[i.munro]

Obviously location is important.  But what would motivate you to travel that bit further.

I've discovered that  for  me the main "avoiid!" factors seem to be overcrowding & excess heat & the main "go to" the quality of setting.

Reason I'm asking is that I've been visiting a  wall that opened about 10 months ago & it's pretty underused while the local competition is rammed & generally  stupidly overwarm.  So what's going on? Are climbers social animals & like people standing on their fingers?

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Stubbs]

From the pictures I've seen of West 1 it doesn't have anything to counter the Wave or the mezz at the Castle, and for me it is about three times as far away to cycle.

Plus Cowboyhat doesn't go to West 1 so I would miss my chance to worship at his feet.

[chris05]

Have to say I'd travel further and actively seek out a quiter wall, even if it was a bit worse. I'd like to claim that this is because I'm not a sheep but its probably due to being unsociable!

[i.munro]

Have to say I'd travel further and actively seek out a quiter wall, even if it was a bit worse. I'd like to claim that this is because I'm not a sheep but its probably due to being unsociable!

That makes at least 2 of us then 

[Lund]

I've got an annual pass at the castle, so it'd be daft to go somewhere else.

If we're on about west 1, from the photos it looks log.  I was going to bang on about that, and then... I discovered the link to ROCKFIT!

http://www.high-sports.co.uk/neil_gresham_rockfit.php

"Reach new heights in extreme fitness!"

Jesus Titty Fucking Christ.

[Stubbs]

That makes at least 2 of us then 

you should probably stop going on about how amazing your quiet wall is the whole time then, unless they've got you on a spam payroll 

[Paul B]

Jesus Titty Fucking Christ.

almost correct!

at least he's got his marketing down:

[i_a_coops]

Skin-friendliness is a main issue for me, if I trained at West 1 regularly my hands would look like kebabs.

Also there aren't enough holds on the paltry quanity of steep bit to make up your own problems when they take down the only problem above V6 because 'no one is using it'. At least, that was my experience about 4 months ago.

I was working in London this summer and gave up on West1 pretty fast, moved onto the westway (where there is a LOT of steep board which makes you strong! and unlimited access is much cheaper)

The rockfit thing is an absolute joke...

[i.munro]

[
you should probably stop going on about how amazing your quiet wall is the whole time then,

Err there was no mention of any particular wall or indeed area of the country in my post. It was you that  decided to make a general enquiry specific.

[Stubbs]

I've seen your posts on the other channel

[Jaspersharpe]

at least he's got his marketing down:

That's fucking dynamite!  Go Eggbox. 

[tomtom]

Neil Greshams presenting style is a tad scary... the eyes of a religious freak with the background music from a gay chat advert... 

Oh, more seriously...

Quality of the problems (most important thing)

Ambience (every wall has its own different vibe)

People who go there... similar to above - but bouldering's a pretty social thing and its crap if everyones ignoring everyone else. A good gender balance helps (ie not just all bluurks).

Convenience

Price

[fried]

It's raining. It's not raining.

[mrconners]

Cost.
 Nearly £8 fucking at most walls now and as i'm shit I manage about an hour and a half and I'm fooked.

[gremlin]

Cost:
West View in Preston has gone from £4:70 to £6 in one fell swoop! That's big price hike!
Still, I guess it's cheaper than most other places.

Luckily there's a decent supply of DFBWGC 

[BB]

Neil Greshams presenting style is a tad scary... the eyes of a religious freak with the background music from a gay chat advert... 

Oh, more seriously...

Quality of the problems (most important thing)

Ambience (every wall has its own different vibe)

People who go there... similar to above - but bouldering's a pretty social thing and its crap if everyones ignoring everyone else. A good gender balance helps (ie not just all bluurks).

Convenience

Price

I go down to the Swindon wall this evening and who should i find there? Only Neil fucking Gresham hogging the bouldering wall whilst giving a 'masterclass'. Not best pleased! So, to answer the OP's question. Neil Gresham makes me avoid the wall!

[GCW]

Luckily there's a decent supply of DFBWGC 

Really?  I think I need glasses.

Although the incredible heat in West View may have warped your perceptions........

[GCW]

Holy shit, I just watched the Gresham video.  I have no idea WTF that was about, but I feel violated.

[Adam Lincoln]

Luckily there's a decent supply of DFBWGC 

Where are they then?

[cheque]

Quality of route and problem setting and variety of holds, particularly in their applicability to rock climbing.

I want to climb around people who are psyched, keen and see the indoor environment as a training tool/ wet weather fix rather than bumblies who stand around chatting and complaining how hard everything is.

Surely no-one likes to climb when it's hot and you grease off the holds! I like the movable fans they have at the Foundry.

[Muenchener]

Have to say I'd travel further and actively seek out a quiter wall, even if it was a bit worse.

Turns out not to be the case for me. Due to regular business travel, combined with a desire not to let travel disrupt my training too much and an aversion to long boring evenings in hotel rooms/bars, I have been of late intensively researching The Climbing Walls Of Lower Saxony And Eastern Westphalia.

The walls at home in Muenchen are all absolutely rammed all the time on midweek winter evenings, to the point that I've almost entirely given up on queuing for routes at one of them. That represents one extreme of the scale. Here in t'north, where there are fewer climbers, we have within semi-reasonable reach of where I'm working:

- the other end of quietness scale: two quite big, new, shiny commercial walls in Ahlen and Paderborn. Nobody there on winter midweek evenings - hurra, no queuing. The route setting ain't great but it isn't *that* bad. But, as it turns out - also no atmosphere. Emptiness to the point that it's spooky turns out to be somewhat demotivating too.
- Escaladrome, Hannover. A good bouldering wall, but a bit too far away unless I happen to fly via Hannover which I usually don't
- a wall belonging to the German Alpine Club in Bielefeld. The routes bit looked no great shakes and was crowded, but I really enjoyed the bouldering area. Scruffy, improvised feel with unpainted rubber-steaked plywood: always a good sign. Enough people for there to be a bit of atmosphere and craic, friendly. The style of bouldering there absolutely plays to my weaknesses: lots of very steep, body-tensiony stuff on big round holds - so very good training. I could see it getting monotonous if I lived here, but I don't, and for occasional visits it's definitely become my #1 choice in the area.

Tonight, however, I'm facing hotel room yoga boredom - after three days on, the third of them on the brutal roofs of Bielefeld, I have to reluctantly rule out another wall visit. 

[Muenchener]

... so to summarise, my "visit" criteria would appear to be:

• busy
• scruffy
• climbing style doesn't suit me

 

[Richie Crouch]

Anywhere that plays Johnny Cash or Fall Out Boy on repeat for 8 hours!

[gremlin]

Luckily there's a decent supply of DFBWGC 

Really?  I think I need glasses.

Although the incredible heat in West View may have warped your perceptions........

I have low standards

[slackline]

Anywhere that plays Johnny Cash or Fall Out Boy on repeat for 8 hours!

Would that make you visit or avoid?