Been climbing since 2004, rope techniques sure changed a lot

Back when I started we were all on 3-strand flip lines and buckingham saddles. Last month a kid from the new crew showed up with one of those mechanical ascenders and a specialized hybrid saddle. Took me a minute to figure out how he was zipping up the tree so fast. Three years ago I finally switched over to a double-rope system after watching a guy limb-walk a big red oak near Madison. It felt like cheating at first but I barely feel the wear on my back now. Anyone else feel like the old gear was more forgiving on branch walks though?

2 comments

2 Comments

christopher_craig6d ago

Started climbing in flip flops once. That was a MISTAKE.

thea1436d ago

Flip flops actually have great grip on some surfaces, way better than climbing shoes on slippery gym holds. I've seen people crush boulder problems in them at my gym and honestly they looked more comfortable than my tight rentals. Plus you save a ton of money not buying expensive climbing shoes right away.