[gme]

Am i missing something here or is this just really shit.

Just found out that there are comps, on what look like normal climbing walls and that we have a team. In the pictures it just looks like climbing up a steepish wall in normal climbing boots but instead of using your hands you hook the holds with ice axes.

That cant be it can it or are the holds some kind of special material.

[Moo]

I can't believe that so many people seem completely blind to just how shit it is.

[gme]

It also seems to be done on top rope.

And they wear visors.

[Sloper]

Do you think it's damaging the development of dry tooling outside? 

[SA Chris]

That cant be it can it or are the holds some kind of special material.

No, they use logs and things as well. Log being appropriate

[Fiend]

Better use of axes than winter climbing.

What next, people training for rock-climbing by pulling on plastic and even holding indoor competitions?

[gme]

I am not Phishing at all it was a genuine question. I thought drytooling was done on loose rock that couldnt be climbed normally or on iced up mountain routes.

I have seen comps before on frozen structures that had bits of wood as well but not ones on a normal wall.

So in answer to my question is it as i describe. If so it seems pretty shit.

[Sloper]

I agree in my view it's a twatty indoor activity (hipsters seem to make up a fair umber of 'toolers) and encourages people to dry tool proper rock routes.

[petejh]

Am i missing something here or is this just really shit.

Just found out that there are comps, on what look like normal climbing walls and that we have a team. In the pictures it just looks like climbing up a steepish wall in normal climbing boots but instead of using your hands you hook the holds with ice axes.

Nope GME you're not missing much. What you describe as 'drytooling' also comes across to me and probably most others outside that indoor comp scene as a bit shit and the uncoolest geeky genre of climbing there is. But they're having fun and that's all that really matters, doesn't matter what you or I think.

It isn't really drytooling though - it's some kind of weird indoor competition relation.

The UIAA mixed comps are also weird competition relation to drytooling, but at least the climbing in those looks cool as fuck - blasting up steep ply creations to a hanging ice dagger in some frozen euro town. The UK version does not look cool - top-roping ladders in 10m high indoor walls...

This is drytooling, and it isn't shit:
It's good climbing on memorable lines with cool moves, and it requires fitness, strength and thought just like all good climbing does. You get pumped as fuck, a bit run-out, need to learn good technique and it's a varied challenge etc. etc.

This is drytooling in Wales:http://news.v12outdoor.com/2014/12/04/clogwyn-mannod-%E2%80%93-major-drytooling-venue-unveiled-in-crafnant-valley-quarry/  
It's cool as fuck and the best training there is for winter mixed other than winter mixed. All the good climbing in the film above can be done at any steep DT crag in the UK; the ice is the easiest part of nearly all M-routes and basically a rest after the hard climbing below, just a cherry on the top.
 
Finally DT'ing is also a good way to get lots of fun days out climbing through the damp cold months Oct to Feb - I mean it's this, spend weekends flying to spain, ming around in your down jacket in Parisella's, go indoors or wait for the 1 in 10 days that it's good for bouldering in the mountains.

But yeah, UK indoor 'drytooling' top-rope competitions, I'll pass.

[gme]

I knew what it was outside kind of and that it was done in a few manky quarries in the UK where normal climbing didnt really work, but had no idea it was done on indoor walls and was a big enough thing for us to have a team. Do a lot of people do it?

Still dont get the concept but I dont have a problem with it (as long as no knee pads are used obviously). I genuinely thought i was missing something.

[SamT]

The fear being that you then get some tool turning up at millstone or stanage and scratching his way up flying buttress direct pr some such, non the wiser, having only really been involved in the indoor scene having been introduced to it by his hipster flat mate.

I don't think its a fear that's too unfounded.

[tomtom]

Are beards and fixies commonly associated with dry tooling? If so I think we should set up a special detention facility near Milton Keynes for them...

[T_B]

Personally, I'm not keen on aid climbing as it offers very little of what I enjoy in climbing (pulling on rock, movement etc). I can see why others enjoy it though (nice positions, er, get to muck about with techy gear).

I've done a bit of dry tooling outside, and it is fun. I can see that indoor tooling is fun too, though I doubt I'd be ar*ed to do a comp. But then most people would say the same about indoor comps of any form, including bouldering ones (which I personally enjoy).

Andy Kirkpatrick is about to set off on a winter solo attempt of the West Buttress of Denali. This will basically involve tunnelling through snow on low angled terrain in the dark - sort of like burying yourself in snowdrifts for the sake of it for weeks on end. Totally grim and completely sh*t (devoid of any pleasure) no doubt, but it's what floats your boat. Good luck to him (and the dry indoor toolers)

[Fiend]

Okay gav you're right. I hadn't fully read your post nor seen the UKC news report. Wearing normal rockshoes is farcical, why they hell don't they have to wear crampons. As an indoor version of outdoor tooling, that is toss.

[gme]

Andy Kirkpatrick is about to set off on a winter solo attempt of the West Buttress of Denali. This will basically involve tunnelling through snow on low angled terrain in the dark - sort of like burying yourself in snowdrifts for the sake of it for weeks on end. Totally grim and completely sh*t (devoid of any pleasure) no doubt, but it's what floats your boat. Good luck to him (and the dry indoor toolers)

He is from Hull though.

[Sloper]

Are beards and fixies commonly associated with dry tooling? If so I think we should set up a special detention facility near Milton Keynes for them...

What about extrodinary rendition to Swindon, hipster death, shirley?

[petejh]

The UK version, rendition special trains.

[petejh]

Are beards and fixies commonly associated with dry tooling? If so I think we should set up a special detention facility near Milton Keynes for them...

Milton Keynes has a snowdome, they'd feel right at home (or not)...

[Teaboy]

I think the whole attraction to the participants is that it is totally shit. If it weren't more people would do it and it'd be a bit more difficult to make the GB team and spray about it.

[Sloper]

The UK version, rendition special trains. replacement bus service

There, fixed that for you

[Lopez]

Good post petejh.

The one thing about dry-tooling is that doing it is normally nothing like you'd expect before trying it, so i'd suggest people to give it a try and form their opinions. It'll not be everybody's cup of tea, but...

FWIW before i ever gave it a try i thought "How hard can it be? You are hanging off massive jugs the whole way!" How wrong i was... It's much pumpier, scary and technical than i thought it could ever be, but also loads of fun in that it's climbing nut using a whole different skillset both physically and mentally.

And when you get it out to the mountains...

[Lopez]

Ah, but i agree that indoor dt comps are shite, but if the competitors have fun then let them be.

P.s. Unless you get to go to Saas Fee (another vid)

[SA Chris]

Aren't the ice climbing comps as shown different to dry tooling comps though? modern ice climbing comps had a bit of dry tooling involved, but I think dry tooling is all indoors with rocks shoes. I could happily be wrong.

[Lopez]

I think it's more a matter of logistics, in that most climbing walls can't accommodate massive hanging structures and get them covered in ice, so they are limited to stick a few holds into an overhanging wall. Then there's the insurance aspect which forces most walls to have no crampons, leashed axes, face masks, etc. but it is slowly making progress https://www.thebmc.co.uk/british-tooling-series-2014

A bit like climbing outside, ice can only be so hard to climb, so most have the cruxes in the dry sections, or using wobbly stubby features, but i guess the biggest obstacle it probably is that this must be one of the hardest and most expensive 'flavours'  of climbing that can be recreated in an artificial wall.

[gme]

The Saas fee thing was like i had seen before but the thing on UKC today is just like me turning up at the foundry and setting off up the wall with a pair of axes. I just didnt know thats what they did.

I guess if it was training for fitness i would get it but it was a comp. Does it really happen at local walls?