[galpinos]

Hmmm, I'd crush then have an uncontrollable urge to..... Party in Paris!

You could add the Stick It soundtrackin there as well...

[Sloper]

My view is playing 'Urban' music with the suggestive lyrics when you're running kids sessions / weekend mornings really isn't on, you shouldn't need to raise this, it should be blindingly obvious.

Of course there's the risk that the social mores in liverpool and very differnt and the staff oblivious.

the last experience has really put me off going back which is a shame as the wall and setting is one of the best.

[Dave D]

My view is playing 'Urban' music with the suggestive lyrics when you're running kids sessions / weekend mornings really isn't on, you shouldn't need to raise this, it should be blindingly obvious.

Of course there's the risk that the social mores in liverpool and very differnt and the staff oblivious.

the last experience has really put me off going back which is a shame as the wall and setting is one of the best.

I totally agree and this shouldn't be happening and I'm quite sure it doesn't happen all the time. Either way I'll be reiterating it to the staff.

Thanks,

Dave D.
AWCC

[Three Nine]

They built a good board at AW Sheffield, really good in fact (big, good angle, good matting). Then some total idiots came over from another AW and threw a load of shit holds willy-nilly over it (compare good holds thoughtfully planned out at eg. the Works, the Depot(s), the Foundry). The result? Nobody uses it, and I mean nobody.

Edited cos I forgot a close bracket.

[Three Nine]

I mention it not purely to bitch, and because I found the '10 things...' post irritating, but because its a shame. There really is no reason why it shouldn't have been the best wall in Sheffield, but instead a botch job made it shit and redundant. You cant cut corners for these sorts of things.

[SEDur]

I have to say, the bouldering sets I have experienced at AW Sheff weren't great, but the route quality at the 7a and just above region seemed much better though.

The staff were also polite and fairly helpful.

It is a touch dear on the old wallet though for a student, when compared to other walls charging £6 all the time.
Its difficult to get over before 5 on a weekday, and more so when having to organise going with someone.

The training board thing did seem a bit unfortunate to. Fortunately something that could be fixed though.
A good wall otherwise.

[saltbeef]

I quite like the music at AW logport. Not overly a fan of the sauna like conditions in the bouldering wall. Always remember your shorts! and there really should be more than 2 problems that aren't essentially jug hauls on each of the sections on the higher left hand side - not really enough to keep you going back for more than a couple of sessions tbh but I guess I might not be their target audience (balding fat man).

[galpinos]

Salt beef, when were you last down? The steep set this time is quite good and the last set (by Alex Fry) were really good.  (Point for Dave, get Alex to set more often!)

Despite the slight generic nature of Ian and Jamie's deep lock and rock over style of problems it's still by far the best wall in Manchester.

[Jim]

yes, agreed. I really like the bouldering at stockport and find the problem generally very good particulary when set by Jamie and Ian.
Main problem at Stockport is the heat, the fans sort of help a little bit but I just don't go in the summer because its too hot (especially when I can't go tops off any more cos of my large belly)

[highrepute]

My gripe with AW Sheffield is the lack of easy bouldering. Taken a few first timers climbing and they enjoy the routes at aw but prefer the works for bouldering because they can actually do stuff. The problem isn't setting but angle of walls. Everything is too steep for beginners.

[saltbeef]

I can't remember!  I think apart from one session at rock over about a fortnight ago I haven't had to climb inside since May! I like vickers setting too but it seems to be better at other venues than logport. That place is hotter than the sun.

My gripe with AW Sheffield is the lack of easy bouldering.

therein lies the rub. Beginners want loads of easy climbing, others want more hard problems. you can't please everyone and you can end up pleasing no one.

[tomtom]

yes, agreed. I really like the bouldering at stockport and find the problem generally very good particulary when set by Jamie and Ian.
Main problem at Stockport is the heat, the fans sort of help a little bit but I just don't go in the summer because its too hot (especially when I can't go tops off any more cos of my large belly)

Totally agree -

For me its not so much the heat - its the lack of fresh air circulation.. it gets sooooo stuffy in there and if you put the huge fans on (thanks for having them there) you can't hear anything but fans (not even the person next to you - of course some may think this a good thing - and if sloper doesnt like the tunes and they won't play any G&S he can always wack the fans on!).

