UKC

We all know that there are certain advantages in climbing from body types eg height gives a reach advantage although being smaller sometimes has more advantage on overhangs. Power to weight ratio is also a known factor. The question I'm interested is from my own limitations from hands and feet. My first toe is bigger than my big toe so I tend to climb on the end of my toes which is ok until I encounter small pockets eg Rheinstor where I cant get up anything, modern climbing shoes dont help as they are all shaped towards the big toe (the positive side of this is I'm at home in big mountaineering boots on small edges). Another observation is that close up photographs of people crimping on hard gritstone shows most with what look like double jointed finger ends in which case they get more fingerpad on the hold- does it also give mechanical advantage and will most of the strain be transferred to the second joint?

In reply to Removed Userjess13:

I'm 5'11 and never got under 12st 4lb no matter how fit and lean, I've got short limbs but chunky hands and finger strength has always been my best feature...my climbing partner of 20 years is 6'1, about 11 stone with ridiculous reach but skinny long fingers! We couldn't be more different in style, manage routes but it must look very ungamely as I hate the routes he chooses and he hates mine!

In reply to Removed Userjess13:

My first toe is also bigger than my big toe and I'm pretty sure it doesn't make any difference to my ability compared to someone with 'normal' toes. Also the climbers don't have double jointed fingers, that's just the shape they bend when you're doing a full crimp.

You're going to have to find better excuses than that

In reply to Removed Userjess13:

I've just checked my feet and on my right foot the first toe is bigger than the big toe. I failed on a route the other day and now I know why!

Rheinstor is totally nails by the way, it's the crag's fault (or the grades anyway), not your weird feet.

In reply to Removed Userjess13:

It's an issue: I've got very narrow feet and all rock shoes feel like flip- flops. Skinny arms, narrow shoulders and a big arse are also a bug bear unless you're into climbing chimneys.
As for the finger pad thing; The good climbers are going open handed now, rather than crimping. So I've heard...

In reply to Jon Stewart:

I think you lot need to check more closely. The first toe may be longer but I doubt it is bigger than the big toe?!

In reply to Removed Userjess13:


If you mean the second toe is longer than the big toe (the big toe *is* the first toe), it's called "Morton's toe" and you can search online and see which climbing shoes are recommended for it -- most technical climbing shoes are fairly asymmetrical, but there are some that seem to suit Morton's toe; I've seen recs for the Evolv Prime.


No, that's fingers being bent into hyper-extension by force; that's just what happens when you crimp on small holds.

For people who actually have hyper-mobility (what's often called "double-jointedness"), it's not a bonus in climbing, as their joints are more unstable and vulnerable to injury.

In reply to Removed Userjess13:

My first toe is longer than my big toe and I've never had a problem with climbing shoes. I've used evolv shamans, Anasazi Velcros, sportiva solutions, boreal lynx.

Using 'performance' shoes means your toes are slightly crimped anyway.

In reply to Removed Userjess13:

When it comes to fingers, I have a theory that short fingers must be an advantage. You get more finger on a hold and so have a more stable/stronger grip. Longer fingers are also longer levers so harder to crimp small holds. Plus smaller fingers fit into more stuff! Small hands are definitely an advantage.

This is what I tell myself when I watch smaller guys cruise a route that spits me off! Nothing to do with ability or technique. No sir.