey, I have used a ton of it on routes to keep stuff solid and to keep crucial holds from coming off for climbing as well as safety reasons. On a route it can keep a route from becoming a one move wonder, for example one 5.11 move to 5.9 climbing. This type of route is fine, but sometimes it is nice to have a sustained 5.9.

For bouldering however it seems like you had better work on doing the move without the hold for months as Bob Murray and a ton of other boulderers have done over the years. Isn't that what bouldering is about?

On the other hand if it is in an area you found and are developing on your own, you can do what you want with less chance of getting slammed.

Good luck. And if you do glue pm me with your number and I can give you some tips that make the hold usable and hard to tell it was glued.

I was hanging off a jug 30' off the ground at a place in Utah called Ruths Lake saying bye to a friend who was leaving and the next thing I knew I was falling and a softball sized piece of rock that had been "seam" epoxied on was heading right towards his head. I almost killed him. it looked as though it had been caulked on to the rock, no epoxy even behind it, just seamed on top.

of course that place could be a classic mixed route area that was grid bolted for no reason.

For the record, I've never glued however I do think of it as a grey area, there are situations in which it might be appropriate and certainly times where it should not have been done.

I agree that most times it is done poorly. I have pulled a "seam" glued hold off of a route at Rifle that opened my lip both inside and outside. Do not glue in this fashion.

With most glues you need to clean both surfaces well and are better off using a thin spread layer on both sides, this means breaking the hold off in the first place and brushing both surfaces before applying glue, this should keep the glue from getting on the surface of the hold and hide it pretty effectively, though there is always going to be some "squeeze out" and the associated seam from breaking the hold. The next issue comes in clamping and keeping pressure while the glue cures, if it is a boulder problem maybe you could wedge something agains the hold after glueing it. Though there are epoxies that set in a very short time as well and you could just hold it on yourself.

What ever you do, you should practice on some small stuff at home before doing it out where everyone will see the results.

Thank you all very much for all the input. I'll consider it all when making my decision. I really do think the problem needs the hold to go. There is a big move from small holds to get to the hold, and a big move from that hold to get to the next small hold. i don't think skipping it is an option.

PC-7 and/or Hilti HY-150 both work great for climbing-related applications.

send it before it breaks and laugh at other people who cant climb it afterwards. I've never been huge on the epoxy thing. if it wasnt meant to be, it wasnt meant to be.
I might have a different opinion if it was a classic that has been climbed for a long time, and over the years has began to work loose from ascents or freezing and thawing, but on a FA, stick to au naturale.
Just my 2 cents.

What is the challenge of rock climbing if not that which nature has handed us? If then a hold naturally comes off, why not let it be? If the casual route is becoming slick, should we then take an angle grinder up and rough it up a bit to restore it to it's "natural" state? If it is a project area, I am reminded of Caldwell's remark about his project on El Cap; "even if I can't climb this, I wanted to plant the seed for someone in the future to come and inspire us all."

please leave the glue at home.

Many great points brought up so far, but I agree that for bouldering in this day and age it should probably not be done. Especially if it's a new problem. Let the rock tell us how hard it's going to be and climb up to that level. Wouldn't it feel even better to send it knowing that you left it natural? Or what about just moving on to something else? Lord knows there's no shortage of rock around that won't need help.

Well I guess I'm going to go with letting nature take it's course. After all I guess when the hold goes, it might still leave a small crimp. It'll just make it harder and make the send that much sweeter.