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i never really top rope except maybe in the gym. most stuff outside that i would want to TR is so long/overhung that top roping would produce some wicked pendelum swings.

Lead harder then TR, and like SCIN, think TRing usually just gets in the way, esp.on steep routes.

Wes

thanks meadows....now I won't have to repeat myself...

but I will....toproping is worse than calling yourself a REAL climber below the 5.12 level...

we are producing a tshirt with the following:

"Stick Clip: Top roping one bolt at a time"

Piggie, you should do "Tard climbing: Top roping one piece at a time", as it would be more real life for most people.

Wes

I'm a real pansy...I toprope 3 number grades higher than I lead which isn't much. Oh well, I'm old so I can get away with it! Save the insults, obviously I can kick my ownself!

Lead harder than top rope-the rope just gets in the way. And on steeper climbs it knocks my glasses around. Nothing like being blind and trying to find that little crimp.

I'm in total shock that someone could lead harder than they TR. And there are so many of you! I guess it takes a lot of years climbing to get to that level.

I have to totally put it out of my head that I am even leading so I don't flip out. I lack the confidence right now. Oh & skill.

When I am leading, I tend to have a sharper focus. And, when you are trying to send (rp or onsight) something at a high level for you, you are even more focused. So, when I get on TR, I just don't try as hard or something. And like others have said, TR'ing steep routes really is a pain in the ass. Once you get into the leading groove, it really isn't such a big deal. Best days are when everyone is leading and everyone is taking the anchor falls on the warmups, then taking big air on projects. The vibe is sooo cool. You really feel like you can climb harder.

Wes

Once you get the feel for leading it's easier since you don't have the rope in your face all the time. I think of myself as soloing with a bit of TR every now and then when I clip. You just sort of embrace that feeling of being above the bolt and accept the possiblity of a fall. Something about trusting the process. Seems Artsay was saying something about that... My biggest issues with leading really hard stuff are freaking out when I'm trying to clip off a pumped grip or getting to those "stopper" moves that are harder to work on lead.

I'm not sure about all this but I've noticed this about my climbing:

When on lead I don't get the same kind of adrenellin (sp?) jolt when I slip. I actually find those moments oddly calming because if I fall it'll be big... it's strange. When on toprope it's more of a "fuck! I slipped" while on lead it's "stay on... keep moving." I'm trying to get my head around this difference because it seems so backwards.

Oh, and I still haven't crossed the threshold where a loose toprope gets in the way of my climbing so I climb on toprope a number or two above what I lead... but that means I can TR a lowgrade sport 5.10 clean. I still fall off a 5.10b repeatedly.