UKC

Hi all,

I've been using my beastmaker 1000 for a short while now and I'm having trouble in that I find the slopers in particular very slippery. So instead of pumping off I find I sometimes slip off unexpectedly.

Does anyone else have this problem, and does anyone have any ideas about how I can tackle this? More dry chalk, liquid chalk, treating the board with something, or just getting a resin board instead?

Cheers,
Colin

In reply to colin8ll:

Rub chalk on it.

In reply to colin8ll:

I can't hold the sloper neither. Like the other holds, but am useless on the sloper which I can't even get close to sticking.

In reply to colin8ll:

As Andy says, chalk it up. If that fails, give it a sand with a bit of rough ish sandpaper (I think the beastmaker website may have some advice on this). If you have the option, it also helps greatly to have it in a cold part of the house.

In reply to colin8ll:

I find steaming my hands over a boiling kettle for a few seconds to get them 'tacky' helps.

In reply to colin8ll:

Worth bearing in mind that it can take a while to 'break in' the slopers. Keep using them and they'll get easier to use over time.

In reply to colin8ll:

I have the same. I use chalk liberally and have sanded down the slopers many a time, but it seems to have only a transitory effect. I struggle to do a 45 degree sloper pull up at home, but my local wall has a 2000 and they're easy on that.

Yeah people say the more you use it, the better it gets, but I use mine a fair amount and it's still pretty slippery

In reply to colin8ll:

The website says to use a bit of glasspaper to change the surface, this is be done to make it easier or if your use a very fine sheet you can make it harder

In reply to remus:


*1. On a well worn in Beastmaker at the wall I can hung the 35s easily and the 45s momentarily. On my newish one at home I can barely hang the 35s.

In reply to colin8ll:
Use a piece of 220 grit sand paper and sand horizontally, then use plenty of chalk.

I've always found them relatively easy to hang, then again I prefer slopers to most other type of hold anyway.

In reply to colin8ll:

Ok thanks all, grit paper and chalk it is. If that fails I might even use a little resin.

In reply to colin8ll:
Pack some cardboard under the bottom edge to change the angle slightly until you get a stronger grip ( and core).

In reply to colin8ll:

I have noticed there is quite a difference in difficulty hanging them depending on 'conditions', even inside the house.

In reply to colin8ll:
I wouldn't recommend liquid chalk on the beastmakers. It sweats of and turns into a strange feeling squidge at the back of the pockets. Powder is better.
I have tended to find public boards become very fogiving after a lot of traffic. Assuming the grain is noisy, once the softer wood wears away you get ridges which makes it much easier to hang. My 45's are insanely difficult as the only traffic they get is me falling off them. They also gather dust.

In reply to parberoo:


That's exactly it - the grain shows through. Now to use my Beastmaker even more.

In reply to colin8ll:

Try rubbing spit into your fingers and opening a window

In reply to shark:


I agree. When I hang slopers I find that it helps if, after warming up, I remove any grease from my hands using spit or water and then dry them with a towel. Also, I roughen up my skin using some rough holds or sand paper. I repeat this treatment until my skin starts to feel 'grippy'. You may find that you don't even need to use chalk if what you are trying to hang is as clean as you can get it. Usually I find I need a light dusting of fresh chalk on my hands.

In reply to colin8ll:
I'm having trouble in that I find the slopers in particular very slippery. So instead of pumping off I find I sometimes slip off unexpectedly.


No.

and does anyone have any ideas about how I can tackle this?

Get stronger.

In reply to kwoods:


agree with this. I have tried sanding (with 80grit quite a lot) this did little to improve friction.

I have used the board for a while and can't think this has anything to do with breaking in. I also tried a new board at a local wall and the same hang felt much easier. When I tried, my hands were warm and not chalked surprisingly.

Haven't solved the problem on my home board yet however. Would welcome some input and will try warming my hands up/steaming them as suggested.

Does this matter though? It is training right? As long as the conditions are the same each time you get on, you can measure progress. So what if you have to use some assistance?

I have had success (strength gains) by alternating between one month weighted hangs on the easy sloper followed by one month unweighted on the harder sloper.

Body position and grip technique may be an issue too but haven't quite figured this out yet. Perhaps someone could comment on this.

In reply to ianstevens:

Harsh :P

In reply to GeoffRadcliffe:

Hi Geoff. We shouldn't be giving our secrets away to the younger generation - well for free anyway. Same applies when you get "glassy fingers" outdoors bouldering. The texture/grippines of your fingers can be improved the same way.

In reply to colin8ll:

i put tiny little dibs of no more nails on mine and that has worked well but i only use mine about 4 times per month

In reply to shark:


It's in the hope that they stay on the hard problems and leave the easy ones to me - now where's that anti-athritic ointment gone?

In reply to knighty:


More like stupid.

In reply to fried:


I tried this approach last night and it didn't really help. Using a fan to dry my hands and chalk was a bit better but was still difficult.

I've come to the conclusion that the main factor is likely to be the temperature in the house (seems to be the way with slopers and friction elsewhere). Unfortunately, this isn't easy to control.