[Durbs]

Was going to but this in the Board Construction forum but you can't create threads there...

Anyway, I was looking for some advice on holds/brands to seek-out or avoid for my home-wall. My font of woody advice (here...) doesn't have anything, or not easily compiled anyway.

Specifically I was looking for recommendations for bolt-on holds for slabs. I bought a job-lot of holds when I was going to build a wall, and most will be great for the 40-degree board (coming April 2017...), but not that good for the slab as they're quite juggy or generous.

So thought I'd start a thread along the lines of this... Reviews of holds you've bought, tips for making your own, stuff to avoid etc.

The majority of mine are Bendcrete, but have some nicer sets:

EP Supertweeks: Sharp/v. positive, quite aggressive but a nice size.
EP Quartz: Yet to set with them, but feel nice in the hand. Interesting shapes rather than just being a crimp/pinch/edge.

I got some Holdz volumes which seem well made. Nice texture, solid and came with mounting screws. They seem to make some well-priced holds too, so might give them a whirl.

I'm also tempted by some of the Agripp holds, though for no reason other than they look nice... Similarly SoiLL holds seem to be more visually exciting, though whether this transfers into climbing well I don't know - hence the thread!

[ducko]

I have a majority of wood and resin on mine. I have some LX holds which are good and he will make you holds you like specifically, I've also made a load myself with a sawcabd bent sander that are very good.
All my resin holds are assorted and tbh I much prefer the wood

[tomtom]

On woodys at climbing walls - I like the wooden ones - and the Crusher ones at the Depot (Manc) seemed like a really good mix. Nice size shape, quite simple - but with the right angles and 'feel' for want of a better description.

[Hugh]

I too have a mixed bag of resin holds along with a bunch of wooden ones I made (and which I much prefer).

If you're making your own, cabinet makers are a good source of high quality hardwood offcuts; the guy local to me seemed only too happy to offload a few bags. I've even made decent footholds from thin hardwood slices cut with a chop saw and then split down the grain with a chisel. Bit of sanding and you're good to go. They've held up surprisingly well over six months or so of regular battering.

[moose]

I've been looking into this myself (new woodie).  Most of my holds are Crusher (Probes constructed the woodie itself too).  Good, simple regularly shaped training holds.  Most of the ones I have are on the taxing side (on a 40 deg overhanging board) - which is what I wanted, to "future proof" the board.  He also does holds that aren't on the website if asked - he made me some wood foot-jibs, undercuts, and big finishing jugs.  Top and conscientious chap - when he was let down by Core for T-nuts he made a mad dash to Screwfix so as not to let me down and fail to meet the somewhat arbitrary deadline we had agreed - much appreciated.

I have also just ordered some pairs of LX Grips (Alex Fry) for variety.  Not yet arrived but I have seen them at the Depot - beautifully finished in hard wood and comfortable - more expensive than Crusher though.  I personally couldn't afford to populate a board with them - but could not resist having a few for "nice" moves.  He did not appear to have a fixed product range; more you tell him the type of thing you fancy and he then sends photos of what he has in stock that he feels will suit (in my case positive, half to full pad crimps).  Nice bloke too - he was replying to my emailed queries at all hours, really quickly.

For somethingspecial there is also Silly Goat (search for him on Facebook).  He does gorgeously sculpted holds with loads of texture (as well as more normal edges etc).  I have just received a couple of tufas I ordered from him - carved with lovely irregularities and knobbly textures with little dinks - somehow both rough yet smooth.  Rob has ordered a few of his holds for the Depot (where I saw the tufas and immediately sought them out and ordered a couple).   Call be a snob but the thought of white socked gym refugees putting their feet on them makes me want to weep.

