RRC Archives

A couple times lately I kind of leaked a little pee in my pants before getting on a route.

scin, you are even more of a climbing snob than I. I used to say only 5.12 climbers were real climbers...now you have raised the bar to 5.14 before they matter?

so why can't gumbies and average climbers have an opinion on whether knee pads are trickery and make routes easier. it really is a no brainer. of course pads make it easier. just grade accordingly....easiest path up is the grade.

You missed the point. I said it doesn't matter unless you have a sponsorship to maintain because only then does the public opinion really have an impact.

Well remember this whole thread falls under the unbrella of those who chase the numbers. Sponsorship or not, if improving in climbing is your goal then it is gaged by the numbers therefore you will care about how those number are established. As things are going, 5.14 will become more common at the red and less climbers will be sponsored simply because that can repoint a few 5.14's. Then it will matter what the local climbing community says is 5.13d and 5.14a. You're right though, right now the sponsors could care less what us gumbies have to say about using knee pads on a climb we could never come close to repointing. If Sharma says 50 Words is 14c with the knee pad - then its 14c.

Can we just have a repeat over and over of what chriss said in this thread then call it dead? He's so right on. It just comes down to what bothers YOU.

So I did this problem in Hueco and there's a high dab factor. Most chuffdogs don't call it a send if their freakin' shirt touches this close rock behind them. It's so stupid. If your shirt touches a rock it can't possibly help you especially when your hands are on a huge jug. Well, my shirt touched the rock and I called it a send. Why? Because I knew it was STUPID not to. Ya know what? It didn't freakin' matter! Especially when James Webb Pearson or whatever his name is was less than 1/4 mile away sending some insane shit that gets about 2 ascents a century. Climbing can be so ghey.

Knee-pads are the same way. If you feel like they're giving you this huge ass advantage and you wouldn't be able to climb without them then don't wear them. But don't think it's going to get you any bro points and ass grabs at Miguel's if you don't wear them. Me, I'll wear them. I don't give a shit if you think I did a 13a version of a 13b because of the condom on my knee. Hell, I wish I knew about them in the offwidth days where it was 65 feet of knee barring and scraping.

do we have any knee pad wearers who will admit they are cheating, or is it all glorious denial?

Piggie, your late 90's granny pants sends were totally cheated, that wonderful feeling you had while wearing thrift store granny pants was a total adventage! Admit it!

they allowed the granny panties to flow, ya know.

oh yeah, SCIN, I did that hueco problem, and my shirt did not dab....you cheated.

Oh no! What will I ever do now knowing that when you look at me you will think that I really didn't do that single solitary problem in Hueco. I live my life trying to gain your approval Piggy. Please change your mind. Love, Ray.

SCIN it sounds like you might need a pussy pad to soak up some emotion.