[i.munro]

Craggy 2 i .....
Best setting in London I reckon

Good knowledge thanks. Trains co-operated enough to get there this weekend.
I'd forgotten just how good the setting is.

[Durbs]

Good stuff, glad it's not just me who likes the setting - something you only really appreciate when you go somewhere where it's duff. *cough*SSP*cough*

Re: Craggy grades. I started climbing there, and rarely climb (indoors) anywhere else - so the stiff grades are actually quite useful as it means you can go to other walls, in particular Westway, and get a good ego-boost when you climb 2 grades harder.

I think the grading bewteen Craggy and Sutton is quite close, but Craggy G always feels slippier - not sure if using older holds, get more traffic or just hotter.

Probably because I don't get out enough, but I still find indoor grades way below outdoor grades - I can climb 6a+ boulders regularly at Craggy G/Craggy 2 - and still get shut down on 5's outdoors. So in that respect, I think it's quite useful that Craggy are stuff, as if you were regularly climbing 6c at your wall it would be a bit of a shock to get stuck on 4's and 5's.
(I am aware that many I've spoken to who climb outside more than me, find after a while this switches and they get higher grades outdoors than Craggy)

[i.munro]

Not really in a position to comment re grades as everywhere else I climb indoors uses meaningless V-grades.

FWIW I was failing to onsight 6bs which is about what I'd expect in Bleau where I don't think I;ve ever onsighted 6b either so felt fine to me.

[Baldy]

Good stuff, glad it's not just me who likes the setting - something you only really appreciate when you go somewhere where it's duff. *cough*SSP*cough*

When was the last time you went?
Recently they have been getting in some pro setters like James Garden who sets at Reading etc.
Personally I think that the problems there are alright now - not quite craggy standard, but certainly not worth actively complaining about any more...there are other problems with that centre that need changing first.

[Durbs]

Oh that's good, we went about 3 months after it had opened and every climb was essentially a ladder with varying hold-types and angles... Might give it another look if I'm in the area, though Craggy is kinda-free (3-star) so we'll see.

I've been trying to persuade Craggy 2 to add an outside (but covered area) out the back where they own a load more land, but not sure they get the numbers to merit the expansion. Would be good to add a proper long roof there.

[Dr T]

Re: Craggy grades. I started climbing there, and rarely climb (indoors) anywhere else - so the stiff grades are actually quite useful as it means you can go to other walls, in particular Westway, and get a good ego-boost when you climb 2 grades harder.

which means their grading is rubbish - not useful

Probably because I don't get out enough, but I still find indoor grades way below outdoor grades - I can climb 6a+ boulders regularly at Craggy G/Craggy 2 - and still get shut down on 5's outdoors. So in that respect, I think it's quite useful that Craggy are stuff, as if you were regularly climbing 6c at your wall it would be a bit of a shock to get stuck on 4's and 5's.

I regularly climb 7b outside in session - was getting shut down by a "6b" indoors last week - sandbag grading and poor conditions

[i.munro]

Slightly confused now, how can you compare to WW they use V-blah don't they? 

[Durbs]

Rough translations... V3 </>= 6a...

Anyway, was speaking to C2 staff yesterday about the grading - as one room had just been re-set but not graded. Apparently the grading assumes perfect technique and "average" height, so all that seperates the grades is how strong you are/powerful the route is. (This wasn't from the route setter, so large pinch of salt required).

This does make sense to me, as often when faced by a seemingly impossible "5+" it's because I'm using a duff sequence or not read the route properly. The 6b's I can't do, and what stops me ticking harder grades is my lack of strength.

[deacon]

Hi Durbs hope you're well
I haven't been in the last year but the grades at craggy were always massively undergraded in my experience (and every single other climber I knew). They shared no comparison with any real world grading, although it didn't really matter as the difficulty was always in the right order.  Most importantly the route setting was better than anywhere else inside the M25 and it was never too busy to climb as can be found in other walls.

i.munro: Have you spoken to craggy about the temps. they've got a reputation for being really friendly and helpful at sutton and it was always on a par with the works ( lovely and cold) when I was a regular.

[i.munro]

deacon: I was very happy with both conditions & setting ( & grades) when I toddled down on Sun ta. They may well be helpful but I guess asking them to move the whole shebang into London is asking a bit much 

[deacon]

haha fair enough. Pretty inconsiderate of them if you ask me.

[i.munro]

Just to be clear that was Craggy Sutton. From what people are saying about Craggy G I'm staying well clear.

[Baldy]

Apparently the grading assumes perfect technique and "average" height,

Isn't this how grading works generally...?

Some of their boulders at Guildford right now are definitely reachy for me (at taller than average height) and hard due to this fact. I dont know how they expect for their shorter patrons to deal with this (especially at the same grade range), but hey ho...I guess they have to lump it or leave it.

[slackline]

I dont know how they expect for their shorter patrons to deal with this (especially at the same grade range), but hey ho...I guess they have to lump it or leave it.

I'm not sure if this is true, but I've heard Joe Brown was being interviewed once...

Interviewer : Joe, you're quite short, how do you reach the holds?

Joe Brown : I climb up to them!

[Baldy]

Much as I tend to voice a similar opinion when moaned at by someone who cant reach, sometimes (frequently) it is just one of those reachy moves...

Anyways, back on topic - I went to White Spider on Wednesday last week and found it to be mostly empty, cold and well set...
Dont know what more to say really...It may be an extra 20 minute drive than craggy, but I will be returning to do my training sessions there from now on I think.

Good campus board, super friendly rungs.
There is no leg room to do front levers on the fingerboard, but you can make do with holds on the roof.

If anyone fancies a boulder, I reckon I will be going back on Tuesday or Wednesday this week.

[i.munro]

Thanks for the info.

[i_a_coops]

Surprised no one has mentioned the back room at the Westway? It's always chilly, never seems to be busy and I think the setting is awesome.

[i.munro]

Well I did ask about ventilation rather than cold.

[i_a_coops]

There's a door which you can open. On the rare occasions I've seen the place with more than a few people there, it's been open. Also low temperatures mean less sweatiness/mugginess/humidity/slipping about on holds.....

[i.munro]

There's a door which you can open. On the rare occasions I've seen the place with more than a few people there, it's been open. Also low temperatures mean less sweatiness/mugginess/humidity/slipping about on holds.....

Very true. Just trying to answer your question about why nobody mentioned it.
 I did ask the WW regulars at work about that room & the answerI got was "you can open that door as often as you want some c^&*t will close it 2s later" & that's from people who virtually live in there :-)

[i_a_coops]

Probably true during peak hours actually, I suppose I always go during the day or last thing at night, and compared with the biscuit factory...... (where even after the crowds have left in the evening you can still see the sweaty haze in the air!)

[i.munro]

So WW last thing at night worth a punt. That's useful thanks.

[slackline]

I reckon you should just build your own wall i.munro, then you can have exactly what you want with regards to problem setting/grades/temperature/humidity/ventilation.

[i.munro]

Sounds like a plan to me 

 From this thread looks like I might get 3 customers.

[slackline]

I'd be careful though, it might get over-crowded!