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Any value in sport leading first?

Emil Briggs · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2013 · Points: 125
J. Serpico wrote: My general rule is if you feel like you could (or you can) do the route of top rope, strength isn't the issue, you need to work on your leading skills, including the head game.
This is wrong. Between the weight of the rack, the weight of the rope and the extra time required to place gear it's physically a lot harder to lead than to toprope. On blocky/ledgy routes with no plenty of no hands rests it's not as important but on overhanging rock it's a big deal.
M Mobley · · Bar Harbor, ME · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 911
Emil Briggs wrote: This is wrong. Between the weight of the rack, the weight of the rope and the extra time required to place gear it's physically a lot harder to lead than to toprope. On blocky/ledgy routes with no plenty of no hands rests it's not as important but on overhanging rock it's a big deal.
I tend to think climbing is way more mental than physical, or at least its peoples heads that hold them back way more than their bodies or an extra few pounds do.
Emil Briggs · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2013 · Points: 125
T Roper wrote: I tend to think climbing is way more mental than physical, or at least its peoples heads that hold them back way more than their bodies or an extra few pounds do.
Sure some people are being held back by their mental game. But leading an overhanging gear line is physically way harder than toproping it.
Highlander · · Ouray, CO · Joined Apr 2008 · Points: 256

Do both and do them frequently and you will be a better all around climber. Start leading easy gear protected routes that have good stances for placing gear, place lots of gear since your new, the more you place the better you will get at it. Sport climbing is nice because you have to climb above the bolt and make committing moves to get to the next bolt, unlike some easy gear protected climbs where you can place enough gear to keep yourself on a perpetual top rope or place gear where ever you want.
Don't become that "trad" climber that freaks out every time they have to leave a crack and bust some face moves or can't get gear in where they want. Conversely don't be that sport climber that bumbles around with gear and flails their way up cracks. Work at being a good all around climber, you will then be able to comfortably climb all kinds of routes.

Brian M · · Long Beach, CA · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 155
T Roper wrote:IMO if you don't do it all you are missing out.
T Roper wrote:I tend to think climbing is way more mental than physical, or at least its peoples heads that hold them back way more than their bodies or an extra few pounds do.
Preach!
Shepido · · CO · Joined Aug 2014 · Points: 50

Went out today and placed some gear on the ground. I didn't pay attention to anything other than the crack width and ended up setting a a cam in a crack with poison ivy right below it, now I'm not sure what to wash my brand new x4 sling with.

We also climbed a 5.6 route that was pretty cool. Fiddling with the gear really took some time. I was really terrified of dropping the nut tool. Definitely more involved than sport. It's a skill to be a leader for sure too.

Doug Hemken · · Madison, WI · Joined Oct 2004 · Points: 13,668

It gets smoother pretty quickly.

WyomingSummits · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 0
Shepido wrote:Went out today and placed some gear on the ground. I didn't pay attention to anything other than the crack width and ended up setting a a cam in a crack with poison ivy right below it, now I'm not sure what to wash my brand new x4 sling with. We also climbed a 5.6 route that was pretty cool. Fiddling with the gear really took some time. I was really terrified of dropping the nut tool. Definitely more involved than sport. It's a skill to be a leader for sure too.
Put the nut tool on a tether. The more gear you place, the more efficient you become. Starting out, you just want to make sure you're placing it correctly and forming good habits/rhythm, and getting your head in the game.
Jon Rhoderick · · Redmond, OR · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 966

You will be able to push yourself much harder on trad routes if you sport climb as well. Sport climbing allows you to take multiple falls in a safe and controlled manner that won't wreck your gear. You can also take practice whippers or what have you, and not fuck up your aforementioned gear. That way you can get a technical and mental ability required for these other committing disciplines. You need to learn how to fall safely, if you don't do it enough you get stiff and become more likely to hurt something. In my experience the people who get hurt falling do it on easier low angle routes, and learning how to be nimble in the air can avoid some of this, but mostly you won't freak out or chicken out anyway because you have climbed much harder moves on bolts before.

Kent Richards · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2009 · Points: 81
Shepido wrote:I was really terrified of dropping the nut tool.
I rarely use a nut tool anymore. Only if I can't get the piece out without it. Learn how to clean w/o the tool...

Regarding a tether: to each their own. When I use the tool, I take it off my harness and clip it to the sling that's on the piece. No tether, because I don't want extra stuff dangling off my harness.

If you lead in the gym and lead ice, then you already have somewhat of a lead head. For alpine, you'll need to know how move fast. Lower commitment multipitch trad is where you'll dial those skills.

Learn how to use gear for multiple purposes so that you can carry less gear.

Get good at using passive pro so you can carry fewer cams.

Study up on overall efficiency to shave minutes off pitches. Here's a starter: amazon.co.uk/Climb-Skills-E…
bearbreeder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 3,065

one VERY good skill that i noticed among folks who climb hard sport (whips) and get into trad have ... is that they are VERY conscious of where the rope is relative to their feet ... and adjust accordingly

ive also noticed that folks who learn to lead off trad and never fall ... ie climb moderates all day ... they often have very poor foot positioning ... especially in cracks where they wrap the legs around the rope. or laybacks

when they eventually fall it may well flip em over ...

;)

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Trad Climbing
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