[moose]

Silly Goat tufas (they're more impressive in person - though to really appreciate them you have to touch - very tactile):

[sdm]

For somethingspecial there is also Silly Goat (search for him on Facebook).  He does gorgeously sculpted holds with loads of texture (as well as more normal edges etc).  I have just received a couple of tufas I ordered from him - carved with lovely irregularities and knobbly textures with little dinks - somehow both rough yet smooth.  Rob has ordered a few of his holds for the Depot (where I saw the tufas and immediately sought them out and ordered a couple).   Call be a snob but the thought of white socked gym refugees putting their feet on them makes me want to weep.

Rubber brushes off the wood he uses really easily. He made most of the holds on the board at the Milton Keynes wall and a set of his holds are used in the bouldering circuits. If the footholds get covered in rubber, a quick brush brings them back in no time.

The tufas are great and some of the small crimps and foot chips are satisfyingly useless.

[turnipturned]

Beastmaker holds in my opinion are the best wooden holds you will get, I think they differ because they feel more squeezy and to me represent something closer to climbing on rock. Climbed on the LX holds at kendal wall and they were nice too.

In terms of footholds, I think you can completely change the style of climbing by changing the footholds. We have just re set my board, previous we had small but positive footholds, which meant very static climbing without much cutting loose, you tended to be able to climb on very small hand holds but it often came down to how new your boots where. So we now have small slopey core screw ons, which are harder to stand on and the board has become more powerful (without changing angle).

I climbed on the mother board at the works the other day and loved the half wooden ball footholds, I think they are really good.

[Durbs]

Lot of love for the wood here.

I think I'm a little scuppered in this regard as my wall is outdoors... Whilst it's covered when not in use (tarp still attached when I checked this morning - thanks Doris), it's "weather proof" in that the wood is treated and painted, but I'd be nervous about getting wooden holds soaked - or would they be fine? Trees seem to cope.

[webbo]

Have you looked at Beacon holds I got some mirrors i.e. they come in opposing pairs. The small slopes might be quite good if your board is not that steep. In regard to wood you could try bits of broom handle or I used some those round posts that you edge your lawn with.
If they won't cope with being outside it won't have cost you much.

[Durbs]

I've got a box-full of wooden holds from the guy I bought all the resin ones off of.
They're all screw-ons though, and currently I'm being a little precious with my shiny new wall

[galpinos]

Get in touch with Alex Fry (LX Grips), Probes (Crusher) or the Beastmaker guys and I'm sure they'd discuss what's suitable fro an outside wall.

Alex is a really nice guy and very helpful and I can only imagine the others will be too.

[moose]

Alex is a really nice guy and very helpful and I can only imagine the others will be too.

That was my experience too - very ready to help (putting bolt holes in screw-in holds, resculpting them to make them a little better suited to my needs).  Probes and Silly Goat have also gone the extra mile for me (especially Probes).  Maybe , it's just a common characteristic of wooden hold makers - they are enthusiasts who partake of the inherent aceness of trees.  I wonder if there are any nasty hold makers who use wood from evil trees (Tolkien's Mirkwood and Old Man Willow, the baby sacrificing tree in The Guardian, the Evil Tree in the Mighty Boosh)?

[SA Chris]

Avoid Holdz Edgez. Might be fine for setting routes or on vertical boards, but for anything overhanging requiring dynamic movement or repeated attempts they destroy your skin.

[Paul B]

If you're going to go for any resin I'd try to beg to buy some from your friendly local wall. I've just installed some pre-loved bolt-ons (EP / Bendecrete classics) and despite being used they're still packet fresh when compared to my local wall. The result is I have a fair few chunks missing out of my hand after my first aero-type session. Ideally I'll switch out resin for wood over time.

I'd second the foothold comment above. The angle of my board is shallow (~25') and I have these:
http://www.coreclimbing.co.uk/shop/climbing-holds-climbing-wall-matting-bolts-and-clothing/shop-by-type/screw-ons/geo-screw-on-feet-angles.html

and these:
http://www.coreclimbing.co.uk/shop/climbing-holds-climbing-wall-matting-bolts-and-clothing/shop-by-type/screw-ons/core-screw-ons.html

Obviously the difference between using each set is huge.

