Why Do Some Climbers HATE Bouldering?

Woodchuck ATC wrote:/;-) this should be fun...expect it to go a dozen pages of arguments in less than this weekend. the ever on going discussion about what bouldering is compared to climbing trad, compared to sport routes, and might as well compare it all to mountaineering ascents like Everest too. Let's cover all aspects of the sport. Don't forget gyms.

Yes, the name-calling and insults are right around the corner. Stay tuned!

FrankPS:

That is, hands down, the greatest thing I have ever seen on MP.
Thank you so very very much for giving us such an insightful and relevant view of our sport.

This really made my day.

Did you create this?

Kudos to the artist who put it together.

Tom Hanson wrote:FrankPS: That is, hands down, the greatest thing I have ever seen on MP. Thank you so very very much for giving us such an insightful and relevant view of our sport. This really made my day. Did you create this? Kudos to the artist who put it together.

Tom, hilarious, huh? Nah, I got it off another thread a few months back. I save the links to the best ones (videos). "Climping"! Climp on!

Stop all the hate! I think if your scrambling on 4th, climbing a long trad line, clipping bolts, or just playing around on some pebble it's all climbing!

To be honest, I think bouldering is more dangerous. I have had more friends get injured bouldering than roped climbing. People that are more afraid of tying in don't understand that it is essentially the same thing as bouldering but a few more feet off the ground with the constant protection of a rope so your ankles aren't going to shatter when you fall.

I also prefer roped climbing because the objective makes much more sense to me. Bouldering is good to gain power and overall strength, but it has always seemed like a contrived variation to the sport. But I do respect the minimalism of just a pad and the rock.

Oh and where I boulder the problems are sandbagged and hard. But overall it's still climbing, rope or not, gear or bolts.

because many of them cant do it .. and think that 5.7 "trad" climb makes em sooo hardcore ...

other than common sense and being safe with a positive attitude ... the first thing i look for in partners is climbing partners is actual climbing ability ... if a person boulders and sports climb hard, i know that at least theyll have the ability to get through cruxes ... unlike some "hardcore" 5.7 trad climbers who need to be dragged up a climb

of course everyone has a good laugh when that boulderer/sport climber laybacks handcracks and falls on an easy offwidth ... but give it a season and theres a good chance theyll pick up the technique and outclimb you easily

its ironic when so many MPers hate on bouldering when THIS climber actually sees positives ...

youtube.com/watch?v=0ReoYCh…

many of the best trad climbers boulder to some extent ...

Well, I use to boulder but a broken ankle later I prefer roped climbing. I have yet to break anything serious while roped in...

For me (I don't hate bouldering) if I travel far to some cool place to climb, I don't see myself wanting to boulder when I can rope climb (trad, toprope, sport..)
I think it's just because I enjoy the destination of a good climb. Getting to a good lookout, the rhythm and process of trad climbing or just longer climb in general.
I have very very limited experience outdoor bouldering but I very much enjoy it in the gym. This year I promised myself I'd go boulder some more. The challenge is super cool. I admit that I do get annoyed and put off by the hand/finger pain that comes with bouldering.

I'm not a fan of sit starts

Every aspect of our activity compliments the other. If you eschew bouldering you're missing out on a good workout that will no doubt benefit you some day when you have to crank a powerful move on a shitty hold. Climb everything you can get your hands on folks! Ice, Snow, Cracks, Crimpers, Slopers, Slabs, Crags, Walls, Pebbles, it's all good fun.

Scott Sinner wrote:Stick clipping is neither

You aint shit unless you clip with an actual stick. Painter's poles with carpenter's clamps are invalid.

OK, so hands down the best bouldering is over deep water on a hot day. Amirite? You know it.

Even if roped climbing is your gig, a month of bouldering during the off-season will be beneficial. When done sensibly, bouldering will improve one's core and contact strengths. Get a good pad and some good spotters though; a busted ankle is a real downer.

Tyson Anderson wrote:I'm not a fan of sit starts

+1 If you gotta sit down to make it high enough to be worth climbing, it isn't a climb. Same if you can stand up and look over the boulder at eye level. Why?

I think bouldering is like having sex...

...by yourself.

Here are a couple of reasons why:

1. When you want to get out but can't find a partner, just go bouldering.
2. It's gets the job done but there is something missing (rope gear...)

Bouldering is mega fun and is totally a worthy pursuit in and of itself. Usually plenty of little cuties in the pictures I see to boot. The only truly silly form of climbing is the "uber drytool gang", like the ALL ice gear with NO ice in sight and a bolt at your waist gang. That's really bad.

Hank Caylor wrote:The only truly silly form of climbing is the "uber drytool gang", like the ALL ice gear with NO ice in sight and a bolt at your waist gang. That's really bad.

But what about when they take over an entire wall at the indoor gym with their little traffic cones and leashes? That's way cool, isn't it?

FrankPS wrote:Here, this will help understand the different types of

Those type of animations are godawful. I'd rather just read the text than hear that monotone nonsense mixed with out of context animations. The secret is usually that the dialogue wouldn't cut it by itself and needs some non-creative "dressing up".

I don't hate bouldering. I find some of the bouldering culture a bit annoying, but each sect has its foibles. I am glad my climbing accomplishments frequently coincide with a cool summit (a concept almost alien to bouldering), but everybody who isn't alpine mountaineering is just wanking anyway.

Dave MacLeod - nuff said? Hardest trad in the world, V14
Go to his web site to see how all types of climbing are accomplished.

Maintain a balance. I boulder hard so I can route climb hard. I route climb hard so I can do longer boulder problems. Any person that sees that you need one more then the other is a fool.

Maintain a balance. I boulder hard so I can route climb hard. I route climb hard so I can do longer boulder problems. Any person that sees that you need one more then the other is a fool.