What in climbing are you a snob about?

Adam Slatterywrote:

I’m a slob when it comes to chicken wings, ribs, pulled pork, and most other BBQ staples.

Thanks for coming to my Ted talk. 

I'm a bit uppity about messy eaters of ribs, making me a slab slob snob.

Mikey Schaeferwrote:

I’m also pretty snobbish about biners on gear routes and multi-pitch routes.  If your cams and draws have biners that weigh more than 22g (Camp Nano is the heaviest I’ll go) I’m definitely bringing my rack.

I am also quite snobby about light biners on multi-pitch. For the price of one new cam you can swap out the dozen old, heavy af Hotwires you have been using on your rack for the last 15 years for Camp Nano 22s.

Also, partners who bring multiple huge lockers. You are allowed one large one for your rappel device and 1-2 more small lockers. Your water bottle does not need a dedicated Petzl William tri-lock.

Kevin Kwrote:

I am also quite snobby about light biners on multi-pitch. For the price of one new cam you can swap out the dozen old, heavy af Hotwires you have been using on your rack for the last 15 years for Camp Nano 22s.

Also, partners who bring multiple huge lockers. You are allowed one large one for your rappel device and 1-2 more small lockers. Your water bottle does not need a dedicated Petzl William tri-lock.

I agree with not bringing a rack of lockers, but IMO 3 isn’t enough. If you have 2 for your top down belay and 1 to clove into the anchor, you have nothing to set up a haul etc if the need arises. YMMV but an extra small locker is worth the extremely minimal weight penalty. 

I'm a snob about repelling.

Being a snob is repelling

Adam Slatterywrote:

I’m a slob when it comes to chicken wings, ribs, pulled pork, and most other BBQ staples.

Thanks for coming to my Ted talk. 

The bbq next to Joshua Tree is better than all the climbing in the park combined.

Kenneth Campbell wrote:

This thread is:

100% dismissive, elitist bullshit. 

Yeah.....that's kinda the point...

Princess Puppy Lovrwrote:

The bbq next to Joshua Tree is better than all the climbing in the park combined.

Haven’t had it, but my experience has been that BBQ in California is complete garbage. Wouldn’t even call it BBQ. I guess that makes me a snob!

Yoda Jedi Knightwrote:

Haven’t had it, but my experience has been that BBQ in California is complete garbage. Wouldn’t even call it BBQ. I guess that makes me a snob!

It is called the rib co! Normally I am quite skeptical of people talking about good food mostly because my pallet is dog food compatible. However it was better than any Midwest BBQ I have had. 

Limpingcrab DJwrote:

People.  I'm too snobby to climb where there's people

I'm too snobby to correct basic grammar mistakes 

Lol

Rpropswrote:

How people connect their chalk bags. Piece of cord? Legit. Chalk bag belt. Eh, I'll climb with you but deny it later. Carabiner? Is there even chalk in that bag or just some snacks your mom packed for you? Gtfo.

Shoe laces for life 

Jeremiah Whitewrote:

Protection on a route has to have value. If it can't save me from injury or death it's not protection, it's a shittily bolted deathtrap. 

Same goes for highball boulders. My job depends on my physical ability, and a 40' boulder could permanently end my career. 

There aren't many things I'm a snob about, but this definitely has to be one of them. Putting bolts into a rock is not a trivial thing to do-- it is permanently altering a public resource, and due to the rules of climbing it also means that it is unlikely to be altered by someone else. This means some thought should be put into how the bolts go in. 

Some routes are clearly not meant for a general audience and I definitely believe that bold and historic routes have a place in climbing and should not be retrobolted. Having a sparsely bolted 5.10 next to a bunch of 5.12s also makes a lot of sense as it's intended as a warmup. But shitty bolting of scruffy cliffs no one cares about with no fall zones existing for 30 feet up the 45 foot climb and all near major population centers that get mobbed every weekend by gumbies is simply moronic. 

And then people get all snobby about protecting heritage and the adventure of climbing and all kinds of bullshit. I'm going to be snobby about that snobbery. The adventure of climbing exists in loads of places. Allowing people to climb without unnecessary risk is actually more likely to lead to more people growing as climbers and taking lead falls and progressing on towards harder, scarier, bolder things. In places with shitty bolting a lot of climbers have their progression significantly stunted because they are rightfully concerned about leading routes with god awful bolting and they end up spending much of their time top roping despite having climbed for years and being competent leaders. No one talks about it but it is a clearly observable phenomenon across many parts of the Western US where crusty traddies work hard to ensure that climbing is as miserable an experience for as many people as possible. 

