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So, whats the general concensus on this:
After climbing 'routes' at scugdale today I have logged my assents, I noticed the vast majority of people have logged their climbs as either solo or leads even when everybody at the crag had bouldering matts?
I appreciate that if you fall from the top the mat isn't going to do much for you but I would have thought mat = bouldering, no mat = solo?
After climbing 'routes' at scugdale today I have logged my assents, I noticed the vast majority of people have logged their climbs as either solo or leads even when everybody at the crag had bouldering matts?
I appreciate that if you fall from the top the mat isn't going to do much for you but I would have thought mat = bouldering, no mat = solo?
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In reply to CHarrison:
What about going by the way it's graded? Given a trad grade = solo, given a bouldering grade = crushed, or sent, or whatever. I don't have a logbook so I've never faced this dilemma; maybe you could ask yourself for each route whether it felt more like bouldering or more like soloing...depends a lot on where the crux is. If you fell off loads of times onto the pad, you'd have to call it bouldering, if you flashed it in a cruisy fashion and there wasn't much of a crux you could say you were just using the pad to keep your shoes clean and call it soloing.
What about going by the way it's graded? Given a trad grade = solo, given a bouldering grade = crushed, or sent, or whatever. I don't have a logbook so I've never faced this dilemma; maybe you could ask yourself for each route whether it felt more like bouldering or more like soloing...depends a lot on where the crux is. If you fell off loads of times onto the pad, you'd have to call it bouldering, if you flashed it in a cruisy fashion and there wasn't much of a crux you could say you were just using the pad to keep your shoes clean and call it soloing.
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In reply to Jon Stewart:
Never thought about using the style of grade as a guide.
I'll keep mine in as bouldering because to.me thats what it felt more like, and there were times when I was glad to have the mats below me for some (maybe psychological) security.
But the fact they have trad grades in the guide explains the solo logging
Never thought about using the style of grade as a guide.
I'll keep mine in as bouldering because to.me thats what it felt more like, and there were times when I was glad to have the mats below me for some (maybe psychological) security.
But the fact they have trad grades in the guide explains the solo logging
In reply to CHarrison:
Depends how morally flexible you're feeling
To me 'xyz E2 5c, solo OS' evokes thoughts of some brave hero high on left wall tentatively working through those crux moves. If it transpires that whats actually happened is they've done a V2 boulder problem above a couple of mats, followed by a 4b romp to the top of the crag 6m high gritstone crag Im always a little disappointed. Doesn't quite meet my expectations y'know?
Having said that it's your own choice really. If it felt like a route log it as a route. If it felt like a boulder problem log it as a boulder problem.
Depends how morally flexible you're feeling
To me 'xyz E2 5c, solo OS' evokes thoughts of some brave hero high on left wall tentatively working through those crux moves. If it transpires that whats actually happened is they've done a V2 boulder problem above a couple of mats, followed by a 4b romp to the top of the crag 6m high gritstone crag Im always a little disappointed. Doesn't quite meet my expectations y'know?
Having said that it's your own choice really. If it felt like a route log it as a route. If it felt like a boulder problem log it as a boulder problem.
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In reply to CHarrison:
Don't go to Burbage North then! Whether you are soloing or bouldering depends on which guidebook you have with you. Oddly the ground is always the same distance below.
Don't go to Burbage North then! Whether you are soloing or bouldering depends on which guidebook you have with you. Oddly the ground is always the same distance below.
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In reply to CHarrison:
I log as bouldered if I had a mat, solo otherwise. Not a concensus, just a sample of one
I log as bouldered if I had a mat, solo otherwise. Not a concensus, just a sample of one
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In reply to CHarrison:
I actually think this is a good question to ask since highballing has become much more popular in recent years. The boundary between soloing and bouldering becomes incredibly blurred. On the high stuff, the pads might take the edge off the danger when above a certain height, but certainly don't eliminate it completely.
My personal approach is to log those things climbed solo above pad stacks as bouldered, regardless of whether repeat falls were taken or not. It makes the style that you did it in clear to anybody interested to know. Whether you can say that you've climbed E1/E2/whatever is a completely different matter. Putting a pad or a stack of pads at the bottom of something doesn't de facto make it a boulder problem, but it definitely can take the edge off the danger. If asked, I would always qualify the statement "I did route x" with a caveat about the style it was done in.
Obviously people aren't always coming up to me asking what I've done. But when a group of friends enjoys amicable competition between each other it is important to be clear on matters of style.
