[Averageman]

Just a thought, this has probably been dealt with before, so feel free to inform me.
On a recent trip to font i was pissed of by the amount of poff on everything, people were whacking it on oranges, blues, from sharp positive edges to large ledges, i mean what the fucks going on, should poff be outlawed. 

[St Hubbins]

It should be encouraged on the southern sandstone. People always think opposite yet don't bat an eyelid about climbing on damp sandstone which is worse for rock.

[Averageman]

Its true when it damp s/ sandstone suffers a lot of damage, poff would seal it.

[Stef]

For sure any excess of anything is bad.
For many years, poeple thought that pof, or chalk even, was the reason why holds, especially firsts foot holds on busy areas, were so polished.
this is bulls...
it can set up a kinda paste after a rain, but the real damage is made by climbers that don't brush the sand away from their feet.

[i.munro]

Given a choice I'd rather chalk was banned first (oh wait a minute, it already is).
However Stef's right about the biggest cause of damage IMO (he rents pads as well)

[Adam Lincoln]

Given a choice I'd rather chalk was banned first (oh wait a minute, it already is).

Funny how pretty much most of the locals use it isn't it.

[jern]

Its true when it damp s/ sandstone suffers a lot of damage, poff would seal it.

Really? Are you sure?

[i.munro]

Funny how pretty much most of the locals use it isn't it.

Pretty much all of the 'locals' on southern sandstone rig top ropes in such a way as to carve slots in the top of the crag.
Doesn't mean it isn't banned or that it's a good thing to do it just that the ban isn't enforced.

[Averageman]

Its true when it damp s/ sandstone suffers a lot of damage, poff would seal it.

Really? Are you sure?

i was joking

[Averageman]

Funny how pretty much most of the locals use it isn't it.

Pretty much all of the 'locals' on southern sandstone rig top ropes in such a way as to carve slots in the top of the crag.
Doesn't mean it isn't banned or that it's a good thing to do it just that the ban isn't enforced.

This is not the case, most of the locals care enough to lengthen their slings and use static ropes.

[i.munro]

Probably true depending on your definition of local, which was the point I was trying to make.
Certainly the majority of peeps who are climbing there, whenever I go, don't extend belays adequately .
Given that, unlike Bleau ,nobody flies from the other side of the world to sample the delights of southern sandstone (well nobody sane anyway) then they must all be 'local'.

I know a lot of those who live & climb round there care deeply about the place & put a lot of work
into looking after it & I'm grateful. I don't live that close & I care deeply.

All this is irrelevant though.
All I was trying to say initialy was that there's little point discussing a ban on anything when a similiar ban that has already been put in place by, in effect, the landowner & the national climbing organisation is simply ignored.

[Averageman]

I agree, there seems to be a large army of blind deaf and dumb climbers out there that neither play or abide by the simple rules of the game.

[St Hubbins]

Anyone here got the crappy jingo wobbly SS book? look on page 210, whats he got in that balled rag???

Doesn't look like chalk to me?

[Averageman]

I do believe he also has brushes on that page, a big no no.

[Averageman]

I do believe he also has brushes on that page, a big no no.

i retract my last comment

[chriss]

Sort of off topic, but on topic I'm a dirty sandstone local i love the stuff, but there are lots of locals without a clue on how to set up a top rope, use a toothbrush or a whacker & don't own a bit of carpet to clean there feet on, that's why the place is so fucked.
Back to poff & font i use the stuff but only as a last resort, i use chalk to but always have a good clean up of the problem before i leave. A bit of commom sense & respect is all that is needed.

[Averageman]

Sort of off topic, but on topic I'm a dirty sandstone local i love the stuff, but there are lots of locals without a clue on how to set up a top rope, use a toothbrush or a whacker & don't own a bit of carpet to clean there feet on, that's why the place is so fucked.
Back to poff & font i use the stuff but only as a last resort, i use chalk to but always have a good clean up of the problem before i leave. A bit of commom sense & respect is all that is needed.

I am on your side mate, and agree with it all. The sort of off topic, but on topic, i think said it all. Its perhaps not what we use but how we use it, or who is using it. There is a lot of peeps out there coating the rock like its the done thing, but from my point of view unlike chalk, poff stays on longer and is a lot harder to weather off, plus once you start using it, you have to keep on using it.

[chriss]

I see your point but the Frenchies love their poff.
I was in font 'bout june time having a nice time at Rocher aux Sabots & this local old fella starts showing us how to do various problems, chalk bag on poff in hand, no problem. Was there again a few weeks ago & the SAME bloke was going mental at me for using chalk! Im all up for respecting local traditions, but this guy was taking the piss....

[i.munro]

chalk bag on poff in hand, no problem. Was there again a few weeks ago & the SAME bloke was going mental at me for using chalk! Im all up for respecting local traditions, but this guy was taking the piss....

unless he didn't have chalk in the bag in which case it seems more reasonable.
I've seen at least one guy do this. When I asked what was in the bag it was a little bottle.
So I aked whether it was liquid chalk. He said his own recipe, a little pof & far too much alcohol & grinned

[Averageman]

I have seen a few bleauzards only use poff to squeek their boots up, this is much more acceptable.

[ian h]

Funny how pretty much most of the locals use it isn't it.

Pretty much all of the 'locals' on southern sandstone rig top ropes in such a way as to carve slots in the top of the crag.
Doesn't mean it isn't banned or that it's a good thing to do it just that the ban isn't enforced.

Do you really think this Ian ? There are locals and there are true locals . I really do not think this apply's to the latter. It is inevitable that there are going to be points of contact between the rock and rope in certain situations which is unavoidable - but this should not be a generalism . But hopefully the rope will be slack .

