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How long after you started leading (trad) until you started leading at your climbing limit? I lead 2-3 levels easier than what I can climb consistently well on top rope. There is a nice long list of easier climbs I want to lead, but for some reason I am itching to progress and lead harder (for me) stuff. Did you experienced trad leaders just step up and do it when the urge hit? You do lead at your climbing limit, right??

I figure the only thing that would or should hold a person back would be the need to get more comfortable with gear selection and placement and/or rope management - or fear.

As far as climbing at your limit on trad, climbing in the red is a little different than other places. In the red most everything is single pitch, rope management isn't usually the issue. Also, the rock in the red tends to be softer, so you may want to take the extra time below your level making damn sure you place really really good gear, quickly and effeciently. The red just isn't very forgiving. You also have to consider the fact that there are so many routes of the same grade in the red with totally different styles of climbing, that you may want to keep climbing just below your level until your comfortable with as many styles as possible. And lets not forget that just because something says 5.8 or 5.9 doesn't neccesarily mean its easy. Last, but not least, put in a couple of great pieces and take some falls! As soon as you see that gear really works, you'll push yourself harder than you ever have.

I am not sure what you mean by leading at your limit. I have a level where I will pretty much jump on for an onsight attempt. And then there is a level where it's iffy. On the other hand, I will try anything on TR. There are many routes I have climbed on TR that I would not attempt the lead.

I think it haas a lot to do with gear. if thre is a route that is at what I consider to be my lead limit but the gear is not straight forward, I may want to climb it on TR first. Nothing worse than leading at your limit, you are far abouve you last gear and when you stop to place pro, it won't take anything good. That is just about as freaked out as I get on a route.

A good thing for you to do is to get with a partner who leads above your level, have them put up the harder routes and then you clean them. Cleaning the route really helped me with leading practice. you get to see how the gear is places, you have to stop at that place as if you were placing gear for about the same amount of time as if you were placing the gear. the only thing you don't get is the feeling of having no rope above your head. Nothing can replace that but the mechanics of leading can be simulated by cleaning gear.

I've taken lead falls on gear, so trusting my gear is not an issue. The variation of styles and actual difficulty among similar grades are points well taken.

what are you going to put up for me next weekend, Hefe?

I started leading from day one.

I was getting on (leading) stuff that was beyond my limit on my second trip. Taking falls obviously.

I used to say that I was totally opposed to TRing.

Now, I seem to have abandoned the rope. And when I do rope up, it's almost always on things easy enough to onsight. I haven't taken a rope fall since July.

On a brighter note, I'm bouldering harder than I ever have!

It doesn't concern me too much, I know that that "fire" will come back soon and I'll be getting back to doing and training for hard routes. Until then...

man that sucks if you're coming to the red casamig. you go to NC or TN to boulder or somethin?

I lead a couple number grades easier in trad than I do in sport. My technique has improved this year but I havent bumped my limit any ,but I have only done a third of the routes on my tick list at my limit.They are all different for sure. 5.8s and 5.9s in the red will keep you busy for a while. Each route teaches you something new that you can use when you do lead harder.

Everything i climb is at my limit. I started in the Red 2 years BP (Before Porter), and not only wanted to lead, but was forced to due to a lack of "climber" partners... i just drug belay slave friends of mine to the crag. I'm sure they all hate me now. Some days I climb 5.10.... some days I barely climb 5.6. I am unaware of any kind of process for getting better besides relaxing and enjoying the climbing... no matter the grade.

"At your limit" can mean alot more than just climbing harder numbers. Climbing at your limit encompasses a lot of things; maybe it's trying to bust out a IV 5.8 in a day, or it's sending an 11 or 12 at the crag, or placing intricate protection on a technical lead, or just keeping it together on a big old spooky 5.6 runout. The thing is to not push your limits in more than one area at a time - that's when you get in trouble. Pick the area you want to focus on, pick out a route that suits you, and go for it!