[andy popp]

The 1930s, hands down, no question. I think that it was in the 30s that climbing as most have of us have practiced it since truly took shape. Also: Colin Kirkus.

Now, the most over-hyped ... ?

[Johnny Brown]

I tend to think it was the Brown Whillans era that made the biggest jump in standards and shaped the modern sport in terms of possibilities if not quite style, moving from mostly cracks to multi pitch extremes taking demanding lines head on. And there's a good argument to be made for the eighties too I think as modern gear and training came together.

[Fiend]

  with JB.

Conversely, 2010-20 was a good decade for the death of climbing.

[Duncan campbell]

Gotta be the 80s for me.

[mrjonathanr]

Pete Livesey. Before him, Alan Austin. After him, Ron and Jerry. Right Wall, Lubyanka, Footless Crow, the development of Gogarth. John Allen on the grit. So the 70s for me.

[Hoseyb]

Gotta be the 80s for me.

Inclined to agree, enough gear to stop yourself dying, so many adventures to try

[jwi]

What is the difference between the best and the most important?

Depends a lot of how much you value alpine climbing I guess? For France it must be the 40s if alpine climbing is the most important/best form of climbing and the 80s if rock climbing is the best. Or late 20s to mid 30s if bouldering is king.

For Scandinavia it is the 70s for both alpine and rock climbing and 00s for bouldering. For US it has to be the 60s? For Spain the 90s for sure.

[Ru]

'83-'93

Dawes, Lycra, Slate, Buoux, Gogarth, Huber, Stone Monkey, Wolfgang, Ben, Jerry, Porsches, 205s, Bedford Rascals, Malham, Parthian, Free Salathe, Hubble, Reve D'un Papillon, Verdon, Pritchard, 8a - 9a, comps, walls, Jibe, Masters of Stone, most of the greats still alive, etc

[Falling Down]

Pete Livesey. Before him, Alan Austin. After him, Ron and Jerry. Right Wall, Lubyanka, Footless Crow, the development of Gogarth. John Allen on the grit. So the 70s for me.

70’s Defo for me… Ed Drummond, Allen and Bancroft, Tom Proctor, Andy Woodward; Llyn and Gogarth exploration; aretes and blank walls on the grit; free routes on the lime; Peak, Wales, Lakes, Scotland and SW E*** classics; hard Boulder problems (e.g Jim Holloway’s stuff and the Font monsters); hard A4/5 in the valley; Himalayan Oxy free & Alpine fast ascents. This is the decade that flipped post-war climbing into the 80’s.

Edit: Friends, RP’s, Painter’s pants, flares, EB Super Graton’s, Boreal fires (just in ‘79), and headbands.

[andy popp]

What is the difference between the best and the most important?

Yeah, I totally skipped over explaining that distinction (the thread was just a lighthearted response to something in the best descent thread). I think most important is always thought of in terms of advances in standard. By best, I think I meant most interesting. So, for me, the 30s is when we get the first real, extensive democratisation of climbing and climbing becomes a part of people's lives in the same way it is today for most of us: fitting climbing in around work, evenings out on local crags, weekends in Wales or Lakes, maybe even the Alps for a week or two in the summer. A pastime, but a really important one. There were some great characters and for me Kirkus is head and shoulders above everyone else. Cloggy was properly opened up for the first time too. But grades probably didn't advance that much; E2 was climbed in the late 20s and I'm not sure things really took the next step forward until the 40s.

I suspected the 80s would be a popular choice. Personally, perhaps because I was there for some it, I'm a bit bored by the romanticisation of the decade.

Not much love for the 90s?

ps. I very deliberatley specified British, otherwise it just becomes impossible.

[duncan]

Not much love for the 90s?

In terms of increase in standards the 90s felt like a fallow period after the unprecedented rise in the 80s. For the average person-at-the-crag the 90s was without a shadow of doubt the best decade by far.

It was the first decade when, it seemed to me, women started climbing in larger numbers. Which isn’t to say there were not very significant individual women climbers before then but it felt like the time when it no longer came as a surprise to see a good number of women climbing at the crag. 

Gear felt like it was designed for climbing and not a cast-off from mountaineering. There were good microcams, grigris, bolts, 5.10 Pinks and (I can't believe no-one has mentioned this) bouldering mats! Everything since then has been tweaking and marketing.

International travel was cheap: it was the decade when nipping off to Catalonia for a week became routine. There were few speed cameras and roads were quieter. The music was fantastic which further encouraged the dash to the crag. I'm obviously ignoring the ecological impact of all this...

Indoor walls were now decent, fun, replicated outside climbing, and had gym mats underneath them, which meant that you could reach a good standard whilst still having a life outside climbing.