As for the chalk thing . In reality everybody uses it - well all but the odd strange one at Harrisons.

Pof on southern sandstone - I potentially agree with the points above and the use of it , but on the other hand you just know its going to be a disaster with so many punters in such a small area.

[ian h]

Anyone here got the crappy jingo wobbly SS book? look on page 210, whats he got in that balled rag???

Doesn't look like chalk to me?

Oi Oi Brett . How do's. Guy on page  210 has complete respect for the sandstone . I have bouldered with him a few times at high rocks He is a ss legend . This is exactly what i mean about pof being used appropriately on ss  . Probably a bad photo to put in a guide book to be seen by the masses .

[i.munro]

Do you really think this Ian ? There are locals and there are true locals . I really do not think this apply's to the latter. It is inevitable that there are going to be points of contact between the rock and rope in certain situations which is unavoidable - but this should not be a generalism . But hopefully the rope will be slack .

It was the point about locals & true locals that I was trying to make.At Bleau it's unusual not to see teams from Japan & the US.
By those standards everyone on the southern sandstone is 'local' in that they're from southern England.
 A French accent at Bleau doesn't mean they're local they could be from Marseille or Quebec.

I don't know the guy, except from here, but I assume (maisonBleau) Neil speaks with an English accent (when with English speakers) but I'd say he's local in that he lives & works in the area, has opened new problems & clearly loves the place.


Oh & also the point that someone else behaving badly , wherever they're from, doesn't make a valid excuse for you to copy them.

[chriss]

'unless he didn't have chalk in the bag in which case it seems more reasonable.
I've seen at least one guy do this. When I asked what was in the bag it was a little bottle.
So I asked whether it was liquid chalk. He said his own recipe, a little pof & far too much alcohol & grinned '
( Quote)

Small bag round the waist with white power in it? I'm no Miss Marple but I think I have a rough idea of what chalk looks like.
I'm not local to the area, but I would consider myself a sandstone local. I also agree with Ians thoughts on poff, but as the majority of climbers on sandstone cant work out what a carpet square is for a poff rag would be a disaster.

[neil h]

[/quote]


I don't know the guy, except from here, but I assume (maisonBleau) Neil speaks with an English accent (when with English speakers) but I'd say he's local in that he lives & works in the area, has opened new problems & clearly loves the place.

[/quote]


hey dont get me involved in this, I once was a local to your beloved sandstone, the question there should be should varnish be banned from the sandstone..

Personally I dont use pof, but I have to agree that the locals do and all the guys I know in the forest use it properly and respect the rocks and the surroundings

I think people should simply be educated better in the use of pof and chalk for that matter, I have seen complete idiots using chalk, for instance yesturday down at isatis I was trying megawatt and the boulder behind was completly smuthered in chalk, it looked like it was snowing, this had come from a group of brits that were doing all the problems on the bloc

[Averageman]

Question; assuming poff, when used correctly is not so bad, then how does one go about educating numbskulls that poff everything in sight.

[neil h]

Question; assuming poff, when used correctly is not so bad, then how does one go about educating numbskulls that poff everything in sight.

I showed you how to use it correctly last time you were here 

[Averageman]

I don't do poff.

[neil h]

I don't do poff.

as if 

[Averageman]

Do i know you.

[neil h]

Do i know you.

maybe maybe not

[neil h]

you might not know me but i know you and I saw you use some pof last time you were in font

[Averageman]

I think not my friend, but a good bluff. 

[neil h]

I think not my friend, but a good bluff. 

Does your name begin A and second name with V ?

[Averageman]

I think not my friend, but a good bluff. 

Does your name begin A and second name with V ?

Maybe, maybe not 
besides, when did i use poff.

[neil h]

anyway it does not matter, what I am saying it does not matter if you use pof, chalk, brushes as long as you use them correctly, and responsably

I no longer want to take part in this stupid thread

[Averageman]

I Agree with you Neil, and i hope your keeping well, we should not have to ban anything, but it is a constant frustration to me how people treat the crags.

[webbo]

as this seemed to be some sort of gay outing thread i wanted to change an "o" to a "u" on the comments above.but i guess i would have just being childish.

[neil h]

I know hence the video I made

just incase you all missed it here you go again





watch listen and learn people, we need to stand up and preserve the future of our rocks wherever you live and climb

[ian h]

I don't know the guy, except from here, but I assume (maisonBleau) Neil speaks with an English accent (when with English speakers) but I'd say he's local in that he lives & works in the area, has opened new problems & clearly loves the place.

[/quote]


hey dont get me involved in this, I once was a local to your beloved sandstone, the question there should be should varnish be banned from the sandstone..


[/quote]

The least said about the varnish or what ever you want to call it the better. Leave it to the locals to sort out. We really don't want every joe walking round painting the holds up.

[neil h]

varnish pof its all the same, as one person said, if punters see people using this they do it, I saw a numpty once trying to paint holds at the rocks, when I questioned him he said everyone does so why cant he.

I only said varnish as not to advertise what is really used there, I dont mind painting of the rocks if it has long term benefits, the guys I know that pain the rocks there do it from there heart and do it well.


All I say is there should be a generall code of conduct for all rocks, not just sandstone, not just font, but all.

Maybe someone like the BMC and write a code of conduct for all climbers and boulderers to follow, and anyone who ever joins a climbing wall should be force read it.

[St Hubbins]

Slight diversion but decathalon seem to put rosin in their blister chalk pack. Its listed in the ingredients!
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/blister-chalk-33854391/

Well its made by camp so not their fault.