I actually think this is a good question to ask since highballing has become much more popular in recent years. The boundary between soloing and bouldering becomes incredibly blurred. On the high stuff, the pads might take the edge off the danger when above a certain height, but certainly don't eliminate it completely.
My personal approach is to log those things climbed solo above pad stacks as bouldered, regardless of whether repeat falls were taken or not. It makes the style that you did it in clear to anybody interested to know. Whether you can say that you've climbed E1/E2/whatever is a completely different matter. Putting a pad or a stack of pads at the bottom of something doesn't de facto make it a boulder problem, but it definitely can take the edge off the danger. If asked, I would always qualify the statement "I did route x" with a caveat about the style it was done in.
Obviously people aren't always coming up to me asking what I've done. But when a group of friends enjoys amicable competition between each other it is important to be clear on matters of style.
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In reply to remus:
Using Burbage North as a good example most routes in the grey area get joint grades and trad grades are hardly ever disguised, nearly always having a high technicality for the adjectival grade (from HS 5b upwards). The 6m E2 5c line you postulate is way more likely to be VS 5c or E2 6c.
Using Burbage North as a good example most routes in the grey area get joint grades and trad grades are hardly ever disguised, nearly always having a high technicality for the adjectival grade (from HS 5b upwards). The 6m E2 5c line you postulate is way more likely to be VS 5c or E2 6c.
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In reply to CHarrison:
I always log a route as 'Sent' if I've used a mat, however highball it is. If I've worked the moves of a hard (for me!) route on shunt first and I then headpoint highball it, I log it as 'Sentx' and make a note about the shunt. If the ex-trainspotter in me is having a particularly good day, then I might go so far as to specify how many mats, but I enjoy any excuse for recording in obsessive detail.
I always log a route as 'Sent' if I've used a mat, however highball it is. If I've worked the moves of a hard (for me!) route on shunt first and I then headpoint highball it, I log it as 'Sentx' and make a note about the shunt. If the ex-trainspotter in me is having a particularly good day, then I might go so far as to specify how many mats, but I enjoy any excuse for recording in obsessive detail.
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In reply to CHarrison:
If you'd fallen off would you have weighted the rope from the crux? There's plenty of stuff I've done at Scugdale where the only benefit of the rope was that I could drag Maria up after me!
If you want even more amusement go to the Stoney Wicks section of the crag which has trad grades for everything, I'm nearly as tall as some of the "routes" there!
If you'd fallen off would you have weighted the rope from the crux? There's plenty of stuff I've done at Scugdale where the only benefit of the rope was that I could drag Maria up after me!
If you want even more amusement go to the Stoney Wicks section of the crag which has trad grades for everything, I'm nearly as tall as some of the "routes" there!
In reply to spenser:
Alright mate.
I roped up for 1 (and took a lob) bouldered the others. To me logging 'sent' feels right for the routes I climbed, just wondering why there were so many 'solo' logs when everybody there was using pads. Your right though at scugdale most crux falls would probably be a deck anyway!
The guidebook giving it a trad grad kind of explains it
Alright mate.
I roped up for 1 (and took a lob) bouldered the others. To me logging 'sent' feels right for the routes I climbed, just wondering why there were so many 'solo' logs when everybody there was using pads. Your right though at scugdale most crux falls would probably be a deck anyway!
The guidebook giving it a trad grad kind of explains it
Post edited at 21:31
In reply to CHarrison:
Anything over 5m is a route as far as I'm concerned, regardless of whether I have a mat or not (usually don't have a spotter) . If I've got a mat with me I'll generally use it, even on routes that are the full height of Stanage - partly cos I'll often contrive hard starts, but also cos it reduces erosion on the ground. But it is amusing to look down on a small mat from the top of say, Christmas Crack and wonder if you'd hit it, let alone whether it would be any good.
I suppose the other reason is that I've been doing this for 30 years and never thought of the distinction between routes and Boulder probs - it's all climbing without gear. And I don't get bouldering grades - if I've done something hard or scary I want a VS or HVS, not V0 or at best V1. Banana Finger and Crescent arête are both HVS 5c as far as I concerned - always have been, always will be
Anything over 5m is a route as far as I'm concerned, regardless of whether I have a mat or not (usually don't have a spotter) . If I've got a mat with me I'll generally use it, even on routes that are the full height of Stanage - partly cos I'll often contrive hard starts, but also cos it reduces erosion on the ground. But it is amusing to look down on a small mat from the top of say, Christmas Crack and wonder if you'd hit it, let alone whether it would be any good.
