UKC

Dry Tooling question

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ConstellationLyra 09 Jan 2015
Quick question for winter climbers/dry toolers:

Given the progression/streamlining seen with rock climbing over the years, would any winter climbers see 'dry-tool bouldering' as one of the possible next logical stages of development?

I'm curious if this is under development anywhere at present in Scotland. Given the limited number of dry-tooling venues yet plethora of potential boulders, it seems a possibility as an extension of the branches of climbing that presently exist?

Regards
 GaryK 09 Jan 2015
In reply to ConstellationLyra:

I don't believe that dry tooling will follow rock climbing in this direction, for the following reasons;

Almost all dry tooling areas are in old quarries, or areas of dubious/unsafe/usually wet rock that have been deemed to be unfit/unpleasant for trad or sport climbing.

Boulders by their nature are more solid pieces of rock, that have survived being separated from their original location. They will therefore be desirable to rock climbers/boulderers.

The current state of ethics is that dry tooling cannot take place on ANY piece of rock that can be safely climbed by rock climbing.This will exclude dry tooling from taking place on these boulders.

If a boulder is so loose that rock climbing is not possible, or unsafe, then it will probably not be a boulder.

For these reasons I feel that dry tool bouldering is almost a contradiction in terms, and is therefore unlikely to happen. Though I'm happy to be wrong.

Gary Kinsey

 Mr. Lee 09 Jan 2015
In reply to ConstellationLyra:

Not strictly bouldering, or dry tooling, but I always enjoyed the low level traverses at the Eastern end of Saltdean. Not 'progression' or 'development' but good training nonetheless. The
 planetmarshall 09 Jan 2015
In reply to ConstellationLyra:
Plenty of informal winter bouldering / dry tooling is done - I have done so myself in order to salvage a day at Meall Gorm when the desired route was not in condition. Whether it becomes an 'official' thing with guidebooks and grades though seems unlikely.

Andrew.
Post edited at 12:56
 petegunn 09 Jan 2015
In reply to ConstellationLyra:

Falling off said boulder problems might be a cause for concern, ok with shoes and chalk bag, a bit dodgy with spikes and two axes "can you give me a spot on this please!"
 Diggler 09 Jan 2015
In reply to petegunn:

I can't see your bouldering mat lasting long either!!
 Mr. Lee 09 Jan 2015
In reply to Diggler:

Kevlar boulder mats are the way forward
 geezer 13 Jan 2015
In reply to ConstellationLyra:

The equivalent tends to take place on home training walls and some public gyms and has been going on for years. The Canmore wall in Canada being a prime example but also the Schoolhouse in Edinburgh and extreme dream in aviemore before it went, the bouldering room at icefactor, and private walls winter climbers like Gregs training wall, Dave Macleods wall and kev shields training wall whih has moved around with him.

The indoor walls allow riduculosly hard moves to be practiced safely and technique to be refined but the vibe is really similar to a hard bouldering session!

Finding drytooling venues in the uk is hard even for routes for bouldering it would be practically impossible!


 dr_botnik 13 Jan 2015
In reply to ConstellationLyra:

Trolololol

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