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turbodan22 08 Sep 2011
hi everyone
this is a great forum and had alot of advice of it just from reading posts and has helped alot im from the derbyshire area and climb at alter rock most nights.

i started climbing a few monthes ago on a saturday brought my own sport leading gear on the sunday and climbed my first outdoor 6 on the following thursday at intake quarry. and go indoors anychance i get but whant to get into trad climbing ive done a few lead climbs at blackrock but most people i climb with arnt that interested in going outdoors.

the onlything that puts me of is falling on trad gear i find it very hard to trust it ive brought all the books and know the basics of placing gear but am waiting to go withsome that knows exactly what they are doing.

i have all my own gear consistsing of

2 ropes
2 sets of nuts
6 cams
hexes
numerous slings (the only placemet i trust)
12 quickdraws
carabieners etc etc



my questions are

1. how many of you have fell on trad placements and not had a problem ( i really need to get the fear out of falling on it out the way)
2 is there any good instructers around derbyshire way
3 how many of you just went out and got on with it
4 my hands are always so sore aftrer climbing any remedies
 cfer 08 Sep 2011
1. I am in the same boat as you but I think it would be a high 90% that fall on trad gear with no problem

2. Can't help as a different area but there are always ML aspirants that need students posting on here, filling out a profile will also help towards getting some help.

3. I think a few here, esp the older ones, just went out. But for me that would not feel safe, I'm lucky that I have a couple of people on here willing to show me the ropes as it were

4. Moisturise, or use something like climb on

Good Luck!!
 CragRat11 08 Sep 2011
In reply to turbodan22: You trust slings and nothing else? Oh dear.

Go out a play for a few hours with different bits of gear, see what fits, what doesn't, play around and get used to putting gear in, clip a sling into it and bounce on it (from the ground) see what stays in. If you are only taking your first steps into trad climbing then perhaps you should be looking at routes that are very easy with very little chance of you falling off. Trad climbing is very different to sport climbing and needs to be approached in a different way, most people do their very best never to fall! Certainly not until they are pushing their grade, which is probably not worth considering before you are good at placing gear.
 Ann S 08 Sep 2011
In reply to turbodan22:

I have had about 5 leaders falls on trad gear in 14years, all of which have held except one piece about 3 years ago which I knew to be marginal after fiddling with it for ages. All the remaining bits of gear below it held and I got away with a broken wrist. Practice at ground level and then progress to lowering off a piece you have placed 6 feet off the ground. You will quickly come to trust your gear and assess how solid the surrounding rock is... or not.
 Paul Hy 09 Sep 2011
In reply to Ann S: good advise Ann. thx
 Jonny2vests 10 Sep 2011
In reply to turbodan22:

> 1. how many of you have fell on trad placements and not had a problem ( i really need to get the fear out of falling on it out the way)

Never had a real problem. Counterintuitively, falling on easier routes, tends to be more dangerous, harder routes often have less to hit. Always good to scope out hazards (ledges etc) and place gear accordingly on your way up. Falling off indoors is often a good start, search for 'Clip Dropping'.

> 2 is there any good instructers around derbyshire way

Tons, look in the classifieds section. There's often free instruction being offered on here for people who need log book stuff for instructor quals. Don't know any personally I'm afraid.

> 3 how many of you just went out and got on with it

I was taught by the Army, in some detail. Going out and getting on with it is fine though if you have climber mates you can trust to steer you. Beginners teaching themselves is dodgy ground I think.

> 4 my hands are always so sore aftrer climbing any remedies

That will go away. You could try 'ClimbOn'.
 Leo Woodfelder 10 Sep 2011
In reply to turbodan22: I just wen out and learnt "on the job!" Started off placing gear low down, giving it a bounce to seee how it held. Then started with low level routes and worked my way up. Still working my way up now, but I have got to the stage where I feel calm up to about hvs. The more you place gear the more you understand how it all works. Just get out there and give it a bash!

Where in Derbyshore are you? You could always come out with us as long as you have transport. We would be coming from Manchester. Roaches maybe?
 eonuk 10 Sep 2011
I found confidence in gear came mainly with practice. We used to think that if we could top rope hard climbs, then leading occasional easier ones would be easy - didn't work like that at all!

Later on with a big break in climbing and different climbing partners, I completely flipped that attitude and worked my leading up the grades. Even through i could climb much harder, I just spent some time leading a load of Diffs and VDiffs until I was comfortable with it.

It didn't take long but you end up being much more relaxed with the gear. Then start throwing in few HVDs and Severes. After a while you will get comfortable with that (maybe with a few scares on the way due to lack of gear more than anything). Even though I wasn't falling on the gear, my trust in it grew a lot just by constantly using it.

I'm quite a conservative climber but have had a few falls. Generally only pushed myself hard if the gear looked bomber. But, for the most, I now feel a lot more comfortable leading with trad gear below me.
 mmmhumous 02 Oct 2011
In reply to turbodan22:

1. how many of you have fell on trad placements and not had a problem ( i really need to get the fear out of falling on it out the way)

-My first trad fall did wonders for my confidence in gear placements (fell 3 metres onto a number 2 wire which held).
-To get over you fear of falling I'd recommend practicing clip-drop technique indoors(plenty of articles/posts and videos on the topic).
-Losing the fear of falling onto trad gear happens by gaining confidence and practice in placing gear. (Getting our second to rate you placements is always helpful).

3 how many of you just went out and got on with it

- I'm self taught for trad, but did an indoor learn to lead course.

4 my hands are always so sore aftrer climbing any remedies

- More climbing and good moisturiser
 nawface 02 Oct 2011
In reply to turbodan22:

1. Good gear holds in my experience, thankfully. I've fallen a fair few times, cams and nuts, and they work. But it takes time to be able to place gear well and gain the trust in it. As others have said start slowly and build it up.

2. http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/info/search.php?forum=0&dates=0&na...

3. Got into trad after a few years climbing on bolts. Joined local club, made friends, learnt trad. http://www.ukclimbing.com/listings/?t=club#main

 EeeByGum 06 Oct 2011
In reply to turbodan22:

1. Fallen on trad gear several times - no problems so far
2. Probably
3. I just got on with it after reading a few books
4. Do more climbing. Your hands will soon toughen up. Use less chalk.
 Jack Graham 06 Oct 2011
In reply to turbodan22: I've had some fairly big, and one really big, fall, all onto cams, which I know a lot of people see as the least secure feeling placement. The gear always held fine. Nuts I'd trust even more. Just go for it!

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