I suppose the other reason is that I've been doing this for 30 years and never thought of the distinction between routes and Boulder probs - it's all climbing without gear. And I don't get bouldering grades - if I've done something hard or scary I want a VS or HVS, not V0 or at best V1. Banana Finger and Crescent arête are both HVS 5c as far as I concerned - always have been, always will be
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In reply to TobyA:
Not if you're using a mat it isn't. Easier, soft landing and not as far to fall.
> Don't go to Burbage North then! Whether you are soloing or bouldering depends on which guidebook you have with you. Oddly the ground is always the same distance below.
Not if you're using a mat it isn't. Easier, soft landing and not as far to fall.
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In reply to Chris the Tall:
Banana Finger is done once you feet are a barely more than a metre off the ground, its a boulder problem. Its also been UK tech 6a for a while. You must have done it so long ago the helly hansen fleece trouser beta was still useful. You can just about have your HVS for Crescent Arete (despite it really being a highish boulder problem).
Banana Finger is done once you feet are a barely more than a metre off the ground, its a boulder problem. Its also been UK tech 6a for a while. You must have done it so long ago the helly hansen fleece trouser beta was still useful. You can just about have your HVS for Crescent Arete (despite it really being a highish boulder problem).
Post edited at 02:23
In reply to Lion Bakes:
Indeed, the whoppin' 10 to 20cm makes all the difference in the world... when fallin' from 15m or so.
Not
> ....and not as far to fall.
Indeed, the whoppin' 10 to 20cm makes all the difference in the world... when fallin' from 15m or so.
Not
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In reply to CHarrison:
As for general rule of thumb...
For me, one pad is ok for trad routes (keeps the shoes cleaner) and is a nice handy ropetarp. I use it quite often here (as the pad is also nicer to sit on).
So for soloing, the "route" needs to be over 5 to 7m (ie. if it had gear, I would prefer to use a rope and gear). And to be counted as boulder, anything sub 5 (to 7m). Bouldering can be done without pads or with a hudge stack of them.
As for general rule of thumb...
For me, one pad is ok for trad routes (keeps the shoes cleaner) and is a nice handy ropetarp. I use it quite often here (as the pad is also nicer to sit on).
So for soloing, the "route" needs to be over 5 to 7m (ie. if it had gear, I would prefer to use a rope and gear). And to be counted as boulder, anything sub 5 (to 7m). Bouldering can be done without pads or with a hudge stack of them.
In reply to HeMa:
Of course it makes a difference!
On highballs I often wear my dads platform shoes which can help take the edge off a fall. The flares reduce the velocity a little too.
> Indeed, the whoppin' 10 to 20cm makes all the difference in the world... when fallin' from 15m or so.
> Not
Of course it makes a difference!
On highballs I often wear my dads platform shoes which can help take the edge off a fall. The flares reduce the velocity a little too.
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In reply to Chris the Tall:
Having a pad at the bottom makes a pretty big psychological difference for me. More confidence to climb higher & quicker knowing I could jump off prior to the 1st gear placement. Sometimes that 1st placement going smooth is the key...
That's said on a lot of trad (especially grit) a pad changes the Trad grade for me.
A good example for me would be Rasp direct. I have blouldered out the start knowing I can bail to the pad.
Still no way I could lead that start without a pad though, hence cant attempt the trad tick due to the start.
Having a pad at the bottom makes a pretty big psychological difference for me. More confidence to climb higher & quicker knowing I could jump off prior to the 1st gear placement. Sometimes that 1st placement going smooth is the key...
That's said on a lot of trad (especially grit) a pad changes the Trad grade for me.
A good example for me would be Rasp direct. I have blouldered out the start knowing I can bail to the pad.
Still no way I could lead that start without a pad though, hence cant attempt the trad tick due to the start.
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In reply to HeMa:
Of course it makes a difference. Try climbing without your nice safe mat and fall off and see how you get on. You might find your sport grade on these routes drops somewhat.
> Indeed, the whoppin' 10 to 20cm makes all the difference in the world... when fallin' from 15m or so.
> Not
Of course it makes a difference. Try climbing without your nice safe mat and fall off and see how you get on. You might find your sport grade on these routes drops somewhat.
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In reply to Offwidth:
BF was HVS 5c when I first did and that always seemed right to me. Back in the pre-mat days only really short problems didn't get full grades and BF was certainly high enough to be scary, particularly without a spotter. And it isn't over when you do the traverse, and even when you reach the next break. That said my method uses my full reach, so usual caveats apply.
