Using crash pads for scary leads?

The only real issue I might have with using a pad is destruction of vegetation. Barring that, have a good time!

Using crash pads is a totally personal choice, the prospect of hitting the ground from most climbs is fucking scary, even with a crash pad in place. On the gritstone however, the climbs are so small that crash pads actually would make a large difference. Grit routes are usually between 20 and 30ft and decking would be bad but hitting a couple pads could let you walk away unharmed. On those route crash pads to make the climb less serious.

Most routes in general are longer than 25ft feet though, and hitting the ground sucks, crashpad or not. It also depends on other factors:

Andrew Boyd put up a route in Squamish called 'Bruce Lee vs. The Kiss Army' that goes at 5.13b R. One one occasion, he fell at the end of the runout(40ft off the deck about) and his feet just skimmed the boulders at the base of the route. After this he chose to place pads at the base of the route, but never used them as he sent next go.

On the second of this route, I hired a really good belayer who could pull in rope through the gri-gri very fast. I fell from the 'very end' of the runout and stopped well off the deck (maybe 6ft up?) With my excellent belayer I chose not to use crash pads. Does this make me more badass than Andrew? I don't think so at all! He used pads because he didn't have such a great belayer that he could totally put all his trust in on that specific route. Our ascents were exactly the same...

Pads are a completely personal choice and in some situations one may want a pad where other don't. It's like saying that someone cheated because they used cams on a route that was originally sent on hexes.

I think using a crash pad is fine. There is a route in SB where I live called vanishing flakes, and I don't know anyone who wouldn't want a crash pad to start this route.

brentapgar wrote: But how you play the game is up to you.

Using a crash pad to keep from hitting the ground hard is no different then being able to place a piece of natural pro (passive and/or active) to protect the very same moves. You remove the natural gear on second (or however) and you pick up the pad and carry it away (as long as you don't kill any delicate or rare veggies underneath in the process) afterwards.... I don't see where this is a style issue? Your just a ballsy climber if you don't use one where it might be nicer or wiser to. Style would only come into this if you were trying to repeat a climb using some one else's determination of "good style" to make the repeat. The choice to use a very benign "crash pad" should be a personal one.

Debating whether this is a good idea or not for a short spire up near the 8-9. Hmmmm... debate is whether I want to carry it all the damn way up there, not whether I want to use it or not.

Gear evolves. Everything evolves. Don't wear your seatbelt like they didn't in the 50s. Be a man, son. The survival of your ego depends on it.

climbing is a "sport", and i use that word loosly, where you make up your own rules. Do it HOW you want and have fun!

Portwood wrote:climbing is a "sport", and i use that word loosly, where you make up your own rules. Do it HOW you want and have fun!

I think it all depends on the local ethics. LOL.

I was quite happy to have, and use, a crashpad to lead Strawberry Preserves at Stone Mountain State Park in NC. It's a 10c/d slab climb with the crux before the first bolt, which is 25 ft up. I did come off and use the pad, and I'm pretty sure it saved me from an ankle injury, or worse.

What about using a crash pad on the sit-start to Cerro Torre?

I hear it's super runout to the first bolt.