What is a real climber?

There are lots of people who tell me they climb, but I don’t consider them to be “real climbers.” It has nothing to do with grades; it’s about commitment.

master gumby wrote: Saw a lot of posers out there today

I was drinking beer the other day with Alex Honnold when he made the exact same observation.

Anyone that attempts a serious answer to this question is not a real climber.

One thing that I think is a determining factor is whether or not a person will get on the sharp end.... grade don't matter.

People are all kinds of things...  being a "real" climber is no better than being anything else. 

A real climber is one that considers themselves to be a real climber.

You get to decide!

It's all you.

If you are honest with yourself.

Except if climb in the gym and never outside. Then you are a, hmmm. There's going to be a name for that one day.

Tim Stich wrote: A real climber is one that considers themselves to be a real climber.

You get to decide!

It's all you.

If you are honest with yourself.

Except if climb in the gym and never outside. Then you are a, hmmm. There's going to be a name for that one day.

Self Ownership and Self Definition. Guess they don't teach that in our K-12 compliance camps.

Someone who sits around drinking beer complaining about "real" climbers vs "poser" climbers probably falls into the later category.

Paul Hutton wrote: I was at the crag with a dude that was projecting a 13a, but gave the laziest belays. He dropped me onto a ledge when the 2nd bolt I was clipped into was well above it. Scraped up my leg. I'd seen him keeping massive droops of slack out for others, and not bending at the knees when his leaders were cruxing out. When I was getting into run out parts, I'd tell him to watch me and give the best soft catches he could. Pretty sure he mumbled something under his breath to express sarcasm towards my request for soft catches. He had a bad attitude, overall. He seemed pissed about something. He can't empathize with his partners enough to give quality belays. This is a poser.

Why did you let him belay you when you saw him belaying others poorly?

I got to climb, didn't I? At the expense of a wittle scrape. I knew I wouldn't hit the ground. I don't mind being a guinny pig so I can give others a little practice and critique them. He learned from that one. He made himself look like an idiot in front of everyone. You're not asking me this because you care. You're just out looking for some MP drama. Why do you climb if there are unforeseeable consequences? Rhetoric. 

According to Webster’s -
“Real”: actually existing as a thing or occurring in fact; not imagined or supposed.

Em Cos wrote: It's easy to check - when you square a climber, if you get a negative result, they are imaginary. All the rest are real. 

This has transcended into the complex.

One who is not fake.  See definition of Tangible.  Look in the back under Socrates
 

Real climbers don't mystify trad and ice climbing.... You don't have to do either, but you just accept that they're another variant of the sport with danger no greater than else.

Real climbers don't say "take"

Curt Chesney wrote: Real climbers don't say "take"

...me to church?

master gumby wrote: Drinking beers tonight after a day of climbing and discussing what it takes to be a "real climber." Saw a lot of posers out there today - what is a real climber? 

When you post up for partners, expecting to hear nothing. Because everyone's posing at the gym. I posted up last night for Utah, and have been here all day. No word. I bet the gym'll be packed though!

Paul Hutton wrote: When you post up for partners, expecting to hear nothing. Because everyone's posing at the gym. I posted up last night for Utah, and have been here all day. No word. I bet the gym'll be packed though!

That's a great way to find partners, call them all gym posers! #realclimbers