BF was HVS 5c when I first did and that always seemed right to me. Back in the pre-mat days only really short problems didn't get full grades and BF was certainly high enough to be scary, particularly without a spotter. And it isn't over when you do the traverse, and even when you reach the next break. That said my method uses my full reach, so usual caveats apply.
In reply to Chris the Tall:
Probably agree with you about Banana Finger and we only had beer towels back then.
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=197367
Probably agree with you about Banana Finger and we only had beer towels back then.
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=197367
Post edited at 17:20
In reply to Lion Bakes:
Ok, we can use my 10cm Ocun and you can jump to it from say 12m. If you walk away unscathed, I'll jump from the same spot without the pad.
> Of course it makes a difference. Try climbing without your nice safe mat and fall off and see how you get on.
Ok, we can use my 10cm Ocun and you can jump to it from say 12m. If you walk away unscathed, I'll jump from the same spot without the pad.
In reply to BloodyJam:
This doesn't make sense to me. I don't know the start in question but I gather the Rasp is well protected. If you can highball the direct start over a pad or pads, then why not do it with a rack on and, once you've done the start, carry on to finish the route? That would be a lead with a caveat that you bouldered the start over pads.
If you're worried about "cheating" your way up the grade then forget it, you're holding yourself back unnecessarily. If that's the most sensible way to climb the route then get on with it. The grade and whether the edge might have been taken off it is incidental.
Imagine if people had refused to adopt the use of cams because it might have changed the grade of preexisting climbs!
> A good example for me would be Rasp direct. I have blouldered out the start knowing I can bail to the pad.
> Still no way I could lead that start without a pad though, hence cant attempt the trad tick due to the start.
This doesn't make sense to me. I don't know the start in question but I gather the Rasp is well protected. If you can highball the direct start over a pad or pads, then why not do it with a rack on and, once you've done the start, carry on to finish the route? That would be a lead with a caveat that you bouldered the start over pads.
If you're worried about "cheating" your way up the grade then forget it, you're holding yourself back unnecessarily. If that's the most sensible way to climb the route then get on with it. The grade and whether the edge might have been taken off it is incidental.
Imagine if people had refused to adopt the use of cams because it might have changed the grade of preexisting climbs!
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In reply to Christheclimber:
Good costume shame about the photo clipping...
Your feet are barely a metre off the ground (and I'm impressed that Chris had the core strength to keep his lanky limbs that high). If ever there was an early contender for an HS 5c this was it.
Banana Finger (f6A)#photos
Good costume shame about the photo clipping...
Your feet are barely a metre off the ground (and I'm impressed that Chris had the core strength to keep his lanky limbs that high). If ever there was an early contender for an HS 5c this was it.
Banana Finger (f6A)#photos
In reply to Offwidth:
I must not get into grade arguments with Steve
I must not get into grade arguments with Steve
I must not get into grade arguments with Steve
I must not get into grade arguments with Steve
Ah bollocks.
It's the thought of falling off as I go up from here Banana Finger (f6A)#photos that scares me (flat hold, high feet, long legs, no spotters, stuff to hit, rocky landing, could fall backwards)
I must not get into grade arguments with Steve
I must not get into grade arguments with Steve
I must not get into grade arguments with Steve
I must not get into grade arguments with Steve
Ah bollocks.
It's the thought of falling off as I go up from here Banana Finger (f6A)#photos that scares me (flat hold, high feet, long legs, no spotters, stuff to hit, rocky landing, could fall backwards)
In reply to Chris the Tall:
It's your choice to climb on your own (spotters were traditional in the time pre-mats when such problems got route grades) and the barely easier HVD 5b of Verandah Buttress has a worse landing
It's your choice to climb on your own (spotters were traditional in the time pre-mats when such problems got route grades) and the barely easier HVD 5b of Verandah Buttress has a worse landing
In reply to Offwidth:
Verandah Buttress is the Godwin of grade discussions - you lose !
Just to the right though is Greengrocer Wall, another HVS 5c. I consider that to be similar in difficulty to BF - slightly easier technically, slightly more scary perhaps but well within grade bounds.
Verandah Buttress is the Godwin of grade discussions - you lose !
Just to the right though is Greengrocer Wall, another HVS 5c. I consider that to be similar in difficulty to BF - slightly easier technically, slightly more scary perhaps but well within grade bounds.