[Teaboy]

The angle of my board is shallow (~25') and I have these:
http://www.coreclimbing.co.uk/shop/climbing-holds-climbing-wall-matting-bolts-and-clothing/shop-by-type/screw-ons/geo-screw-on-feet-angles.html

and these:
http://www.coreclimbing.co.uk/shop/climbing-holds-climbing-wall-matting-bolts-and-clothing/shop-by-type/screw-ons/core-screw-ons.html

Obviously the difference between using each set is huge.

Your building a replica of the Depot circuit board, aren't you?

[rodma]

Core bolt on ( the smallest can't remember whether described as mini or micro) footholds and micro crimps are really good came for money. I ended up using the footholds as handholds , so they make for a really cheap set of symmetrical holds for shallower angles.



Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

[Probes]

Lot of love for the wood here.

I think I'm a little scuppered in this regard as my wall is outdoors... Whilst it's covered when not in use (tarp still attached when I checked this morning - thanks Doris), it's "weather proof" in that the wood is treated and painted, but I'd be nervous about getting wooden holds soaked - or would they be fine? Trees seem to cope.

I've seen a few boards outside, and as long as the holds aren't directly in contact with rain, most wood tends to hold up ok for a few years. That said, a proper fine grained hard wood such as oak would hold up really well, and handle moisture a lot better than say ash or beech and especially poplar which is crap. It just so happens  I've a load of oak in my store that I could do with moving along... so I could do a good deal on some holds with it if you were interested..

[Paul B]

Your building a replica of the Depot circuit board, aren't you?

I did actually take a tape measure and size it up on the left-hand board.

[Durbs]

[quote author=Probes link=topic=27866.msg545821#msg545821 It just so happens  I've a load of oak in my store that I could do with moving along... so I could do a good deal on some holds with it if you were interested..
[/quote]

Ha, since building my wall I've probably spent 3 days setting and 4 hours climbing, so I shall hold off for now. I've still got about 50 resin holds to stick up, plus a box full of random bits of wood with screw holes in the previous owner left me.

So not in desperate need for more holds quite yet.
The main reason for starting the thread was I was looking for some ideas for holds for my vert wall, as the majority I have are a bit generous, so setting tends to be big moves, rock-overs etc rather than finger-strength testers...

[peewee]

Your building a replica of the Depot circuit board, aren't you?

I did actually take a tape measure and size it up on the left-hand board.

how big were them 8x4 sheets?

[Probes]

Your building a replica of the Depot circuit board, aren't you?

I did actually take a tape measure and size it up on the left-hand board.

how big were them 8 1/16 x 4 1/32 sheets?

Probably 2440 x 1220 

[Paul B]

how big were them 8x4 sheets?

Says the bloke who then admitted to having trimmed one of the panel dimensions down. It wasn't so much for the measurement side of things, more to test how useful it would be.

[jwi]

I tag on to this thread.

We've just moved, and are living within walking distance from a big modern bouldering gym. As such the gym is great for bouldering but not possible to use for training mid to long-end strength endurance. Luckily there is space for a adjustable wall on the balcony. Due to constraint on the space I don't think I'd like to tilt it much more than 30° at a maximum (but few of my favourite crags are steeper than this anyway).

I'm thinking that the wall will be mostly set to between 15° to 30°.

I don't have access to much in ways of a work-shop so I prefer to buy ready-made wooden holds, probably mostly holds symmetrical.

For pinches I was thinking to just get round dowels and cut to measure. For edges I was planning to get campus edges and cut them in thirds. Are there better options out there?

[Dexter]

For pinches I was thinking to just get round dowels and cut to measure. For edges I was planning to get campus edges and cut them in thirds. Are there better options out there?

I know a guy who used broomstick handles as thin pinches on his board