Hot Takes 2024

I’m as good as I want to be, thankyouverymuch.

I have more hot takes than I realized - apparently been bottling them up for this thread.

Hot Take: Top Rope soloing is the future of hard ascents in this sport. I gave Miles Adamson some shit for this on his 5.15a FA but the fact of the matter is that rope soloing is getting far more credence as not just a tactic but a discipline in its own right. I don’t think standard TR will ever be accepted as a legitimate FA or general send style, but do think TRS is legitimately on its way there. Top end climbers have mentioned clipping becoming the crux of routes and this is a way to pivot away from that (on climbs not so insanely steep to allow for this)

PWZwrote:

What I'm quoting is someone saying exactly what they're saying

Have you heard about the color gray?

Tal Mwrote:

I have more hot takes than I realized - apparently been bottling them up for this thread.

Hot Take: Top Rope soloing is the future of hard ascents in this sport. I gave Miles Adamson some shit for this on his 5.15a FA but the fact of the matter is that rope soloing is getting far more credence as not just a tactic but a discipline in its own right. I don’t think standard TR will ever be accepted as a legitimate FA or general send style, but do think TRS is legitimately on its way there. Top end climbers have mentioned clipping becoming the crux of routes and this is a way to pivot away from that (on climbs not so insanely steep to allow for this)

Have I told you about my futuristic TRS projie?? It's an absolute rig.

Also steep climbs are fine if you a top rope tough guy, you just have to be willing to take the swing. 

Ticking "pink point" on sport routes. You're telling me in order to redpoint you must clean the draws after every attempt? Let it die. The bolt wars are over and it ain't the 90s anymore. 

Sorry Sharma, you only pink pointed La Dura Dura. 

PWZwrote:

What I'm quoting is someone saying exactly what they're saying

You quoted exactly, but you interpreted broadly.

I can drive a large gray truck through “sparsely protected” and “extremely closely…”   In fact, the average would be about “just right”.   Let’s go with that  

Let’s try to be better than the political campaigns here.  

Mark Pilatewrote:

You quoted exactly, but you interpreted broadly.

I can drive a large gray truck through “sparsely protected” and “extremely closely…”   In fact, the average would be about “just right”.   Let’s go with that  

Let’s try to be better than the political campaigns here.  

See my comment

Don’t do things to impair the experience for those around you or those who come after you.  

A friend of mine routinely stick clips up an entire route and then sends on the second go. Nothing wrong with an energy saving tactic especially when traveling.

almostradwrote:

Let’s hear em - 

I’ll start it off with a steamy one for the sport climbers 

- if you’re stick clipping up an entire route, you don’t belong on that rock climb. What are you doing.

- where did saying “on trad” come from and why hasn’t this died yet. “I climb 12a on sport but 11b ‘on trad’ “ I don’t feel like this one really needs much explanation but I can’t be alone here.

- and just a reminder day flash isn’t a thing 

Carry on, in style 

- If you aren't power screaming you're leaving at least a letter grade on the table

- Gates out - totes/fersh

- Sasha D is free to milk her relevancy to whatever degree she likes in order to maintain a comfortable living from sponsors; people who get butthurt by that are ridiculous.

- PAS thong by itself at the gym is less offensive than gri, atc, figure 8, twp pair of lockers, quicklink, and multiple accessory cords at the gym, but just barely. Bouldering while wearing either getup is is unacceptable.

- The girl from the gym I go to that COMPLAINED TO THE FRONT DESK because ONE of the hundreds of boulder problems in the current set was harder for short people and it should be altered to be more inclusive is, sorry but not sorry, an idiot.

- Stop staring at shirtless people if you can't handle shirtless people.

Gym grades should be calibrated according to moonboard benchmarks.

Hot take: there is no such thing as a "crag dog"

Xi Yinwrote:

Gym grades should be calibrated according to moonboard benchmarks.

But which ones? The spread on benchmarks is enormous

Wearing shoes over shoes is well outside of the acceptable level of acceptable free climbing gear and constitutes some level of aid. Literally no different than putting on UFC gloves and then taping them up so you can hand jam #5s

Tanner Jameswrote:

Wearing shoes over shoes is well outside of the acceptable level of acceptable free climbing gear and constitutes some level of aid. Literally no different than putting on UFC gloves and then taping them up so you can hand jam #5s

Not quite - the majority of ascents have a natural foot that equates to the tiny foot shoe over shoe vs no climbers having natural #5 paws. 

Tanner Jameswrote:

Wearing shoes over shoes is well outside of the acceptable level of acceptable free climbing gear and constitutes some level of aid. Literally no different than putting on UFC gloves and then taping them up so you can hand jam #5s

You are so brave for calling out some very specific people for essentially one pitch where they have been honest about their style of ascent. Shoes are already aid. So is tape…and chalk, and any protection, and sun glasses, and clothes, and a healthy diet, and having money, and having time to practice climbing. Let’s rehash what constitutes aid again. This should be so fun.

I’m not calling anyone out! Just a personal opinion about style regardless of the pitch, route, or person doing it. But hey I’m pretty new to climbing and not very good so what do I know, I’m wrong all the time! Just a very very gentle reminder this is a “hot takes” thread and your blood pressure shouldn’t be dependent on this forum’s contents 

Wide boyz 2500ft horizontal bridge crack, they used multiple layers of crack gloves to make their hands bigger for the long #3 sections. Did they aid that thing? 

K Gowrote:

Wide boyz 2500ft horizontal bridge crack, they used multiple layers of crack gloves to make their hands bigger for the long #3 sections. Did they aid that thing? 

Hot take: buildering is aid

K Gowrote:

Wide boyz 2500ft horizontal bridge crack, they used multiple layers of crack gloves to make their hands bigger for the long #3 sections. Did they aid that thing? 

Yeah similar to what Tanner mentioned that’s definitely some level of aid in the same way that padding out your kneebar with magazines or a book would be aid - so not really aid as much as questionable style