Numbers were increasing but being a climber was still a slightly weird thing to do and felt like an identity. You’d still look twice at someone wearing a Rab jacket in London. There was still grass under Deliverance.

No social media!

[mrjonathanr]

And Lynn Hill fell the length of Styx wall, recovered and won the World Cup anyway before nipping up The Nose. (Edit: sorry just seen Andy’s ‘British’comment.

I don’t think there is a single decade to highlight over all the others tbh

I suspected the 80s would be a popular choice. Personally, perhaps because I was there for some it, I'm a bit bored by the romanticisation of the decade.

Yeah me too. I looked elsewhere because we all romanticise our youth to some extent.

[andy popp]

Not much love for the 90s?

In terms of increase in standards the 90s felt like a fallow period after the unprecedented rise in the 80s. For the average person-at-the-crag the 90s was without a shadow of doubt the best decade by far.

Some good points!

[andy popp]

I don’t think there is a single decade to highlight over all the others tbh

No, of course not. Just some fun in the hope of provoking some partisan to and fro.

[Duncan campbell]

Not much love for the 90s?

Hmm I always think I wish I had been a climber in the 80s but that does sound flipping brilliant to be honest.

Crags would have been way quieter too! Oh to have been born in the late 70s!

In terms of increase in standards the 90s felt like a fallow period after the unprecedented rise in the 80s. For the average person-at-the-crag the 90s was without a shadow of doubt the best decade by far.

It was the first decade when, it seemed to me, women started climbing in larger numbers. Which isn’t to say there were not very significant individual women climbers before then but it felt like the time when it no longer came as a surprise to see a good number of women climbing at the crag. 

Gear felt like it was designed for climbing and not a cast-off from mountaineering. There were good microcams, grigris, bolts, 5.10 Pinks and (I can't believe no-one has mentioned this) bouldering mats! Everything since then has been tweaking and marketing.

International travel was cheap: it was the decade when nipping off to Catalonia for a week became routine. There were few speed cameras and roads were quieter. The music was fantastic which further encouraged the dash to the crag. I'm obviously ignoring the ecological impact of all this...

Indoor walls were now decent, fun, replicated outside climbing, and had gym mats underneath them, which meant that you could reach a good standard whilst still having a life outside climbing.

Numbers were increasing but being a climber was still a slightly weird thing to do and felt like an identity. You’d still look twice at someone wearing a Rab jacket in London. There was still grass under Deliverance.

No social media!

[Duncan campbell]

Not much love for the 90s?

Hmm I always think I wish I had been a climber in the 80s but that does sound flipping brilliant to be honest.

Crags would have been way quieter too! Oh to have been born in the late 70s!

In terms of increase in standards the 90s felt like a fallow period after the unprecedented rise in the 80s. For the average person-at-the-crag the 90s was without a shadow of doubt the best decade by far.

It was the first decade when, it seemed to me, women started climbing in larger numbers. Which isn’t to say there were not very significant individual women climbers before then but it felt like the time when it no longer came as a surprise to see a good number of women climbing at the crag. 

Gear felt like it was designed for climbing and not a cast-off from mountaineering. There were good microcams, grigris, bolts, 5.10 Pinks and (I can't believe no-one has mentioned this) bouldering mats! Everything since then has been tweaking and marketing.

International travel was cheap: it was the decade when nipping off to Catalonia for a week became routine. There were few speed cameras and roads were quieter. The music was fantastic which further encouraged the dash to the crag. I'm obviously ignoring the ecological impact of all this...

Indoor walls were now decent, fun, replicated outside climbing, and had gym mats underneath them, which meant that you could reach a good standard whilst still having a life outside climbing.

Numbers were increasing but being a climber was still a slightly weird thing to do and felt like an identity. You’d still look twice at someone wearing a Rab jacket in London. There was still grass under Deliverance.

No social media!

Not much love for the 90s?

In terms of increase in standards the 90s felt like a fallow period after the unprecedented rise in the 80s. For the average person-at-the-crag the 90s was without a shadow of doubt the best decade by far.

Some good points!

I kind of fucked it above.

What I meant to comment was...

I always think I’d have loved to have been a climber in the 80s but being a climber was n the 90s sounds pretty cool too tbh.

Oh to have been born in the 70s...

[DAVETHOMAS90]

'83-'93

Dawes, Lycra, Slate, Buoux, Gogarth, Huber, Stone Monkey, Wolfgang, Ben, Jerry, Porsches, 205s, Bedford Rascals, Malham, Parthian, Free Salathe, Hubble, Reve D'un Papillon, Verdon, Pritchard, 8a - 9a, comps, walls, Jibe, Masters of Stone, most of the greats still alive, etc

That's a pretty good call for "ripping it up".