In reply to Chris the Tall:
Blimey! I never suspected the route had such megalomaniacal tendencies... all these dnfs must be going to its head. Greengrocers is a proper route, even if being fully serious I cant see much in common with BF. How about the corner and arete left of Avalanche wall? ... both tech graded in the same vintage Derwent guide or much better, Don's Crack into Jankers ... 6a into VS in the Derwent guide.
I notice they gave it 7m in the Derwent edition translated from the old ego boosting 20ft... 4ft of traverse a couple of feet above ground level 3 ft of hard climbing and a HS move to reach the pull in into a mod was never HVS or even 5m in my book. Fluffy trousers really did stick to the rock when I first did it (an inside thigh above the overlap saved me the full power move or the precarious high feet version). Its much harder now due to all the flailing traffic.
Blimey! I never suspected the route had such megalomaniacal tendencies... all these dnfs must be going to its head. Greengrocers is a proper route, even if being fully serious I cant see much in common with BF. How about the corner and arete left of Avalanche wall? ... both tech graded in the same vintage Derwent guide or much better, Don's Crack into Jankers ... 6a into VS in the Derwent guide.
I notice they gave it 7m in the Derwent edition translated from the old ego boosting 20ft... 4ft of traverse a couple of feet above ground level 3 ft of hard climbing and a HS move to reach the pull in into a mod was never HVS or even 5m in my book. Fluffy trousers really did stick to the rock when I first did it (an inside thigh above the overlap saved me the full power move or the precarious high feet version). Its much harder now due to all the flailing traffic.
In reply to Offwidth:
My point about Verandah Buttress is that it's such an anomaly that it is useless as a reference point.
Rugosity Wall, Rusty Crack, Pedlars Slab are all HVS 5c in my head and similar challenges to BF, but much of that has to do with the fact that, when I first started climbing, I went looking for routes of that grade. As such these became my benchmarks for that grade.
My point about Verandah Buttress is that it's such an anomaly that it is useless as a reference point.
Rugosity Wall, Rusty Crack, Pedlars Slab are all HVS 5c in my head and similar challenges to BF, but much of that has to do with the fact that, when I first started climbing, I went looking for routes of that grade. As such these became my benchmarks for that grade.
In reply to Offwidth:
Spotters? We would all stand around, arms folded and watch the aspirant struggle. When they hid the dust, the best they could hope for was -"better luck next time, you almost had it".
I don't recall seen anyone 'spotting' before the advent of mats,
Chris
> It's your choice to climb on your own (spotters were traditional in the time pre-mats when such problems got route grades)
Spotters? We would all stand around, arms folded and watch the aspirant struggle. When they hid the dust, the best they could hope for was -"better luck next time, you almost had it".
I don't recall seen anyone 'spotting' before the advent of mats,
Chris
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In reply to CHarrison:
If you are using a stack of pads and falling on to them you are bouldering in my opinion. This doesn't mean you are safe but you are doing what you can to reduce the risk of hurting yourself. I gave myself a bad heamatoma earlier in the year when I fell badly off the top of The Great Flake (E6 6b) at Caley. I spun around and as I hit the ground I bent my legs and somehow caught my arm with my knee. Felt like I had broken it and it swelled up a lot. Luckily I managed to sketch my way up Psycho (E5 6b) just before!
I'm crap at soloing yet relatively ok at highball bouldering which suggests to me there is a clear difference still. I log them as boulder problems though lots of friends still log them as solos, usually commenting on the use of pads.
The E-grades for these things were given for a solo where it would be nasty to fall off. How often they were climbed O/S or ground-up is another question.
Personally, I think highballing these routes ground-up is better style than headpointing and then soloing them. For me it is a very natural and very fun way to tackle these great routes. The fear and the unknown are still there in massive quantities - but you can try a bit harder and be more likely to be able to climb the next month rather than not be able to give it the beans for fear of breaking something.
Not a million miles away now - lets hope this winter is better than the last!
If you are using a stack of pads and falling on to them you are bouldering in my opinion. This doesn't mean you are safe but you are doing what you can to reduce the risk of hurting yourself. I gave myself a bad heamatoma earlier in the year when I fell badly off the top of The Great Flake (E6 6b) at Caley. I spun around and as I hit the ground I bent my legs and somehow caught my arm with my knee. Felt like I had broken it and it swelled up a lot. Luckily I managed to sketch my way up Psycho (E5 6b) just before!
I'm crap at soloing yet relatively ok at highball bouldering which suggests to me there is a clear difference still. I log them as boulder problems though lots of friends still log them as solos, usually commenting on the use of pads.
