is not brushing holds in the gym normal everywhere now?

the SF Bay area gyms I've been to lately seem to have lost the hold brushing culture in the bouldering areas... So lazy! 

Is this the new norm? Am I odd for being slightly annoyed at almost always being the only one brushing a problem? Those holds get kinda gross with this slippery mixture of chalk, shoe rubber and skin... Does nobody else care that its harder to climb an unbrushed problem?

Feel better? 

rafael wrote:

the SF Bay area gyms I've been to lately seem to have lost the hold brushing culture in the bouldering areas... So lazy! 

Is this the new norm? Am I odd for being slightly annoyed at almost always being the only one brushing a problem? Those holds get kinda gross with this slippery mixture of chalk, shoe rubber and skin... Does nobody else care that its harder to climb an unbrushed problem?

I find vodka works the best to pour on the holds and wash them off.

What? You mean they brush holds FOR YOU?

It seems silly to me. If you ask if I prefer to brush holds myself, or rather pay extra because they have to pay staff to waste time on doing an easy I can easily manage between burns, I'd much rather get the couple $$ off the membership, thank you!

You don't need every holds brushed, nor every problem - warm ups & such won't make a difference... things that are pretty crimpy are usually not so bad anyways, too. Or steep jugs...

as a rule... anything that happens in the Bay Area is not likely to be the "new normal"  ;)

Is it normal for people to have to drive their own cars now, too?!

Ted Pinson wrote:

Is it normal for people to have to drive their own cars now, too?!

No but some aren't adjusting well to pumping their own gas

Maybe the chalk is not sustainably sourced

You want better grip, brush your own hold. But I feel like gyms should be cleaning their holds every few weeks or so. Pressure wash, air compressor or whatever

Joe Garibay wrote:

You want better grip, brush your own hold. But I feel like gyms should be cleaning their holds every few weeks or so. Pressure wash, air compressor or whatever

Sure - but you do need to take the holds down for that. So typically they would only do that at some frequency at which the problems change... I do hope they clean it between uses for sure - now that would be pretty lazy if not...

Holds in my local gym are washed when the routes are reset about every three months. The bouldering area has 8 sections that are redone about one per week. Otherwise if you want the holds brushed it is DIY. The gym supplies brushes on extendable poles.

Nolan Huther wrote:

No but some aren't adjusting well to pumping their own gas

Haha. I wish the new law was for the entire state! Sometimes it is a PITA having to wait around because there is one person manning the whole station. I use diesel though and most of the stations are self-serve on that front.

rafael wrote:

the SF Bay area gyms I've been to lately seem to have lost the hold brushing culture in the bouldering areas... So lazy! 

Is this the new norm? Am I odd for being slightly annoyed at almost always being the only one brushing a problem? Those holds get kinda gross with this slippery mixture of chalk, shoe rubber and skin... Does nobody else care that its harder to climb an unbrushed problem?

True. Nobody brushes anymore. Set the example, when you see punters blowing off a sloper, say nothing and scrub the hold for them, then walk away.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

#firstworldproblems #gentrifythegym 

Did you suggest The Falls get an upgrade because of the slippery holds?

climbing friend,

brushing! do not worry of the brushing! when bouldering at the gym, do not touch your hands to your face or your cell phone, which touches your face, due to "fecal veneer" and biofilms of turds, skin, and the many microorganism including hep c blood:

https://www.climbing.com/news/study-finds-fecal-veneer-on-gym-holds/?_escaped_fragment_=

the gym they at most halfheartedly "wash" the holds one time per each year passing! ho ho ho ha ha!

I used to volunteer to scrub the inside of the fake cracks at the gym - those things are like a Hep C carnival.

Freshly washed holds feel a little greasy to me when they first go up on the wall.

I've been trying to talk my gyms into having a designated 'fluffer' to apply just the right anount of chalk to each newly placed hold.

Can't understand their reluctance...

Same is true here at ABP Austin, n00bs not brushin shit, ever!!. Drives me crazy. Fortunately, the gym provides a minty new set for a quarter of the gym every week or so. So sticky, so fresh. But if you don't send your slopey proj in the first week? 4get about it!!

Hmmm.... this isn't the thread to remove the  "self-entitled boulderers" label off bouldering, apparently!

Addem Bursh wrote:

I used to volunteer to scrub the inside of the fake cracks at the gym - those things are like a Hep C carnival.

One more to the growing list that keeps me away from gym climbing. Fortunately I live in a nice climate and am too old and uninterested to make climbing a competitive sport. 

Joe Garibay wrote:

One more to the growing list that keeps me away from gym climbing. Fortunately I live in a nice climate and am too old and uninterested to make climbing a competitive sport. 

I live in a nicer climate than you, but my schedule is such that early morning gym sessions before work allowed me to maintain/grow strength for the less frequent trips to the outdoors on the weekends.