The 70s must have been pretty good, but the government funding scheme really helped the 80s flourish with a romanticism riding on the back of the imagination of the 70s. Plenty of parties back then too

No bouldering mats either 

[Fiend]

What was best (not most important) for climbing: No bouldering mats, or no social media?? 

[webbo]

'83-'93

Dawes, Lycra, Slate, Buoux, Gogarth, Huber, Stone Monkey, Wolfgang, Ben, Jerry, Porsches, 205s, Bedford Rascals, Malham, Parthian, Free Salathe, Hubble, Reve D'un Papillon, Verdon, Pritchard, 8a - 9a, comps, walls, Jibe, Masters of Stone, most of the greats still alive, etc

That's a pretty good call for "ripping it up".

The 70s must have been pretty good, but the government funding scheme really helped the 80s flourish with a romanticism riding on the back of the imagination of the 70s. Plenty of parties back then too

No bouldering mats either 

The 70’s also had government funding as well. 

[DAVETHOMAS90]

'83-'93

Dawes, Lycra, Slate, Buoux, Gogarth, Huber, Stone Monkey, Wolfgang, Ben, Jerry, Porsches, 205s, Bedford Rascals, Malham, Parthian, Free Salathe, Hubble, Reve D'un Papillon, Verdon, Pritchard, 8a - 9a, comps, walls, Jibe, Masters of Stone, most of the greats still alive, etc

That's a pretty good call for "ripping it up".

The 70s must have been pretty good, but the government funding scheme really helped the 80s flourish with a romanticism riding on the back of the imagination of the 70s. Plenty of parties back then too

No bouldering mats either 

The 70’s also had government funding as well. 

And far better than sponsorship and social media.

Donkey jackets were cheaper too.

What was best (not most important) for climbing: No bouldering mats, or no social media?? 

They aren't unconnected.

.. fantastic times.
Social media was pre party drinks in the Padarn, sharing Gogarth exploits with "Spirit in the Sky" blaring out from the Duke box.

 

[Falling Down]

I was still in monkey boots and scrambling using hauser ropes with my Dad and Uncle at this point in time.

Pete Boardman who was an alumni member of the cub and scout troop I belonged to took us top roping on Holyhead Mountain on a summer camp, maybe 1978??.

I used to think you needed a license to go climbing that you had to apply for at the Post Office like for fishing or owning a dog.

Jumpers for goalposts..

[Neil F]

I can tell you exactly, with reference to the comment in my logbook from 29th September 1983:-

'First route in my new Fires. Thankfully reasonable and very enjoyable pitch. Made the reach easily. Cruised.' ***  (This was a really significant day. I'd been waiting months to get my hands on a pair of sticky boots, which Jerry and Gore had been climbing in for a while, but no-one else had a pair. This was the day an advance shipment arrived at Wild Country (the importer) and I collected my pair from their factory in Tideswell on the way to the crag. I'm not sure just how much better they were than what I was wearing before, but psychologically it was a massive boost. Everything felt easy this day, and my feet stuck to the rock like glue. I was climbing with Tony Ryan that day, but despite being a far better climber than me, he couldn't match my performance on any of the routes I did).

The bit in quotes I hand wrote in my diary on the day. The bit in brackets is an explanation (just in case anyone ever gets to read them after I've gone  ) written last year when I transcribed (word for word) all my original diary comments into my online logbook, as a lockdown project.

The route in question was Honeymoon Blues.  I on sighted this, Piranha and Bigger Splash the day I got my first pair of Fires...

Happy memories 

[andy popp]

I used to think you needed a license to go climbing that you had to apply for at the Post Office like for fishing or owning a dog.

Somehow that's just really lovely.

Great tale from Neil too.

[DAVETHOMAS90]

I can tell you exactly, with reference to the comment in my logbook from 29th September 1983:-

'First route in my new Fires.

* * * *

The route in question was Honeymoon Blues.  I on sighted this, Piranha and Bigger Splash the day I got my first pair of Fires...

Happy memories 
[/quote]

Great accounts Neil. On-sighting Piranha is a fine effort. The Firés may have been better than the Hanwags Quent is wearing in Rock Climbing in Britain  I think The Snivelling was my first outing in them. I remember trying hard to imagine that the edges were as sharp as they appeared in the Wild Country adverts too!

[duncan]

Great stuff Neil! I wish I'd written down what I got up to in that much detail. I do remember Chris Gore staying with me in Bristol in summer 1983. He had a pair of Fires but wasn’t going to lend them to me or anyone else. We had to make do with a variety of dreadful footwear like Hanwags or Galibier Contacts. Autumn of 1983 I had tweaked my shoulder (some things never change) and decided to go on a non-climbing holiday in India and Nepal and on to Australia. En route I got an excited letter from my climbing buddy Matthew raving about the new shoes, claiming anyone could climb Grit 6b in them. Shortly after, that's exactly what lots of people did and more.