[Nibile]

In any case, we are talking about something that's 50 moves long, so who cares...
 

[Doylo]

Sounds like what he should have done was fess up at the time and said he thought POTW was only 8b+, which is in effect what he's implying here.

Few others have started saying that too.

[Three Nine]

Dave Mac is an idiot.

[Teaboy]

All he seems to be saying is that Swiss grades are generally a grade easier than UK and is using some examples to make the point, I find this sort of insight around top level grading interesting, especially as all we normally get is innuendo or silence.

He's obviously decided to grade it in accordance with UK norms to avoid getting a load of online flack........

[petejh]

Well yeah... but he also lacked the whatever it is to take a personal grade for those swiss grades; and instead he played the pro-climber and happily let the media give him the plaudits and the higher grade. Compare with someone like Ondra - well known for offering honest grade opinions on his repeats, despite them potentially lowering the level of his perceived achievement in the climbing media.

For context - read Dave Mac's blog posts, which contain numerous references to climbing font 8C, font 8B+, 'new levels' etc etc. But if he doesn't really think they are that grade then he should say so and not suggest he's reaching new levels if he doesn't really believe this.
In contrast - he's extremely cautious of giving his own creations a higher grade. Presumably for fear they'll be downgraded in the same way as he clearly thinks other problems should be.

So it's no surprise that some people think D.M. isn't being totally legit with those grade comparisons.

[Fultonius]

Basically what he's saying that the grades in Swizzy are wack and all you grade chasers need to stop taking the easy grade for stuff. Blanket downgrade of Swiss problems. Or something.

50 moves though... Sounds like a route to me haha! As an aside, when folks say 50 moves, does that imply hand movements? I just counted the moves in the last hard route I did at Dumbuck. 5 bolts, 12m, 15 hand moves.

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

[lagerstarfish]

what's that in YDS then?

[Fultonius]

5.13a innit!

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

[BAndy]

Who cares. At least he didn't give it 9D or E12 or whatever.

[Danny]

Ohhh, grading spray. My fave.

[Andy F]

Why not give it 'Scottish VS' then 

[SA Chris]

Scottish V,5 you mean?

[submaximal gains]

I am very curious about the reason behind the name.

Probably because Lithium is a mood stabiliser used to treat a variety of psychiatric problems and he talks about working on the problem helping him through a rough patch.

On both those long climbs with long walks in between, being there and doing them helped me get through some very bleak feelings I was having. It did not diminish them, or take them away. Just helped me to remain resilient. For that I am very grateful.

Also, from the comments on the blog

Congrats on Scotlands hardest boulder. It sounds like its borderline British 8C and definitely 8C anywhere else. Good effort!

So no more  To be blunt it's making you guys look quite petty.

[turnipturned]

Good effort, awesome to hear, I wonder if it will see a repeat in the future? Seems like a crag that you might have to invest a fair amount of time into, to build specific fitness etc! I guess its not very local to many, so maybe not. Will Bosi?

On that note has anyone tried Dave's harder climbs;

- Skypilot
- Natural Method

Also, has only one 8C in the UK has been repeated; Serenata by Ned and Dawid?

[Duma]

On that note has anyone tried Dave's harder climbs;

- Skypilot
- Natural Method

think Skypilot is the crag - Seven of Nine is the problem?

[SA Chris]

"Sky Pilot" is actually the name given to area of the valley near the route of that name

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=90634

7 of 9 is the problem name though.

[cowboyhat]

So no more  To be blunt it's making you guys look quite petty.

As petty as writing a bitchy comment on a blog, then deleting it? Or in response to said deleted comment you take time out of your hectic schedule of dietary indecision to dig out some old footage and upload it to youtube..?

Exactly that petty, aye.

[rosmat]

The bitchy negative flavour of the comments on this thread are an embarrassment.

[Fiend]

Dave Mac's illogical (a grade harder than 8B+s so grades it 8B+), duplicitous (happily takes column inches for 8B+/C repeats without clearly downgrading them) and half-arsed (vaguely implies that UK grading is harder than Swiss without being explicit about full grade differences) explanation of his grading is the embarrassment, you know it and he probably knows it too.

If he'd either applied logic and given it 8C, or previously downgraded his Swiss ascents, or made it clear in this that Swiss grades (and Gutbuster were wrong) so they're 8Bs and this is 8B+, it would make some sort of sense. As it is, well, there's nothing to really bitch about as it's just quite funny.

He's a far far better climber than he is a player of the "beating around the bush" grade game (see various comments on Breathless vs Rhapsody comparison, Echo Wall, Longhope Route, Hold Fast Hold True etc).

[jwi]

I understand nothing. I thought it was OK to take holiday grades when on holiday?

[BAndy]

I can see next week's headlines now. 'Dave MacLeod in grading shocker'. When questioned, he responded; "I didn't realise grading was an exact science".

The glue factory just called. They want their dead horse back.

[lagerstarfish]

was the reliability of conditions (Dave mentioned this, I think) something that contributed to the grade decision?

[Fiend]

Wow remus that was pathetic.

How about you refute my points - which are merely reiterating what people wrote earlier up the thread in response to rosmat - before you accuse me of whining and jump for the punter button.

Or if it's of no interest, just ignore the discussion eh.

[remus]

How's this: Grades are weird, illogical and make no sense. Grading FAs even more so. If I want people to reiterate the point ad-infinitum I'll pop over to UKC.

Thanks for the facebook message by the way, much appreciated.

[Three Nine]

You're a tit Fiend.