Stepped on the scale yesterday and it rang up 198. Good god. That's like 30 pounds above my ideal weight for climbing. I'm still able to climb around V5, but certainly I'm about two grades off from my personal bests, and forget certain problems that require extreme finess on tiny holds.

Got me thinking. Who here weighs over 190-200 and is able to climb, let's say, V7+ or 5.13+. Not talking onsight, just two or three sessions for the send. Can it be done?? Any famous climbers who are this heavy and crushing?

Klem Loskot always seemed to be on the bigger end of the spectrum. He isn't fat of course, but I would guess that he is in the 190-200lb range.

Nothing tastes as good as sending feels.

Johnny Dawes! Brit hard man climber who likes his plate full at dinner time!

This thread wouldn't be complete without mentioning beefy Don Whilans.

If we're going to pick on Brits that are beefy and climb hard there has to be mention of John Dunne. Burly man that sends burly routes.

Jon...you and I both know that Nutella tastes way better than any route sent in Rifle. Don't lie.

Whoops!

Slim your correct. I was meaning to indicate Johnny Dunne.

My bad.. was typing too quick from my desk at work and F''''d that up...

Unfortunately most of these claims are exaggerated, weight wise. Lots of 200+ climb 5.13. Not too many 5.14 though that will undoubtably change as 5.14 because less close to the limit.

Dunne was huge, sometimes, but he famously lost heaps of weight for his sends--like 30-40 pounds!--and was nowhere near 200 for his hard routes.

Loskot is bigger than most, so he's rad, but I'll bet he's never eclipsed 2 bills either and certainly not when climbing his hardest routes. Nalle's probably 140 soaking wet. Sharma's actually the biggest climber I know at the top of the sport climbing game currently.

I think it was Stevie Haston who said something like sport climbing wasn't interesting because all that mattered was how good you could get at not eating.

Saw a guy who must have been 240 and 5'9", belaying a guy who was also near 220. Leading smoothly on 5.10 is pretty impressive in my opinion. I was doubtful they could get off the ground when I saw them in Muir Valley, RRG last week.

Since when is 200+ fat? Everyone I know is 200+ and they all climb (that would be lead "trad") at least 5.10. Anything under 200lbs is cheating unless you are an 8a.nu posterchild

Just had an epiphany: for every 5 lbs. over 190 you get a letter grade handicap. At 210 that goes straight to a letter per pound.
Since we all *basically* have the same fingers, it makes sense if you're pulling an extra 40 up on each hand. I'm gonna roll with that from now on. It also means I climbed a .12B yesterday

I got married last December and am up 30lbs (191 and consider myself fat), affects my climbing when I'm on the wall dreaming about bacon.

What about Dean Potter among the bigger climbers (not fat though, by any stretch). I believe that in First Ascent Steph Davis remarks that catching a 190 lb Dean Potter as he takes a 50 footer isn't that fun.

huge difference between V7 climbing and 5.13+ climbing..... I am 6'6 200 lbs, and sent my first V10 this summer, however my best on a rope is 8a....(13b)... 13+ is no joke...

I'm the largest climber I know who regularly climbs. I see people my size climb but not often and I rarely see them at the crag more than once. That is just my experience.

Eric Coffman 6 ft 4 200 lbs leading "itchy flutterby" 5.11b Submitted By: Eric Coffman on Aug 21, 2012

i don't know anyone in the 190-200 lbs range who climbs super hard, but i know a lot in the 180ish range who climb v9 or 10 and 13+.

Why do I love Climbing.

When I'm lean and fit I can climb near my limit.

When I'm fat and out of shape I can climb near my limit.

I find climbing most challenging and most rewarding when I'm near my limit. I'll spare you the grades but a few years ago I was climbing and training a bunch. I was the fittest and leanest I had been in ten years and weighed 190, climbed the hardest routes I've ever done. I loved the rock. I loved the mountain. I wanted to hug the mountain.

Then, work, knee surgery, and life happened. I stopped working out, climbed very little and put on twenty pounds. Today, I weigh 210, climb near my limit which is several grades lower than two years ago and I love the rock, I love the mountain,I want to hug the mountain.