Hand Jammies

Are hand jammies lame, or what?

I have always been repulsed by them, but I am not sure why.

Betcha that 90 lb girl with size-0-hands doesn't think so when her boyfriend makes her climb Supercrack! :)

I don't use them, or like them (tried them once for fun)... but I'm not sure they're any lamer than taping - which I do for sure!

I sometimes use them for wide-hand and fist cracks; I prefer tape for hand to thin-hand cracks. I found them useful on Generic Crack at Indian Creek and Conads at Lumpy Ridge. They're no more lame than chalk, tape, sticky-rubber climbing shoes, or modern camming devices. Just another tool that you can choose to use (or not).

survey sez.....weak sauce.

Why? I dunno, no great reason aside from being an opinionated ass...have just always thought them to be Uber-stoopid. YMMV.

John J. Glime wrote:I have always been repulsed by them, but I am not sure why.

Maybe because you feel like they're cheating? That's what most people say that don't like them.

I don't have strong feelings about hand jammies one way or the other. I've used a friend's pair a couple of times, and they did help in a crack climb, but I don't feel motivated to buy a pair for myself.

And for what it's worth, I don't consider them cheating any more than rock shoes, heh heh!

JL

The name "jammies" doesn't really help much

Back in the early 80s, old-school climbers thought cams were cheating too. It takes a while for equipment innovations to become accepted by the general climbing community. Call Hand Jammies "weak sauce" if you want, but realize you have no good reason to justify that opinion.

i'd like to say that i am diehard crack climber...
after all, when i go to the creek, i can hardly sit still long enough to tape up!

and when i do tape up, if i'm really thrashing, the tape just comes off or ends up rolling up and giving me a nervejam!

i'm coming up on about my 50th trip to the creek and i think i might like to wear some jammies...

of course, relying on any of these new technologies seems weak sauce...so make sure you can take 'em off and send when the shit hits the fan...

For your "proud" send, make sure you're doing the following:

• Not using lame-ass Hand Jammies or tape.
• Not using chalk.
• Not using sticky-rubber climbing shoes; only EBs.
• Not using C4 Camalots; only old BD slung hexes.
• Not using a new skinny rope; only an old, heavy 11mm model (50m only, not those wussy longer ones).
• You are tying in with a swami, no leg loops, aren't you? Modern harnesses are for pussies.
• You're climbing to the top of the rock, and not bailing using those wussy bolts about 100' up, aren't you? Those bolts probably weren't there on the first ascent!

Follow these guidelines for a PROUD send; anything else is lame-ass WEAK SAUCE.

Ronnie... :)

You old guys (no disrespect intended, just a stereotype) all sound the same:

back in the hey day we had to get up every time we wanted to change the channel...you little whipper snappers don't know what hardship is...

Well, part of me really appreciates it...that part has tried a few lines as 'caveman' as I can go (i.e. tubular harness, hexes, no chalk, my old ass running shoes, etc.)...it's fun sometimes...
in fact, the first trad lead I ever did was with an older chap at E-Rock, TX...he made me use only passive pro, no chalk, and belayed me with a hip belay...

I fell upside down, barfed, and had to do it again...I earned my beer that day...

the other part of me wonders how often you old guys revert back to your 'caveman' ways? I mean come on...cams were made for the creek! they are pure zen!

so, next time i'm out climbing with all my high-tech mumbo jumbo...you are more than welcome to use my jammies, Ronnie...

:)

I see everyone's point on this. I am proud, but not that proud. Leave the jammies, and the tape at home and have your self a great day. Skin will regenerate... eventually. I personally think its more positive to jam bare skin, just more painful thats all.

In matters of personal style or ethics, where there is no right or wrong, where an individual's choice does not impinge upon the experiences of others, it is probably much wiser to live and let live....i.e. respect your fellow human's/climber's opinions and choices (especially as administrators for this website). Aren't there better uses of our energies?

All of the above are excellent points. However, I think hand jammies are silly for the following reasons:
1. For those of us with big hands, number grades will be even further askance ie. Supercrack=5.8, Chocolate Corner=5.11+
2. They ruin sensitivity.
3. They feel akward for fist jams.
4. Just one more thing to lug to the crag (ever feel silly when you go to the sport crag with a full-day pack?)
The girlfriend going to IC has good reason to carry these, but I think that losing a little skin is very important to any aspiring climber.
Someday you can even learn to climb cracks without needing a blood donation.

