The Next Big Thing - Innovations in Climbing Technology

Here’s two questions to pass the time at work tomorrow. The retirement of Link Cams got me thinking about this — as much as I dislike them in function, they were a pretty innovative design.

1) The past: What technological innovation made the biggest impact in the development of rock climbing? SLCD’s? Sticky rubber? Bomber bolts? Dynamic ropes?

2) The future: What will be the next game-changer in climbing technology? Seems like all the major manufacturers are just improving on existing concepts — making cams lighter, rubber stickier, etc. What sort of paradigm shift in gear could be the Next Big Thing that unlocks 5.16+?

YGD, etc.

If someone could make a Link cam lighter and one that didn’t get stuck all the time and combine the range with the direct loading of totems that allows them to be used as offsets that would be awesome. 

The G7 portaledge I could see being a game changer for remote big walls and alpine climbs

Fritz Nuffer wrote: What sort of paradigm shift in gear could be the Next Big Thing that unlocks 5.16+?

Currently it is not gear that is impeding climbing at 5.16+ level. 

Losing weight without feeling hungry, having surgery or taking drugs. And without that pesky self-discipline. That will be a breakthrough.

Fritz Nuffer wrote: Here’s two questions to pass the time at work tomorrow. The retirement of Link Cams got me thinking about this — as much as I dislike them in function, they were a pretty innovative design.

1) The past: What technological innovation made the biggest impact in the development of rock climbing? SLCD’s? Sticky rubber? Bomber bolts? Dynamic ropes?

2) The future: What will be the next game-changer in climbing technology? Seems like all the major manufacturers are just improving on existing concepts — making cams lighter, rubber stickier, etc. What sort of paradigm shift in gear could be the Next Big Thing that unlocks 5.16+?

YGD, etc.

BD is in talks to offer gear that talks to you and assures you, you aren't going to die.

inflatable cams that conform to any size crack.  They'd be lighter weight, take up less room in your pack and on your harness, and more versatile for placements.
Hey... we're fantasizing… right?  LOL

I keep imagining some sort of magnetic "bolt" -- something that creates some sort of magnetic or electron bond with the rock when turned 'on' and can detach when turned 'off.'  You could carry a rack of them, deploy on some blank face, and collect them when finished.  Real LNT, except for maybe anchors? Of course, I have no idea if scientifically possible, but a climber can dream.

amarius wrote:

Currently it is not gear that is impeding climbing at 5.16+ level. 

Once training becomes more science driven, and the pool of high level climbers larger, we will see sends get into 5.16+ range.

 I don’t doubt that we’ll get there eventually on current gear, but innovations such as SLCD’s definitely expedited the progression through earlier limits.

Daniel Melnyk wrote:The G7 portaledge I could see being a game changer for remote big walls and alpine climbs

This for sure. That’s an exponential reduction in weight and setup time.

Sounds like you're asking for millions of dollars. The future of climbing is kids teams at the gym. Those little ones are going to have tendons of steel.

As far as tech goes... I'd say 5.16 will be unlocked when someone invents a drone/bluetooth speaker hybrid to get the gym kids hyped on real rock.

amarius wrote:

Currently it is not gear that is impeding climbing at 5.16+ level. 

Once training becomes more science driven, and the pool of high level climbers larger, we will see sends get into 5.16+ range.

I think a higher pool of climbers will make much more of a difference than anything else, especially with the olympics coming up. Training is already very scientific and specific for those climbers approaching the 5.15+ range. 

For me, I have a hard time picturing more innovation outside whilst still keeping with the minimalist lifestyle / traditions.  Indoors, the whole gamification concept still intrigues me and could be used as a fun and interesting tool to simulate / overcome fear, etc by training the mind.  I haven't really seen much of this in gyms beyond some demos so far.  You've seen those projectors (with motion sensors) that show silly games where you hit numbered holds, etc.. but what if you can simulate being run out....facing a pendulum, etc... over gear or over a bolt?  

Also, I'd like to see some type of wall where you can basically design and program your own routes and it morphs to create that climb - Way way in the future...yes... but how cool would it be to create replicas of your favorite outdoor climbs / sections?

At a minimum, we need better crack training indoors...I see some companies starting to create interchangeable crack templates that you bolt onto a traditional wall, which is brilliant.  Hope it takes off!

Hell, I'll take one of these as well!  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHSiuMDgURU 

My Cal At Last wrote: Also, I'd like to see some type of wall where you can basically design and program your own routes and it morphs to create that climb - Way way in the future...yes... but how cool would it be to create replicas of your favorite outdoor climbs / sections?

OH!!! Wonder what type of indoor climbing they have on the holo-deck on the Star Ship Enterprise?  Super cool!

Added thumb on the pinky side of the hand.

I don't know how they'll pan out, but the new Z4 look pretty great.
Rigid when placing, flexible when climbing seem like a ''why didnt we think of this before'' kind of idea. 

A drone belayer which you connect your harness to.  It follows you up.  If you fall it stops the fall.  Voice controlled you you can tell it you are done and it will lower you to the ground.  

NO ONE HAS MENTIONED TOTEMS YET!?!?!?!?!?

Perhaps some sort of drone / 3D imaging / printing software, which would let you recreate the crux of some known route in a gym / at home. I think about how Tommy spent all that time trying to recreate the crux dyno from the dawn wall at his house. 

It seems to me with the increased popularity of first sport climbing, and then bouldering, the sport is moving farther away from gear being a part of the equation at all and becoming purely about the movement and difficulty. Bouldering completely eliminates the play of gear with the exception of shoes, and I don't think those can be much improved without compromising the integrity of a send (ie if you go farther than sticky rubber and have somthing that acutally sticks like glue to a wall, that wouldn't fly). My guess is that there will be incremental improvements in hardware making it slightly lighter, training techniques will get slightly better, but there won't be any inovations that truely change the game without compromising the core ethics of the sport.