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No Gyms Close Enough - Help Me Design Climbing Room

Original Post
Eric LaRoche · · West Swanzey, NH · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 25

Unfortunately I've moved to where the closest climbing gym is over an hour away. Obviously this would be super inconvenient to drive 2+ hours round trip to train. Luckily the new house I'm in has some space to spare.

Getting ARC training in is my main concern. My campus and hangboards will be in a different space. This is just for bouldering and ARC training. I have a room where the three sides I can use are 12' x 16' x 12'. It's on the upper floor and has exposed joists at the moment with a ceiling height of just over 8.5'. The other 16 foot length has to stay open for now until another room is built so don't know what my final dimensions will be so this is what I know I have now.

My current plan is to do, going around from 12 16 12, a 6' 30*, 6' 45*, straight vertical along the 16' then do a 12' 15* and cover the whole roof that's there. Though I'm open for suggestions.

Thanks,

frankstoneline · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 30

I think you'll find that long vertical walls are largely a waste of space and additionally that short sections of steep wall look cool but complicate setting if you want to be able to boulder for strength. If ARC training is your goal I'd use the long wall (16') for a 15-20 degree angle, one 12 foot wall at 25 degrees and the remaining 12' for something like 35 or 40 degrees.

Mark Anderson makes (what I believe to be) a fairly compelling argument for avoiding the super steep boards, though this is somewhat regional.
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Eric LaRoche · · West Swanzey, NH · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 25

Actually that does give me a little bit of an idea. Use the 16' for a 15* and on each end that it runs into the 12's put a 4 foot second of flat (4' at the top 6' at the bottom since 15* 8' tall hangs out just over 2 feet.) before transitioning into the two steeper walls, it'd give me a longer traverse plus give a bailing rest location to use if I get too pumped but keeps me on the wall as well as an fun overhang to vertical transition to play with.

Muscrat · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2011 · Points: 3,625

I have over the last year been converting my vertical walls to overhanging, i found that i just did not use the vert. 3 walls; 20' long by 12' high. I would go with the longest wall the steepest, you will find yourself mostly there. And one wall i would make 10-15º, this is the 'easy' wall. Just my $.02!
Need holds? I have a few hundred for sale.

Capt. Impatient · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 0

In my opinion, skip the vertical. I had a 15 degree 6 foot section in my home and it was worthless. Another thing I've learned to is small kicker boards. No more then 8 inches. You're only starting your feet here. Go with a good size 45 degree and good size 30 degree. Maybe if you have room a small 25 to 20 degree. If you want good rest areas make volumes. I have volumes that can turn my 45 to a 90 so it gives me a solid jug to shake out on. My advice again keep it simple, no vertical sections, and small kicker boards (that's the foot section in case you didn't know ) small kickers give you more room for your angled walls.

Joe M · · MA and NH · Joined Dec 2008 · Points: 11,725

I'm going to give a vote for the vertical section. I have a 25 long vertical, plus a whole bunch of steep stuff and use the vertical for most of my ARC traversing and warming up. Allows me to really concentrate on technique and using really small holds and bad slopers properly. Around New England, you will climb much more vert real rock than 45+ degree overhangs...

Chris Rice · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 55

My two cents is "it depends". What (or where) do you climb most and what inclination are the climbs to do? If for example you mostly sport climb at Red River Gorge and most of your climbs are super steep then I would make the big section of your wall match that. But if you mostly climb super thin face - that's the way I would make the big section. You will of course want some walls at different angles for when you do climb those types of routes. I would probably give even the "vertical" wall a 5 degree angle or so as the holds needed for a short vertical wall have to be small enough that your tips will get pretty sore during a longish session and a little angle helps with that. It's also not terribly difficult to make walls that are adjustable - but it isn't cheap. Good Luck!

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