Even in winter its a bit grim as its just static dusty air...

Puerto de la Stock wall is well run - friendly staff and great value (£4 lunchtimes and £ boulder only at peak times). I don't like walls - but its just somehow better set than rockover... (sorry rockover folks..).

Never been to AWSheff...

[TobyD]

My main criticisms of Awesome Walls Liverpool when I used to climb there regularly was the lack of resetting and the use of inexperienced route setters.  It is hard for a route setter who can only climb 6b to set routes of 7b and upwards that climb well at the grade. 

Agreed. There was some abysmal setting at that place; I've not climbed at AW Sheffield yet, partly for that reason, and i have heard from a couple of people that the setting is poor there. Admittedly, 'good' setting isn't entirely objective.

[Krank]

i have been going to AW stoke for the last 6 months or so and i find the setting to be the best i have climbed on inside, but fuck me its hot in the summer.

[Oldmanmatt]

What constitutes "good" setting?

I get that it's going to be a personal feeling about a problem, but how would you guys describe it?

[tomtom]

What constitutes "good" setting?

I get that it's going to be a personal feeling about a problem, but how would you guys describe it?

1. Pleasurable/Interesting (as in the moves feel good and interesting)

2. Challenging - you have to think about how to do a problem (even the easy ones) ie its not just an obvious path of jugs/crimps etc..

3. Sensible - no (not too many) daft dyno's or 7C problems that only apes can reach, no nasty genital threatening moves above volumes/large sticky outy jugs, not too many problems in one spot

4. Gradient - as in smoothish gradients between problems of a grade. Nothing more infuriating than being able to do all the V5's and get shut down on ALL the V6's... and have to go home. When someone sets a set at a grade - make some easier, some harder. Best curcuits at the Depot (for example) are where they have 20 odd problems (pinks I seem to remember) that start at V1 and go up to V7 etc... by the end (starting from 1-20 etc..). Really good way to warm up progressively and like an interesting Font circuit.

[Sloper]

Agreed, different sorts of problems and a range of grades make a circuit interesting, quality is really about the experience of the setter mainly in terms of how much climbing they've done outdoors, if they've only had a few years experience then their palette is likely to be limited and consequently so will their setting.  In my view you need people setting who've climbed extensively on all sorts of rock at all sorts of grades for a good while.  A young stud who goes from plastic to 7b+ and then a year later is setting routes will almost certainly be poor.

Ohh and let's have some footholds that aren't >70 cm from the ground as a starter that really fucks me off.

[Reprobate_Rob]

AW Stoke is crying out for a second board in the training area upstairs.
The jugs and weird 'systems' board thing to the left of the moonboard are entirely pointless and never get used. We've been mithering Stu about it for months/years now but it seems to be falling on deaf ears.
Wouldn't take much effort to get it sorted and ease the traffic on the moonboard in the evenings.

 

[Dave D]

It's always an eye opener posting on UKB

I guess the main thing is we're (I'm) openly out there asking for comments and feed-back on here, UKC, Facebook, Twitter and via emails.

I'll be looking at all the comments soon with the relevant centre managers and we'll see what can be done.

Whilst it is one person that runs AWCC (myself ) I do listen and take advice from many people.

Thanks again for all your feedback.

Dave D
AWCC

[joel182]

For what it's worth, I reckon all this discussion has made me a lot more interested in checking out Awesome Walls than the original advert did!

[SA Chris]

What constitutes "good" setting?

I get that it's going to be a personal feeling about a problem, but how would you guys describe it?

1. Pleasurable/Interesting (as in the moves feel good and interesting)

2. Challenging - you have to think about how to do a problem (even the easy ones) ie its not just an obvious path of jugs/crimps etc..

3. Sensible - no (not too many) daft dyno's or 7C problems that only apes can reach, no nasty genital threatening moves above volumes/large sticky outy jugs, not too many problems in one spot

4. Gradient - as in smoothish gradients between problems of a grade. Nothing more infuriating than being able to do all the V5's and get shut down on ALL the V6's... and have to go home. When someone sets a set at a grade - make some easier, some harder. Best curcuits at the Depot (for example) are where they have 20 odd problems (pinks I seem to remember) that start at V1 and go up to V7 etc... by the end (starting from 1-20 etc..). Really good way to warm up progressively and like an interesting Font circuit.