Apparently the idea that different styles and aspects of climbing can coexist and even strengthen one another is a totally foreign concept to the people who think that bolts equal bad. There are lot of climbers that I like and respect who hold that attitude, but seriously man, fuck that attitude. It needs to die. 

The concept of knowing how to self rescue. When someone lists that as a characteristic of their climbing knowledge I assume they have no idea what they are doing.

If your partner dies mid climb they don’t care if you can escape since they are dead. If your partner is severely injured the only self rescue you should be doing is using an enreach/whatever or getting in range to make a call. If you get stuck on a climb you should be able to figure it out.

If someone says they know how to self rescue in the context of normal day climbing, it’s a red flag.

Princess Puppy Lovrwrote:

The concept of knowing how to self rescue. When someone lists that as a characteristic of their climbing knowledge I assume they have no idea what they are doing.

If your partner dies mid climb they don’t care if you can escape since they are dead. If your partner is severely injured the only self rescue you should be doing is using an enreach/whatever or getting in range to make a call. If you get stuck on a climb you should be able to figure it out.

If someone says they know how to self rescue in the context of normal day climbing, it’s a red flag.

My fave is when you read a story or accident report and someone says they "self rescued" and it just means they rapped the route.

Multi-pitch commands should be limited to:

"[Partner's name here] Off Belay!"

"[Other partner's name here] Belay is off!

"That's me"

"[Partner's name here] Belay is on, climb when ready"

(Optional) "Climbing"

Multi-pitch commands should not be:

"Ok, [Partner's name] I am in direct at the anchor"

"Ok cool, do you want me to take you off belay?"

"ummmmmm yeah! you can take me O F F - B E L A Y"

"Ok [Partner's name] you are off belay!"

"Thank you!"

"..."

"Am I on Belay?"

"is that you?"

"That's me, am I on Belay?"

"Hold on one second"

"..."

"Can I climb?"

[Wind picks up]

"Ok you are on belay!"

"What?!"

"OOOONNNNN BEEEELAAYYYY"

"Climbing!"

"What?"

[Silence]

"Up rope!"

"Belay is on!"

etc, etc.

Conversation may or may not be based on actual interactions I've witnessed in multi-pitch areas.

Brad Boerswrote:

Multi-pitch commands should be limited to:

"[Partner's name here] Off Belay!"

"[Other partner's name here] Belay is off!

"That's me"

"[Partner's name here] Belay is on, climb when ready"

(Optional) "Climbing"

Multi-pitch commands should not be:

"Ok, [Partner's name] I am in direct at the anchor"

"Ok cool, do you want me to take you off belay?"

"ummmmmm yeah! you can take me O F F - B E L A Y"

"Ok [Partner's name] you are off belay!"

"Thank you!"

"..."

"Am I on Belay?"

"is that you?"

"That's me, am I on Belay?"

"Hold on one second"

"..."

"Can I climb?"

[Wind picks up]

"Ok you are on belay!"

"What?!"

"OOOONNNNN BEEEELAAYYYY"

"Climbing!"

"What?"

[Silence]

"Up rope!"

"Belay is on!"

etc, etc.

Conversation may or may not be based on actual interactions I've witnessed in multi-pitch areas.

Classic Gunks conversation right here. I bought a pair of walkie talkies and they are awesome. I know I know you should just communicate via the rope but hot dang are they convenient. 

Samuel Ammermannwrote:

Classic Gunks conversation right here. I bought a pair of walkie talkies and they are awesome. I know I know you should just communicate via the rope but hot dang are they convenient. 

This. Rope commands are great but my Rocky Talkies have given me so much more flexibility

my lack of walki talkies and my very limited climbing commands has given me tons of freedom , peace and quiet and peace of mind..   I am a total snob about folks with walki talkies.  if it's not an expedition or a big wall they are either working which is usually not as fun as not working or they are goobers ;) 

Bolts. Ask yourself before bolting- is this unspoiled section of cliff really worth desecrating with holes and chains to climb on? Sometimes it is, especially if there is no natural protection and it is aesthetic with good movement. But if it is not adding anything to the crag, leave the drill at home. Bad sport routes should not exist, and in my opinion are akin to litter or graffiti. 

Nick Budkawrote:

Bolts. Ask yourself before bolting- is this unspoiled section of cliff really worth desecrating with holes and chains to climb on? Sometimes it is, especially if there is no natural protection and it is aesthetic with good movement. But if it is not adding anything to the crag, leave the drill at home. Bad sport routes should not exist, and in my opinion are akin to litter or graffiti. 

I asked myself whether there should even be roads into the gunks, let alone parking lots or a walkable carriage road. People think cliff bar wrappers are litter, real trash is humanity.