The E-grades for these things were given for a solo where it would be nasty to fall off. How often they were climbed O/S or ground-up is another question.
Personally, I think highballing these routes ground-up is better style than headpointing and then soloing them. For me it is a very natural and very fun way to tackle these great routes. The fear and the unknown are still there in massive quantities - but you can try a bit harder and be more likely to be able to climb the next month rather than not be able to give it the beans for fear of breaking something.
Not a million miles away now - lets hope this winter is better than the last!
In reply to Chris Craggs:
I guess it depends on your mates. No one taught us but on boulder problems and hard starts it seemed sensible to spot each other onto a flat landing rather than let someome fly off and splat into a boulder. On the start of Long John's we even spotted the spotter on the pedestal.
In the really old days combined tactics were common.
I guess it depends on your mates. No one taught us but on boulder problems and hard starts it seemed sensible to spot each other onto a flat landing rather than let someome fly off and splat into a boulder. On the start of Long John's we even spotted the spotter on the pedestal.
In the really old days combined tactics were common.
In reply to Chris Craggs:
Back in the good old days eh, Chris!?
I even spot/ask for a spot on the starts of routes if they are a little weird... surely just a logical extension of the belaying duties...?
Back in the good old days eh, Chris!?
I even spot/ask for a spot on the starts of routes if they are a little weird... surely just a logical extension of the belaying duties...?
In reply to Duncan Campbell:
Seems eminently sensible - not sure why it never occurred to us - a bit of machismo at a guess!
Chris
> Back in the good old days eh, Chris!?
> I even spot/ask for a spot on the starts of routes if they are a little weird... surely just a logical extension of the belaying duties...?
Seems eminently sensible - not sure why it never occurred to us - a bit of machismo at a guess!
Chris
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In reply to Offwidth:
Which takes us back to the original question. Log it as solo if on your own, if you have spotters you're bouldering.
(Next question - what if you don't trust your mates ? "Spot you ? But you'd crush me!" )
Which takes us back to the original question. Log it as solo if on your own, if you have spotters you're bouldering.
(Next question - what if you don't trust your mates ? "Spot you ? But you'd crush me!" )
In reply to CHarrison:
My personal beliefs/assumptions (probably not shared by anyone):
If you are doing a short route you are happy to fall off (with or without pads), you are bouldering. Obviously pads will increase your 'maximum happy height'.
If you climb outside of your happy height into a point where you are no longer happy to fall off, you are no longer bouldering. Bouldering (to me) is about falling off :P
If you are using a rope (and I mean using, not just taking up for the abseil or psychological benefit) you are doing trad. If you are using a boulder pad to protect the start, but the rope to protect the rest, you are still doing trad. Ethical debates may ensure about whether you are doing it in 'good style' or not or whether it is cheating. Personally I am of always of the opinion that falling off and breaking things before the first gear is Not Cool: style be buggered...
If you are not using a rope, and you are above your happy height and are not OK to fall off then you are soloing. If you are doing a 10m problem over a pad, you are likely to be soloing. You may find the pad provides additional safety at the bottom; that is up to you. Alternatively you may be doing a 6m highball problem with a 10m scramble exit at significantly easier grade. I would argue that you have bouldered the problem then scrambled/soloed off...
TLDR: bouldering is about falling off.
My personal beliefs/assumptions (probably not shared by anyone):
If you are doing a short route you are happy to fall off (with or without pads), you are bouldering. Obviously pads will increase your 'maximum happy height'.
If you climb outside of your happy height into a point where you are no longer happy to fall off, you are no longer bouldering. Bouldering (to me) is about falling off :P
If you are using a rope (and I mean using, not just taking up for the abseil or psychological benefit) you are doing trad. If you are using a boulder pad to protect the start, but the rope to protect the rest, you are still doing trad. Ethical debates may ensure about whether you are doing it in 'good style' or not or whether it is cheating. Personally I am of always of the opinion that falling off and breaking things before the first gear is Not Cool: style be buggered...
If you are not using a rope, and you are above your happy height and are not OK to fall off then you are soloing. If you are doing a 10m problem over a pad, you are likely to be soloing. You may find the pad provides additional safety at the bottom; that is up to you. Alternatively you may be doing a 6m highball problem with a 10m scramble exit at significantly easier grade. I would argue that you have bouldered the problem then scrambled/soloed off...
TLDR: bouldering is about falling off.
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