5. Not totally morpho either - I especially like opnes when there is more than one way to do it, based on your height / strengths / weaknesses.

6. (Kind of a subset of 1 & 3) not easy apart from one hard move. Needs to be something you can work on and whittle away at, rather than a can do / will never do move.

7. Good useable holds. Nothing that is going to harm you through working at it; no over rough textured holds, no over sharp holds.

[erm, sam]

Kids problems in the main bouldering area.
My kids can easily do all the climbing on the kids boulders at Stockport but there is very little they can get their teeth into in the main bouldering area. If there could be a modest range of kids problems set it would really be good. It would make them keener to visit the wall and if I knew they would be kept busy I could have a bouldering session along side them, but as I knew they will run out of options in 10 minutes I have to take them roped climbing, so I don't climb myself and don't therefore pay for myself.

I don't think it would add loads to the business at peak times as I think most kids go on a weekend daytime, when it is generally less busy than a week day evening.

[tommytwotone]

What constitutes "good" setting?

I get that it's going to be a personal feeling about a problem, but how would you guys describe it?

1. Pleasurable/Interesting (as in the moves feel good and interesting)

2. Challenging - you have to think about how to do a problem (even the easy ones) ie its not just an obvious path of jugs/crimps etc..

3. Sensible - no (not too many) daft dyno's or 7C problems that only apes can reach, no nasty genital threatening moves above volumes/large sticky outy jugs, not too many problems in one spot

4. Gradient - as in smoothish gradients between problems of a grade. Nothing more infuriating than being able to do all the V5's and get shut down on ALL the V6's... and have to go home. When someone sets a set at a grade - make some easier, some harder. Best curcuits at the Depot (for example) are where they have 20 odd problems (pinks I seem to remember) that start at V1 and go up to V7 etc... by the end (starting from 1-20 etc..). Really good way to warm up progressively and like an interesting Font circuit.

5. Not totally morpho either - I especially like opnes when there is more than one way to do it, based on your height / strengths / weaknesses.

6. (Kind of a subset of 1 & 3) not easy apart from one hard move. Needs to be something you can work on and whittle away at, rather than a can do / will never do move.

7. Good useable holds. Nothing that is going to harm you through working at it; no over rough textured holds, no over sharp holds.

yes to all the above, plus:


8. Subset of 3: avoiding overlaps between juggy easier stuff and harder circuit problems. Pinging off a marginal screw-on on a V7 and twatting a jug from one of the V0s is painful and annoying, snagging a toe or heel and flipping over in the air on the way down on a slab / vert is downright terrifying.


9. Subset of 7. Holds that will still be still be climbable after the first night of use. Certain manufacturers' slopers seem to clag up really quickly and can never be cleaned up.

[Fiend]

7. Good useable holds. Nothing that is going to harm you through working at it; no over rough textured holds, no over sharp holds.

This, this, and more this. And if in doubt, this again.

All good suggestions though.

[Oldmanmatt]

Kids problems in the main bouldering area.
My kids can easily do all the climbing on the kids boulders at Stockport but there is very little they can get their teeth into in the main bouldering area. If there could be a modest range of kids problems set it would really be good. It would make them keener to visit the wall and if I knew they would be kept busy I could have a bouldering session along side them, but as I knew they will run out of options in 10 minutes I have to take them roped climbing, so I don't climb myself and don't therefore pay for myself.

I don't think it would add loads to the business at peak times as I think most kids go on a weekend daytime, when it is generally less busy than a week day evening.

Not being able to do things alongside my kids, was a major motivation in opening our own centre. Not the only one, by any means, but a big one.

At 7 and 9, the two eldest are able to cope in the V2-3 range as long as there's no excessive reach that can't be dyno'd through. Generally the two 5 year olds can get on the VB-1 problems if they're a sit start, otherwise it's rainbowing.

We set kids problems between the adult blocs. I spent a very boring day marking black spots on all the kids holds to differentiate them.
It gives the kids the option of using a spotty to reach through on an adult problem too.

You can't win though.

The mix of kids and adults leads to it's own issues...