This is my problem with Bouldering:

Can you actually unironically imagine enjoying a type of climbing where you have to try to keep your feet from "dabbing"? As somebody who is a 6 foot tall American Gentleman I routinely dab my feet because I can't just keep my leg straight like you would in any other form of climbing. It is even worse at the gym where these sub-6-foot Manlette setters can't even dream of foot placements that don't appease their target audience.

As a 6foot1 American Gentleman, yes, I can unironically say "I enjoy bouldering." Sounds like you just need to stop whining and stay away from bouldering. Enjoy sport climbing where you can spread out. Or better yet, realize that when you boulder outside you chase low starts, sounds like your local gym sets realistic problems.

Gonna have to side with Rando on this one sorry Vas. Core strength,flexibility, and technique are all factors within your control. Although your length may be a perceived "disadvantage" off the ground it becomes an advantage on other parts of a given boulder problem as well.

So basically, other people are having fun wrong. Got it.

Totally worried about dabbing...

dabbing has to be the stupidest thing in the world, in sport climbing would you "dab" if you put your foot on the rock of another route or different variation? if so lower down and try again... stupid IMHO.

Keep climbing if you dab, technique and core will build up over time and hopefully then you will be able complete the route without touching pads/dirt. If you find yourself getting mentally depressed about dabbing on all your routes then you need to spend more time on that core and footwork to stop this, not to mention calm down on the policing for gods sake and just climb. I climb with a dude that 6'3" and he never dabs and is stupid strong. height is just another obstacle that you have to deal with when climbing anything, sometimes its going to be easier for short people and others it will be crazy hard if your not tall:

Find a way to complete the route, that's the joy of climbing

Dab this

If in Boulder Dab wax, it's fun, it'll help you to CHILL too.

6'4" and I enjoy bouldering very much. I also don't care what others think of as me "dabbing." As long as I know, in my heart of hearts, that I sent without aid. For the record I also enjoy sport, trad, ice, and mountaineering.

Tristan Mayfield wrote:6'4" and I enjoy bouldering very much. I also don't care what others think of as me "dabbing." As long as I know, in my heart of hearts, that I sent without aid. For the record I also enjoy sport, trad, ice, and mountaineering.

amen brotha! In all reality if I touch a pad/dirt and I feel like it held me on or assisted me in any way I may come down depending on the situation. BUT if I feel like I was protecting a possible bad/awkward fall and I dab that pad then meh ill still count it.

As with most climbing. If you find the line awkward or not for you, don't climb it? Plenty of boulder problems for taller gentlemen.

I'm 6' 3" and enjoy the challenge of staying on route and keeping my feet off the deck

I make all sorts of excuses bouldering (as a 6'0" gentleman), but then I see Hayden Kennedy cruise up what I thought were scrunchy problems, and I just stop giving myself those excuses. If I can't stop from dabbing, it's just a weakness of my climbing I should probably work on.

I love this OP! Funny comment.

I suck at sit-starts.

Things I learned from this topic:

1. 90% of MP users are over 6 foot, I'm sensing off the charts levels of privilege emanating from this topic. I didn't realize I was in such good company (Don't say you're 6 foot when your 5'10.5")

2. Most boulders are in fact high balls.

3. PDL, really go for it, PDL

Who cares if you dab?

People take climbing way to serious.

I recommend surgery. Leg shortening is an option for qualified applicants. The real question is: Do you IDENTIFY as a boulderer and does your dabbing cause you deep distress? If so, you may qualify for this procedure.

Jim Holloway was like 6'5" and sent problems that went unrepeated for 25+ years here in Colorado. I can honestly say that I've never heard the argument that someone is "too tall" for bouldering. Too fat, too weak, too tired yes, but not too tall!

I stopped practiceing for climbing quite a few years ago. these days I save my tendons for the actual climbing. The best training for me is hikeing to build cardio and lose weight.

first and foremost

As a 5"7' climber, let me get you a bucket for your tall person tears. I'm willing to bet that I've wanted to sell my soul more time for just a couple more inches than all tall climbers combined wishing they were shorter.

Stand start and downgrade... its simple

6.3 here and I find some start on boulder problems annoying. My climbing partner thinks I'm always annoyed at something. For me it is mostly when I have to place my feet above waist or let go my feet at the start of the bolder problem.

I found out that getting my body in a horizontal position on one foot helps and flagging or smearing with the other. With some problems I just don't do the start.