UKC

Tsunami (f8A)

What are the rules for this problem? I always thought it was 'match the sloper then go direct from matched to the sidepull, without using a heel'. In the first two videos on here the climbers go right again to the crimp and use a heel (although not to get to the sidepull). In the last video the climber goes from matched but uses a heel to do so. Are we now considering anything fair game as long as the sloper gets matched and the pocket doesn't get used at all?

I know it's silly rules but if we are going to have them it would be nice to be consistent and all follow the same ones. I always thought that the point of this problem was 'can you do the original beta' rather than trying to find a better method.

Cheers.

Hi,

You'd probably be more likely to get some help on the UK bouldering forum: https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?action=forum

I think the fact that there seem to be a lot of boulder problems that have "rules" about what techniques you can and can't use makes it far less enjoyable. Unlike routes boulder problems seems very arbitrary and contrived. I often find it difficult to figure out where something starts or goes. It's more fun if you just climb what you think looks good and is a natural line imo. 

The majority of the time I agree with you. Peak lime has its anomalies though and this is one of them.

Have you been to  Horseshoe Quarry? Plenty of arbitrary routes around the place too.

Presumably you just rainbow-climb when you go climbing inside? You must get up everything!

"hey have you tried the new blueblackyellowgreenred at The Works? I thought it was a bit soft"

Why are all these idiots climbing up overhanging, difficult rock faces at Stanage when there's a path up the side? Fools!

Bouldering is about doing hard moves. Obviously the quality of a route/problem is reduced if it's eliminate vs something like Burden of Dreams where there are only the holds you get but the point remains that climbing is often about making things hard for yourself. 

I take a step ladder for these cases...

I do quite a lot of bouldering, and would agree that I'm not a fan of rules/eliminates. But I acknowledge that it is, or can be, part of the game, unlike in the vast majority of trad climbing.

I've not bouldered on limestone and I think it's the lack of 'lines' that doesn't appeal (as well as the fact that it looks hard....). Grit bouldering most frequently has 'lines' but you sometimes create the problem by sit start off particular holds, not using the arete, match the rail.....etc. The best problems usually have a clear line and few ways to 'cheat' it, and don't need to consult forums/locals etc to make sure you've done it right. 

That said, it's a game so you can have great experiences by creating rules around what is and isn't in. 

AFAIK the "full rules" option would involve only using the sloper (no pocket or crimp to the right), and no heel.  I think there's an old thread on ukb somewhere where Andy Harris explains...

Personally I see no point in this being an eliminate - it's around 8A with any method so why make it a worse problem? Eliminates "make sense" to me when they fundamentally "create" a new problem, e.g. by eliminating the opposite side of a crack to create an arete problem, or creating hard problems at minus ten where otherwise there would just be some 6As. Simply doing a bad sequence to turn a soft 8A into a solid 8A seems a little nuts to me (though I've done it plenty of times, e.g. at crag x) and best reserved for the very bored.

Edit: https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,8912.0.html this implies matching the sloper and avoiding the heel would be compulsory for the full old-school version, but using the pocket and crimp after matching the sloper would be legit.. which to my mind is just "being shit at rock climbing". But then I mostly boulder as training for routes, and I'm not training to be shit at rock climbing... Others may differ. 

Straight to the point Alex I totally agree but for me matching the sloper was the only way because I was too stretched out to reach past it.  After that anything was in as far as I was concerned. However watching taller people skip the match felt like they were missing out on the essence of the problem, the only redeeming feature of an otherwise minging polished bit of rock.

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense.  Hard 8A with full rules, low 8A just eliminating the pocket and climbing the rest how you like, 7C+ no rules and using the pocket. 

I've not climbed on there for ages but am a bit projectless at the moment so trying to get psyched for something.  I had a quick play on it years ago and could match the sloper and get into the sidepull with a heel on so I think the only move I've not done is getting the undercut from the sidepull.

I'll start with no rules and then get increasingly more ridiculous until I get bored!

Cheers

I would say 8A using everything personally, prob hard 8A with all rules? But I could never get the heel to work so maybe it's easier than I think? FYI I don't use the pocket on anything since the crimp is better - I think the pocket is just used if you can't reach to the crimp?

Kristian - ah yeah, I guess smaller people are forced to do the match! 

 

Maybe the heel suits the shorter climber, I find the move up desperate without it!

I'd like that to be my excuse, but I fear it probably just doesn't suit climbers who are terrible with heels (me)!