UKC

Should indoor climbing walls start having routes with polished and slippery holds to acclimatise people to climbing outdoors?

They already do!

"Start"? You clearly never climbed on a Bendcrete wall that had seen a few years of use.

Also: the reigning boulder world champion https://youtu.be/RFPk3nJYGYI?si=jifFO-hK1XsKWJH2&t=658

and now they have been given a good excuse!

Lots of polished holds at older walls but new walls can now offer Dual-tex holds - and the slippery bits are just that!   Setters would typically orient the hold so that with careful footwork, you can stand on the textured part.  But recently I have seen problems where you have to rely on the slippery part!   Just like climbing classic limestone.  

To be honest we need to do a lot more to prepare people for outdoor climbing.

Both The Works & The Foundry have done some strong work in this area by providing challenging parking akin to parking at the Roaches on a sunny bank holiday.

However, it hasn't all been smooth sailing; my attempts to crap at the base of the lead wall at The Foundry and cover it with a discarded banana skin drew significant criticism from Jerry in particular. I was shocked as I'm pretty sure he has responded to a similar 'call of nature' whilst at Stoney!

Great post !!

Brilliant post!!