Does anyone still use UK tech grades for anything other than trad? Even when talking about cruxes in hard trad people seem to use Font or V grades to describe the difficulties.
> If it does exist anyone capable of climbing it won't be bothering with the UK tech system
Exactly! When English 7a is anything from F7B To 8C (basically anything from competent punter level to world class elite level) it's about as much use as Anne Frank's drumkit.
> Exactly! When English 7a is anything from F7B To 8C (basically anything from competent punter level to world class elite level) it's about as much use as Anne Frank's drumkit.
I wonder what Welsh 7a is in bouldering grades then?
It’s a good comparison though, given that UK 6c spans 2 entire number grades which cover bang average to world class - showing what a fine inclusive grade the tech system is
In what way is UK 6c "bang average" - I suspect that far less than 50% of climbers have ever done a 6c technical move.
And the problem with the tech grades up there was that the people doing the new climbs and setting the technical grades abused it by compressing loads into it.
> In what way is UK 6c "bang average" - I suspect that far less than 50% of climbers have ever done a 6c technical move.
> And the problem with the tech grades up there was that the people doing the new climbs and setting the technical grades abused it by compressing loads into it.
Maybe I roll in the "wrong" circles, but in my mind Font 7A (i.e. the bottom end of 6c tech) does not place you a long way up the skill spectrum.
I think Hubble was graded E10 7b and widely regarded as the crux being about 8B or 8B+ font.
There are still very few 8C's here which would be the step up. Though if we try to keep the spaces between the grades consistent then maybe 7c might not be reached until about font 9B?
Podcast Mountain Air - 6. Rob Woodall, Britain's Greatest Peak Bagger?
Fri Night Vid Finding Focus - Life Behind The Lens of a Climbing Photographer
This week's Friday Night Video is a portrait of a prolific climbing photographer from Wedge Climbing. Sam Pratt is well known in both the outdoor and competition scene but if you haven't heard of him, you've likely seen...