Bouldering VS. Roped Climbing

Gumby Kingwrote:

So, my opinion is that bouldering sucks.  I think you internalized it and took it as an attack.

Bouldering is not my choice of discipline with the main reason being that all falls are ground falls. Second, I think grade chasing is silly as well as projecting. Third, roped climbing has a tendency to have more adventure in the whole process.

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Now I feel like I'm being attacked because I initially answered the OPs question that involved "Vice Versa"

You could easily Express your view without stating "bouldering sucks" is my point.

Bouldering doesn't suck it's just not your flavor. Basketball doesn't suck but not everyone enjoys it.

If you don't enjoy an activity then don't do it but try and refrain from judging others and your life will probably be better for it.

For me, bouldering isn’t fun and I pretty much only rope climb. Occasionally if I can’t find a partner, I’ll boulder because I see the benefit in its strength producing style. I see the benefit of climbing harder because it opens up more rad lines to take on. Similarly to what someone else said, I find in my experience that most people who boulder are chasing grades just for the sake of grades which is kinda lame to me. The few times I’ve gone bouldering the areas are heavily crowded and there’s tons of groups (crowded sport crags are lame IMO too). I prefer keeping to myself & my partners when I’m outside. I find that there’s a big correlation between adventure and solitude. I got into climbing as someone who loved the backcountry. So naturally I’d rather be there I guess and my climbing tends to reflect a style as close as I can get to that.  I’m sure others think rope climbing sucks because of the logistics, need for a partner, and big risk for catastrophe but those don’t seem to bother me.

I like that we’re posting pictures too, so here’s one: 

I like bouldering. It makes me try hard moves over and over and over again until I solved a problem. And it tends to be more physical than roped climbing, at least in the gyms I frequent for both. Bouldering makes me a better climber. 

But I love roped climbing. Bouldering doesn't induce the same flow-state feeling as roped climbing does, for me. Plus, once you're high enough off the ground it's just you and the holds. Nobody else to solve your problems for you...

I like both but I would always choose climbing over bouldering if I can.

The discipline that is heavily involved in social media/Instagram, "FAs", gyms and bromances is most definitely not the ideal one for me, just sayin. In most sports you would be the practice squad person if all you ever did was practice.

M Mwrote:

The discipline that is heavily involved in social media/Instagram, "FAs", gyms and bromances is most definitely not the ideal one for me, just sayin. In most sports you would be the practice squad person if all you ever did was practice.

The real practice is all the roped climbers practicing how to do a move harder than V4.

I used to think I bouldered to train for sport. Then I realized every sport climb I love involves little endurance and technical bouldery sequences. I get way more nervous sport climbing too so I’m taking a break from it

I'd boulder more, but I lost interest when I cut out weed.

Seriously. 

rope climbing all day every day baby! I don’t understand, why work so hard to get up such small rocks!

I like bouldering because it's like a party. You lounge around on a portable sofa with a bunch of people, smoke dope, and laugh when your friends fall down.

With ropes you have to climb, like, hundreds of feet IN ONE DAY. Which seems like a lot of work, and I already have a job tyvm.

Bouldering certainly helps keeps the masses off the cliffs, thats my favorite part. I'm bouldering today if the sun breaks through, gotta get some practice in for real climbing! Yes, I'll gram it bro.

I enjoy trad the most. I would consider myself a trad climber first and foremost, but I end up bouldering about just as many problems as I do trad pitches each year. I enjoy bouldering and it was the first climbing discipline I really got excited about when I started, but I would so much rather be plugging cams and stoppers most days if I have the choice. Like some others have mentioned, the adventure, the features, the location, technical proficiency, and headspace of trad climbing outweigh bouldering for me nine times out of ten. I think I have seen improvement in my overall trad climbing ability when I am incorporating consistent outdoor bouldering days into my training though, so I think they pair well together. I think there are three reasons I end up bouldering as much as I do.

