Name your Climbing improvement

Really loving the responses so far and the variety haha

I am really good at getting on an app and have meaningless arguments about a stupid hobby. 

Idk why (probably because we didn't have a mentor) but my friend and I used to ALWAYS have issues uncoiling a rope. I swear every time we looked at it a knot would magically develop in the middle of the rope. We'd climb a route, move our gear to the next route 10 ft over and then spend an eternity uncoiling the rope again. 

I used to roll up to a crag and spend 30 minutes fighting my rope and gear. Now I rock up and am climbing within 2 to 3 minutes of arriving to base of the wall. 

Always wear long pants and defer the route finding to your partner when you’re walking out of the desert in the dark 

Raking Bucketswrote:

Instead of taking the swing, you can leave your trolley and the first draw in, lower to the ground and retreive first draw later.

This only works if you can/know how to take the draw off with a stick clip. 

For the gym (not rock gym) My father and I could do 90 pullups 3 times in a row.  with 30 lb weights on that. AND it had no diff what I did on the rock.The only way to push yourself is through repetition  and getting on a rock.

Bal

Sam Mwrote:

In climbing (like my career) I thought that if I knew a crapton of the latest research and techniques and trivia and read books and was really good and smart by myself, I'd be successful. 

But you have to work with people. I really think finding and keeping good climbing partners is critical, more and more as the years go by. Get good at the soft skills.

Even for boulderers, it's hard to carry all those pads yourself, and a solo send is never as motivating as one shared.

Couldn't agree more Sam. Well said.

My climbing has not improved in the last 20 years. I still can’t read a guide book. But I have become a much more patient belayer, and I am really good at getting out stuck gear( but sometimes I have to hang on the rope so I can work with both hands.)

Not Not MP Adminwrote:

This only works if you can/know how to take the draw off with a stick clip.

Climb back up and take down the draw.

M Mwrote:

Not that I ever climb shirtless in shorts anymore but a mid summer cruze climb dressed like this seems acceptable, helmet on just to spite the haters. 

You people are wearing pants in the summer?? Unless I’m in the alpine, I wear prana mojo shorts June - August. Do I look good in them? No, but I’m comfortable and breezy. 

Raking Bucketswrote:

Climb back up and take down the draw.

That seems like it would involve the same amount of risk, if not more, as just undoing your trolley prior to the first bolt. Taking your trolley off prior to taking the first bolt off seems way easier (and safer) in my experience, I guess YMMV and each route is different and needs its own risk mitigation. The safest would be lower all the way to ground with your trolly still attached (assuming you have enough rope) and take draw off with stick clip. 

Not Not MP Adminwrote:

That seems like it would involve the same amount of risk, if not more, as just undoing your trolley prior to the first bolt. Taking your trolley off prior to taking the first bolt off seems way easier (and safer) in my experience, I guess YMMV and each route is different and needs its own risk mitigation. The safest would be lower all the way to ground with your trolly still attached (assuming you have enough rope) and take draw off with stick clip. 

This is why comically low first bolts can be quite helpful on steep routes.

Princess Puppy Lovrwrote:

This is why comically low first bolts can be quite helpful on steep routes.

At times*

Allen Sandersonwrote:

How best to pack the post climb beverage so that it is properly chilled.

I’m guilty of hiding glass coke bottles under rocks, but forgot to take into account where the sun went, so nearby climbers were confused when a coke bottle outta nowhere just exploded from heat

Sam Dwrote:

I’m guilty of hiding glass coke bottles under rocks, but forgot to take into account where the sun went, so nearby climbers were confused when a coke bottle outta nowhere just exploded from heat

You’re from Cleveland, we expect these things outta you people…

Jan Mcwrote:

How best to pack those cold beverages into the bottom of your buddies pack so that he can't hear the bottles clink until he starts to unpack at the top.

Glass bottles? You still have some learning to do  ;)

 Speaking on this matter, a few years back I learned not to crush the cans when you're finished with them. This keeps them from creating sharp edges that can cut up your bag or gear. 

I've learned some stuff about actual climbing as well....

Wesley Kwrote:

 Speaking on this matter, a few years back I learned not to crush the cans when you're finished with them. This keeps them from creating sharp edges that can cut up your bag or gear. 

Reusable (or normal) gallon ziplocs for trash, dawg. Haven’t had an issue in the 10+ years bringing cans to the crag. 

Not Not MP Adminwrote:

You’re from Cleveland, we expect these things outta you people…

True… Still cleaned it up and left no trace tho. We’re horrible but we’re not we’re not monsters

Sam Dwrote:

True… Still cleaned it up and left no trace tho. We’re horrible but we’re not we’re not monsters

I’d much rather see Ohio plates in the parking lot than those ugly ass green mountain plates. At least you Buckeyes carry that ignorant innocent Midwest stoke wherever you go!

Kevin Mokracekwrote:

When I was a kid and climbing I always wore shorts, couldn't imagine wearing pants.  Now out of respect t all around me I wear pants to prevent their eyes from melting from the glare of my glaring white skin.

LMFAO. Except for the purple like tiger skin tights (which I Loved) I wore like hospitals gown legs. very comfy. So here is my climbing tights ROFL