Note for the humor impaired:

My previous post was tongue in cheek; put :-) :-) :-) at the end of it. I was attempting to point out the lack of consistency in those who accept other innovations in climbing gear but denigrate Hand Jammies.

Old-Timer Ronnie, not averse to using modern gizmos

I know, I know...some of these comments are probably aimed at my post cause I called them weaksauce. yes, I rack up my gizmos with glee, yes I tie on my Peter Pan sticky shoes, yes I use chalk and a skinny rope....however for years I climbed with only passive gear as my "sensei" said it would make me stronger. He was right, and the historical point of view was cool to. Glenn has a cool point too...sometimes it's fun to go out and do some routes in an old style.

jammies are just another tool...for tools (sorry couldn't resist). YMMV.

edit. I AM being a bit of wise-ass though...I don't really think anyone that uses them is weak or tool like...lol....I've just always thought they looked funny and clunky.

I bought a pair about three years ago and here's what I know..

They work OK but but stick with tape if you're going for something close to your limit. For some reason, the stretchy finger loops cut off my circulation just enough to give additional pump factor that is definately not needed on a hard crack climb. This was especially noticable when a route had some face climbing sections. When plugging along a splitter, not as big a problem. Mine are sized correctly and plenty broken in and they still do this.

In my opinion here's what they're good for - when you are at that crag that's mostly face climbing but has one or two sweet cracks, it's nice not to have to tape up for just one pitch. This is even more true when bouldering - I boulder at an area that has quite a few good crack problems and I like not having to tape up for a few cracks in the middle of a session.

As far as their lameness? No more so than tape, chalk, shoes, cams, stick clips, etc, etc, etc. They just don't work as well as a good tape job. But I do agree with Hampton, the name just sounds gay for lack of a better term....

Hand jammies have their place, I guess. I have a pair and I've used them when I generally don't want to tape up, but I know there is a sharp, nasty jam on a climb. They can be convenient. They are not as good as tape, because as someone said, they pump you out for lac of a perfect fit.
As for them being "weak sauce..." Well, more like "lazy sauce." Sometimes I just don't feel like taping up for a 20' section of rock. Weak sauce... OK. Guess how many 5.11 or harder climbs I on-sighted last weekend in the creek without jammies OR tape? That hardly makes me strong, but it sure doesn't make me weak.

I just don't associate tape or jammies with weak. Sorry.

Tony Bubb wrote: Weak sauce... OK. Guess how many 5.11 or harder climbs I on-sighted last weekend in the creek without jammies OR tape? That hardly makes me strong, but it sure doesn't make me weak. I just don't associate tape or jammies with weak. Sorry.

Tony, I don't think I said anything about your climbing abilities with or without tape or jammies? Sounds like a proud weekend to me. As far as tape, I tape plenty, no difference than some jammies, but jammies have just always made me laugh for some reason, why? I have no idea. like I said, maybe I am a dick, possible knee-jerk if you know my sense of humor...we all find humor in different things. Why do some people like a truck over a sports car? I don't really think some one is weak for cruising them..lol..,they just make me chuckle ...even if they are cranking way harder than me as usual. Just my opinion of the question, and of course we all know what they say about those....cheers! Happy Thanksgiving all!

if i climbed in jtree every day i'd have a pair. them crystals can hurt.

i never thought about how they change hand size.

What about those finger thingy's Madrock sells. They're made of climbing rubber and would definitely change your finger size.

Maybe I could get bomber fingerlocks on .5 camalot sized cracks now. No more ringlocks forever!!

tenesmus wrote:What about those finger thingy's Madrock sells. They're made of climbing rubber and would definitely change your finger size. Maybe I could get bomber fingerlocks on .5 camalot sized cracks now. No more ringlocks forever!!

OMFG, I'd forgotten about those monstrosities! Just the thing if you need to perform a proctology exam or two between climbs!

Talk about being repulsed . . .

JL