1. Ease of Access. I live in an area that has a few unremarkable 30-50 foot cliff bands of questionable quality, yet is not lacking in relatively high quality 10-25 foot boulders and boulder fields within an hours drive from my house. If I want to get some solid trad in I have to go about three and a half hours south (which is totally doable, but not as convenient), so if I want to climb outside (which is what I prefer) bouldering is much easier to do. On a similar note, most of my consistent partners live out of state, so roped climbing of any sort usually needs to be planned out weeks in advance, so bouldering is the most convenient way to get out on the rock.

2. The Aesthetic of Boulder Problems. Somedays when I boulder I just go and try to get mileage and don't really care too much about what I climb. But, when it comes to boulders that catch my eye and bring me back to a certain area, the aesthetics of the line, the purity of the features, and the movement required to climb it definitely attract me. When it comes to seeking out problems and finding projects, the beauty of certain lines coupled with the ease of access make bouldering worthwhile for me.

3. Strength and Mental Game. Finally, I see a marked improvement in both my on-the-rock strength and mental game in both trad and bouldering when I am consistent with including bouldering in my training. Being unroped and pulling technique-demanding and strength-demanding moves on high ball problems encourages well disciplined and executed movement. When translated to trad climbing, I feel more composed and sure of myself when pulling crux moves above gear as well as running it out on terrain that is within my limit.

I think bouldering is a great supplement to trad (or roped climbing in general), and am glad I get to do both relatively regularly. That being said, I will choose trad over bouldering any day.

Gumby Kingwrote:

Why is the OP talking about Roped Climbing then?
Edit: This is also why I don't boulder.

+1 for Matthes Crest.  Had a stuck rope epic right there at the saddle.  Can't do that bouldering!

I could throw one of the usual jabs at bouldering, but if I'm being serious, I have one issue with bouldering and one thing I really love with longer routes I can't get bouldering.

Bouldering is physically hard. You tend do go for near-max efforts at some point that are hard to avoid. I got injured a few times, and at 36, well recovery starts to take longer everytime. Easier to avoid that on longer routes. I really like the ability to be able to easily (most of the time) work sequence while bouldering though (a high crux on a roped project isn't great for that).

Then I just can get "in the zone" better on longer routes. There's just nothing in life so far that has allowed me to get into a absolute focused mindset as a successful/near-successfull onsight attempt at my limit. One in particular that I remember (Cocain Rodeo in Ten Sleep Canyon), was my first onsight at the grade, and when I got down my partner asked me "how was the route? looked nice!". I litterally couldn't tell her anything about the route, other than the bit where I was clipping the anchor and the first 2 moves getting off the ground. As if I was so focused on what I was doing that my brain just didn't bother recording any of it - "oh you stuck the move great, I have another one coming up for you".

To each their own, but I can't get excited about bouldering the way I get excited about roped climbing. The same applies to single pitch vs multi-pitch. I like the feeling of exploration. When you're bouldering, you can more or less see the whole route from the ground. On a multi-pitch there are more surprises. I also like the altitude and enjoying the view while I belay my partner. Struggling on a hard move like 4 feet off the ground over and over until I get it is not really my cup of tea. In the gym, sure, but not if I've gone through the trouble of driving out somewhere.

Man I really just love climbing. I'll do boulders, sport, trad, and maybe even aid if I'm in the mood. It's all climbing, it's all different, and each style has a different appeal to me. I couldn't really chose just one, but here goes as for why I like each style.

Boulders are great fun for a few reasons. Bouldering feels like the most social form of climbing and hanging out with the crew at the boulders has impeccable vibes, especially for night sessions (in warmer times anyway). That said, it's also the simplest way to get a good pump if you don't have a partner, and solo bouldering (provided the landings are good and you have enough pads) can be really relaxing. The physical aspect is also pretty unbeatable, as linking those few hard moves to finish a problem is immensely satisfying, as is getting a sequence of non-obvious beta super dialed. Bouldering definitely gets you the strongest out of all the styles, which is nice too. Many would argue that this is the purest form of climbing: just you and the rock; no gear to deal with to spoil the experience. But sometimes I do want to get a little higher off the ground, and sometimes I just don't have the skin for it.

