UKC

Which sticky rubber is most sticky? I'm talking quantitatively rather than "Onxy is well crap, C4 is bestest".
Obviously there is more to the performance of the rubber than a straight co-efficient of friction between it and the rock; does it creep or deform, does the rubber break up and 'ball' etc.
I had a quick google and turned up a comparison* of several different types of rubber on granite and plastic which was interesting (especially given the comparatively poor performance of Stealth rubber in the tests).

Has anyone else tried similar testing, possibly with other rock types? Any thoughts on why Anasazis are so popular among 'hard climbers' when this would seem to suggest that they aren't the best option?


* http://www.spadout.com/r/climbing-rubber-test/

In reply to Reach>Talent:

For me I have had three pairs of 5.10's with stealth onyx which I have always been very happy with for stickiness, though the rubber does tend to deform a little.

I have had 2 pairs of La Sportiva's with vibram XS and again really sticky but no deforming that I can remember.

I had a pair of Evolvs and though they were sticky from what I remember they wore through the toe very quickly.

For me I choose 5.10's because they fit really well and I find them a good technical shoe. The reputation that they tend to have is I suppose why so many top end climbers choose them. Therefore in turn why so many people like me start to buy them.

In reply to Reach>Talent: i'm not convinced that test tells you much about the real world - footholds are weighted and get most of their use from deforming around rugosities.

in his test, smearing a rockboot with pritstik would make it an outstanding winner...

In reply to Reach>Talent:
Stealth C3.

In reply to Tobias at Home:

Pritstik now that's an idea!
I wonder if people still use meths or petrol to soften the rubber on some harder boulder problems?

In reply to Reach>Talent: Check this out http://www.theshortspan.com/features/friction.htm it's not quite what you were asking for but it's a much more informative article about specific friction in the climbing sense.

In reply to Smelly Fox:
Sorry I meant C4.
Having used a veriety of different rubbers from various companys, shoes with this compound on feel much more secure than anything else on thin smears.
Rubbers from Madrock and Evolv seem pretty good too and would come a close second for me, but I find they roll more in warmer conditions.