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Sporto wants to go trad

Original Post
Sir Spanxalot · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2012 · Points: 5

Ok, so I have been climbing about 5 years and a majority of the routes I climb are sport routes. I have been getting into the .10s on bolts, but trad is RAD. I have little interest in climbing easier trad climbs because they are often what I see as more dangerous ya know ledges mainly. I got hurt leading trad a few years into my climbing and it has had an effect since.

I have climbed quite a bit of trad, mostly following a good buddy and mentor. I have done a number of easy pitches, but am not all that interested. What I want to know is this... in all seriousness. Where should I invest my time, getting trad mileage on easier routes, or getting stronger on hard sport routes, I have a family and time constraints. I want to climb routes like this...
mountainproject.com/v/equin…

Burton Lindquist · · Madison, WI · Joined Jan 2002 · Points: 4,215

You need to get confident placing gear (cams, nuts, etc.)and getting comfortable climbing above it and trusting it.... if you are not all ready. The best way to do that is mileage on routes below your top end on-sight difficulty level. This is just a very general suggestion and not in much detail of course... but it has always been a good course of action for building trad climbing skills..... pyramid building of basics skills.... lots of easier routes under your belt then eventually narrowing down the routes you attempt to harder lines.... You can always stick to harder crack climbs in the end that have excellent protection options.....

Mike Lane · · AnCapistan · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 880

Don't climb harder than your gear placing skills allow. I've turned routes into unplanned free-solos b/c I knew by the rating I could keep climbing rather than continue to fuck around with a gear placement I was too inexperienced to get. Stick with a experienced mentor who can bail you out if you get in over your head.
Since you have family obligations, what happens financially if you get hurt and can't work? A consideration for trad.

Guy Keesee · · Moorpark, CA · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 349

Ditch the family.

Move to the Valley.

That will do it.

Sir Spanxalot · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2012 · Points: 5
Guy Keesee wrote:Ditch the family. Move to the Valley. That will do it.
Haha wish I could! Guess this is what I expected to hear. Mileage is what I need, it's a slow process. I'm pretty confident in my gear. I have taken a few small falls on big cams and felt good about it. Pretty scared to fall on small stuff. Guess I was wondering if any sportos out there made an easy transition to harder (5.10) trad.
Tia Stark · · Los Angeles, CA · Joined May 2006 · Points: 185
n00bw1b00b wrote:Guess I was wondering if any sportos out there made an easy transition to harder (5.10) trad.
Not really, just lead more trad since sport climbing doesn't help your gear placement at all.
csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330
n00bw1b00b wrote: Haha wish I could! Guess this is what I expected to hear. Mileage is what I need, it's a slow process. I'm pretty confident in my gear. I have taken a few small falls on big cams and felt good about it. Pretty scared to fall on small stuff. Guess I was wondering if any sportos out there made an easy transition to harder (5.10) trad.
Sure there have been sportos that could climb 5.10 trad pretty quickly. But most of the time they were probably leading much harder than 5.10 sport. I have definitely seen new trad leaders climbing 10's pretty soon, but they were 5.13 sport climbers before they even placed any gear. Their gear might have sucked...but it didn't really matter if there was no way they were going to fall. If 5.10 sport is your limit, then you'll probably be leading on gear much lower than that. Confidence in your gear is just a part of the equation.
FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276

When did sport climbers become "sportos"?

Sir Spanxalot · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2012 · Points: 5
FrankPS wrote:When did sport climbers become "sportos"?
Well I'm not a sport climber unless I can climb .12a right? So I'm just a sporto trying to have fun. Thanks for the advice... guess I'll be planning on doing mileage. Thanks for the advice about the getting hurt business. I unfortunately know that road a little to well, but is still a serious consideration.
Will S · · Joshua Tree · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 1,061

Why is it one or the other? Go warm up by doing a few trad pitches under your limit to get some mileage in and get the blood moving, then spent the rest of the session getting your crank on...whether bolted, TR, bouldering, whatever. Or do your hard climbing one day and spend the following day getting mileage on easier gear routes.

Nate Manson · · San Diego, CA · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 135

Yer gunna DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Xan Calonne · · Yucca Valley · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 61

I am with JLP here, and I think this echoes a recent (though frequent) thread here regarding falling on gear; just go for it, despite the 'warnings' of some crusters; look to previous generations if you need examples of people NOT DYING and pushing it above less than ideal protection. I HIGHLY recommend being confident placing gear before diving into trad routes at your limit though; for me this means choosing the right size first try for any given placement, if you have this ability then just climb. Should this ability be lacking, then climb 'easy' moderates until you can; I put easy in scare quotes because I have been far more humbled by 5.7 Josh than I ever have been by 5.7 sport. Anywhere. At any rate, take my opinion with a grain of salt; I am not awesome and I don't know how to rock climb well, but I love it and I'll go for it. Best, Xan (effin n00b).

I am with JLP in the sense that I think hard movement translates across the climbing spectrum, and in reference to the 'frequent posts' i cited, I DO NOT think that practicing falling on trad gear is anything other than a waste of good time otherwise spent climbing, and I see it as an unnecessary exposure to risk.

Woodchuck ATC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 3,280

Welcome back from the Dark Side.......

Olaf Mitchell · · Paia, Maui, Hi, · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 4,190

YER NOT GONNA DIE!!!

Sarugo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 45

I think most people on this forum plan to climb for the rest of their able-bodied life. If that is the case for you, I'd advise not to "just go for it".

Climbing is a numbers game... Shit happens... And it happens more frequently to people who climb above their grade.

Definitely good advice to be confident in gear placements before stepping it up on hard trad routes.

I'd recommend starting easy, getting sufficient beta regarding gear placements and always being extra aware of the fall you'd take. When it's time to push it you'll know.

Climb safe.

matt davies · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 25
Olaf Mitchell wrote:YER NOT GONNA DIE!!!
Really, yer not. Most of my big whips have been on really small gear, that shit works mang!

What helped me a lot when I started leading hard(er) trad was to go trad bouldering,(you'll look crazy but get used to it) and place gear 4-10 feet off the deck, have my comfy crash pad under me, and clip placements staticly, then BOUNCE TEST the shit out of them, like try to pull them out with different full body weight static loads. I did ruin a couple nuts that got fused, but it convinced me that good gear I place is better 4 da head than a bolt that I didn't.
Then the gear opportunities start to mess the mental, and the battle continues...
Greg D · · Here · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 883

Equinox is quite stiff imo. Not to mention you will likely head into the crux with only a gray or purple C3 beneath you. Have fun.

bearbreeder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 3,065
Medic741 · · Des Moines, IA (WTF) · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 265

"there are old climbers and there are bold climbers but there are no old bold climbers."

matt davies · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 25
Medic741 wrote:"there are old climbers and there are bold climbers but there are no old bold climbers."


Bologna, although a great drinking toast amongst non-climbers (when you're young)

Ocho-Ocho en toto. Gnarliest high altitude ascent of his day. Declined the greatest mountaineering prize in history to save the life of a gripped Hunza porter. Bold, cold, and old, Gunks legend, runout man, climbed 5.11 @ 69 in boots.
Adam Paashaus · · Greensboro, NC · Joined May 2007 · Points: 791

Didn't read every post but you may find that 5.11 trad is different than 5.11 sport so you may be totally happy starting out in the easier grades. Just a thought.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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