Sport (and I mostly mean single-pitch) is also great. You get a bit further off the ground, and once you get over it the falling is a lot less scary. Compared to trad, sport feels a lot like bouldering where you can try sequences of hard moves, but with the added benefit of (often) having a safer fall and being high off the ground. And the puzzle has a few extra pieces compared to boulders: finding clipping positions, endurance, and finding good rests, if you're into stuff like that (which I am). And whipping can even be pretty exciting sometimes, provided it's safe. But yeah you need a partner and even then you can't really hang out with them the same way you can when bouldering, although cragging with a group approaches the vibe of bouldering. Pretty hard to night session with sport though, and unfortunately this is the type of climbing you usually have to deal with the most other people. Side note: I'd probably lump single-pitch trad in with sport here too; come at me if you want, but it has the same feeling.

Trad is a totally different game from either, and here I mostly mean multi-pitch trad. There's something to be said about walking up to a big formation with not a single bolt on it and saying "yeah we're gonna climb that." Trad is definitely more about the adventure, but many say all that extra stuff (like gear, approaches, routefinding, rapping, and building anchors) takes away from the climbing itself. I personally am a bit of a gearhead so all that stuff is kinda fun (yes even approaches: any day outside is a good day). Compared to climbing sport and boulders, trad is also a totally different set of skills and techniques which I think is really fun to explore and figure out. These days, a good hand jam feels more secure than any jug. The major drawback with trad is that all that gear can get heavy, and sometimes you do spend a lot of time walking to get to a climb. And if you're not good with heights and runouts, trad can be really terrifying.

I'm not really gonna try that hard to defend aid climbing, but its pretty unavoidable if you want to do a big wall and can't climb 5.14 trad (changing corners anyone?). The gearhead in me also likes the puzzle of it all. And there's nothing really comparable to putting your full body weight on a tiny curved piece of chrome-moly 30ft above your last piece that'll hold a fall.

Gun to my head, I'd probably pick trad, but I couldn't climb just trad for too long before I wanted a nicely bolted sport pitch or a good night boulder session with the crew. A nice balanced diet of several types of climbing keeps me healthy and stoked, and that's the way I like it. Bottom line is just do whatever keeps you stoked whatever that means for you.

thomas elliswrote:

You could easily Express your view without stating "bouldering sucks" is my point.

Bouldering doesn't suck it's just not your flavor. Basketball doesn't suck but not everyone enjoys it.

If you don't enjoy an activity then don't do it but try and refrain from judging others and your life will probably be better for it.

My point is that its an internet and an open forum ;-)

Wren Cooperriderwrote:

Man I really just love climbing. .......tldr......Bottom line is just do whatever keeps you stoked whatever that means for you.

Climbing is awesome, just not with 18 shirtless beanie wearing bros all shouting 'u got it man' while the Bluetooth speakers clash from pebble to pebble. Its cool in the gym though.

Gumby King wrote:

My point is that its an internet and an open forum ;-)

Open until its not. Try being more PC OK?

RRRwrote:

Nope.

Thats not climbing, that's practicing for climbing.

Hard disagree. That's just being an elitist prick.

Bridget Tyewrote:

rope climbing all day every day baby! I don’t understand, why work so hard to get up such small rocks!

I can hear your screams and see your shaky legs 1ft out of a bolt

Bouldering is awesome and rope climbing is awesome. There's a padless circuit me and the buddies do at the local boulders to keep the calluses thick, It's like 15-20 prombles all vb-v2. Do that four times and you are sweating. I like rope climbing and have had some sweet sends on trad and sport, but honestly, I don't like to belay. I've caught some wicked wippers and some of them are just as scary as the whip. You know, normally on the first couple of bolts or cruxes down low or gear pops out. Those jolting whips where the leaders feet about hit you in the head. Also rockfall while roped up is scary as hell too. Although, I've seen blocks detach from boulders as well. The other day I saw a picture of Marty Lewis at the Hulk in the happies... it's a before and after pic. The amount of erosion and habitat loss is crazy. I try not to over pad or pad at all if possible. I know 8 pads at the bottom of the hulk is comfortble but damn, there used to be giant sage bush right there. Whereever you go, keep it clean and keep it green. The power is yours - captain planet