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I just ordered a 60 pc Metolius hold set (plus a cool BD headlamp on sale for $20 and a positron) to build a wall in my garage (or spare bedroom). No more driving 30 minutes each way to the local gym, just to burn out in an hour, then drive back home. I'll be able to train 2-3 times/week all winter long and hit that shit HARD when the temps break in the spring. No more pumping out on 9+ 10a overhanging, while climbing strong on 11a vert/slab. I'm going to build a roof on this thing that reaches from one side of my garage to the other! MAN, I'm excited. :D:D

Man, Since I put up my woody I'm so much stronger, despite the fact that I see less rock.

Hell yeah. A home wall can be a damn valuable training tool IF you use it.

Mj

Well, that's the whole point. The wall will either be 10 steps (if in the spare room), or 50 steps (garage, but need a space heater) away. I will HAVE no excuse to not train. "Veg" in front of the TV for 30 minutes or climb hard for 30 minutes? Hmm, tough call. Seriously, Matt, with regular training, I see a big jump happening come March and it won't be as hard to find stuff to climb when you and Todd I go out. I'll even get my NEMESIS out of the way.

SikMonkey wrote:Hell yeah. A home wall can be a damn valuable training tool IF you use it.

Mj

It is kind of like my old nordic track after a while it was just an expensive place to hang clothes, but it looked cool.

I don't know, Christian, it might be kinda hard to hang clothes on the holds, especially if it involves a trip out to the garage... maybe he could set up a clothes hanger at the very top, which would give him an incentive to lazily toss his clothes up there? You either gotta climb up to put them there or climb up to get them back!

You will have no excuse not to train? Please, I have a 12X15 at a 45 degree, foot wall sitting right next to me right now while I type. My dad and I built it about 5 years ago i think (might be older) and i think i have spent maybe a total of 5 hours on the thing since ive had it. Just make sure when you buy it, you train on it or it will be a total waste of money like mine is. But hey I did have a blast building it, and I can say that i have a bad ass wall in my basement. But, what ever, have fun with your "First Woody" Im off to the red now for the week over and out peeps

Here
one token of wisdom- Make it adjustable, so you can work overhangs, vert, or whatever. It help maintain intrest, complicates construction (this creating more intrest) and allows you to teach gumbies.

Also, creating my own holds helps me maintain intrest.

I am seriously having a hard time understanding how one DOESN'T use a climbing wall they've built. The temps have fallen below 40, I'm not an ice climber and my hands get so damn cold that 40-45 is pushing my limits of good climbing. So, either I can drive 25-30 minutes (each way) to a climbing gym, spending time and gas and money, or get all my training done in 25-30 minutes at my own place. Where is there even a difficult decision?

So, allah, you live in Columbus, right? Not many rocks in Columbus and the Red is 3.5 hours away. If you like climbing in near freezing temperatures, my question is moot, but if you don't, where do you train during the winter? If you drive to a gym, why, if you have a wall RIGHT in front of you? Comaraderie? Do you like dealing with crowds? Need someone to show off in front of (because I KNOW you can pull down hard, I've seen you)?

The notion of buying, or building a training device (treadmill, for example) for training and then not using it seems ridiculous and more a product of the person's drive and lack of forethought (no offense, Christian). I can understand becoming bored doing the same moves over and over, but, I'm not building a wall to make it the only thing I climb, or as an example of "this is WHAT I want to climb".

I'm building a wall for training, much like I run to train for races, as well as general conditioning. Training is as fun as you make it, period. I did not attain the goals I set for myself this Summer, primarily due to a lack of training (and 2 months of travel for work). Sure, climbing on rock is MUCH more fun than plastic, but not always practical. And, when I'm driving 4 hours to get to the red and back, spending $15-20/trip in gas for the day (price dependent) I want to feel like I did some good climbing and didn't waste my time/money because I burned out too fast, whatever.

Climbing with SikMonkey and ToddC IS hanging out with friends for me, however, the PURPOSE of the trip is to climb and have fun doing it. Running out of "steam" in my forearms after only a few climbs and failing on routes WELL within my technical and strength ability, because I was spent 1/3 of the way up is NOT fun, it's frustrating.

So, buy what you wish, build what you wish and let it all collect dust. I plan on training my ass off this Winter and coming out as strong as an ox come Spring.

Huggy, thanks for the input. I had planned on making the whole structure adjustable and free-standing. I don't need to make it too big, because I'm the only one climbing on it and I know what I need/want to work. I design tubular-steel structures on a 3D graphics system all day long, so I will put the concept together before I cut the first piece of steel, then Sik will come up and help me put in some cool problems.

Good lord you write a lot!