Hot Takes 2024

Chris Wernettewrote:

Being offended by someone taking their shirt off just means you’re insecure of your own body.

Not offended at all, just expressing my hot take.

Though i am thoroughly enjoying how triggered the shirtless have become in this thread. 

Natalie Blackburnwrote:

Or you're part of the half of the population that can't. It's just kinda rude.

Hot take: Mountain proj gumby, offended by trolling

Hot take: @john clark, can't be board problems they don't go as low as your limit of v1

curt86irocwrote:

Taking your shirt off in the gym is dumb. It doesn’t make you climb better, it just makes you look like a douche.

Taking my shirt off automatically gives me +5 power and x2 agility. It’s allowed me to jump two grades alone, three if I take my pants off as well. 

Natalie Blackburnwrote:

Or you're part of the half of the population that can't. It's just kinda rude.

What is your opinion of women removing their shirt to work out in just a sport bra? Since that is the closest equivalent in most venues

Natalie Blackburnwrote:

Or you're part of the half of the population that can't. It's just kinda rude.

I feel like it’s a double standard, both ways. Like if a man were to complain about a scantily dressed lady at the gym, that would be considered sexist/patriarchical. 

That’s what makes things even more confusing is that american culture has decided that maximizing the diversity of public sexual displays is a virtue, and yet paradoxically, the virtue of inclusion allows someone to tell others not to dress in a certain way because it might make others uncomfortable and feel excluded. And you're gonna be excluding the approval of muslims and orthodox jews regardless, but of course no one cares what they think because it’s one too many for our liberated minds. Reminds me of this:

John Clarkwrote:

What is your opinion of women removing their shirt to work out in just a sport bra? Since that is the closest equivalent in most venues

Yes, there IS a double-standard!  

Wasn't it Matt Sammet that, when his gym wouldn't let him climb without a shirt, put on a sports bra and climbed in that?    They wouldn't let him do that either!    

This is me btw. Oh and if you want to climb fully nude, more power to ya

There is soooo much for a Gumby to learn about in this thread. Thanks to all!

Hart Fuffer wrote:

Whether or not someone is wearing a shirt isn't your business and does not affect you in any way. Focus on yourself, queen.

I can assure you having to look at your sweaty, hairy chest affects me... I would think that you could be considerate towards others while you're in a public space. This argument feels like defending blasting music from a bluetooth speaker at the crag

Chris Wernettewrote:

Being offended by someone taking their shirt off just means you’re insecure of your own body.

Or they just don't want your nipple sweat on the holds.  Go shirtless, go pantless, just don't dirty up the walls with your ::musk::.    

T1

Natalie Blackburnwrote:- putting up sparsely protected routes in the modern era is ridiculous, but old runout routes should stay that way for historical value

- whatever your way of climbing is isn't inherently better than how that person over there climbs

Two sincere questions to clarify your position, because I'm inclined to think that I disagree with you. Feel free to engage, decline , message or whatever -- I'm not a zealot.

 1) By "putting up," do you differentiate between ground-up and top-down modes of route development?

For example, I say rap-bolting a spicy route is disingenuous and hypocritical, but establishing a spicy route ground-up (aka "trad" in the classical sense) is respectable and laudable as long as the danger is clearly communicated to prospective suitors.

(Caveats: Not an absolute policy, FA is not bestowed with divine fiat, community consensus of competent individuals should be considered as a factor)

2) How do you reconcile your two points that I quoted? As in, why accept your value proposition over someone else with an opposing view?

Hope you got on some good stone this week, and thanks for sharing your perspective upthread. :-)

Jake Joneswrote:

There are fewer 5.13 climbers that wear their chalk bags on carabiners than people that know what really happened to Epstein.

Can someone explain to me why wearing your chalk bag with a carabiner is looked down upon? Generally curious cuz I've heard this opinion but don't know why

I like to use a real climbing carabiner for my chalk bag so that I always have a spare, and it's came in handy a few times. The last time was when I was leading a super long pitch on Sheeprock that just said the bolt count was "a shit ton" , and I had to split up my last quick draw for the last few bolts before putting my chalk bag up for the last bolt before the anchors.

Leaving tick marks unbrushed isn't a big deal. Like sure it'd be better if you brush them when you're done but its ridiculous how worked up the climbing community gets about it.

Andrew Childwrote:

Leaving tick marks unbrushed isn't a big deal. Like sure it'd be better if you brush them when you're done but its ridiculous how worked up the climbing community gets about it.

It is for people that enjoy onsighting, it can ruin the experience a bit.

Hot take: Shoes aren't actually that important unless you're climbing 5.14. Stop wasting $200 on shoes, throw on whatever is comfortable and has some rubber.

Andrew Childwrote:

Leaving tick marks unbrushed isn't a big deal. Like sure it'd be better if you brush them when you're done but its ridiculous how worked up the climbing community gets about it.

Some people over tick things, and it gets very confusing when trying to onsite. 

TaylorPwrote:

It is for people that enjoy onsighting, it can ruin the experience a bit.

Hot take: Shoes aren't actually that important unless you're climbing 5.14. Stop wasting $200 on shoes, throw on whatever is comfortable and has some rubber.

I disagree only slightly on both of these - 

depending on rock type, ticks are usually helpful but sometimes throw you off. People tick different ways and I’ve hucked to the wrong part of a hold because someone didn’t know how to tick the right way (my way).
I also get annoyed when there’s BS holds and feet ticked that don’t need to be.

Genuine question - how hard do you climb? I feel like shoes really matter from 5.12 up, or 5.11 slab and up.
all bets are off for ultra steep jug hauling where shoes don’t matter and gym mutants can climb in vans 

PAS thong at the gym is worse than belay cert at the crag.

Nick Herdegwrote:

Can someone explain to me why wearing your chalk bag with a carabiner is looked down upon? Generally curious cuz I've heard this opinion but don't know why

I’ve rocked one a time or two. It was out of necessity, mainly. Somehow lost the strap and just didn’t want to capitulate to Big Chalk Bag and buy a whole new one just for the strap. It’s nothing I would frown upon, but as a matter of practicality most harness/biner/bag combos will result in the bag smacking your booty for every move. Also one time I fell sideways and with my back against the wall and the biner bruised me pretty good.

Joey Hwrote:

I can assure you having to look at your sweaty, hairy chest affects me... 

I agree it affects me too. I just get turned on when I get a whiff of those pheromones and send the proj.

TaylorPwrote:

Hot take: Shoes aren't actually that important unless you're climbing 5.14. Stop wasting $200 on shoes, throw on whatever is comfortable and has some rubber.

Dude, I totally agree. I have friends who ended up buying the Solution Comps, while my broke ass is wearing whatever was cheap (under $50) and on consignment at my local climbing store. The funniest part is when they struggle on 5.7, despite the shoes that were supposed to make them climb 5.13. While I used to spend quite a bit of money on shoes, I've found that getting better technique has helped the most and led me to progress far more as a climber instead of just buying the next best pair of shoes. I also feel like the lack of super-good equipment makes me think more about my movements and the way I place each part of my body on the rock because my shoes don't allow me to just stick my foot wherever.