[hongkongstuey]

Forget all that other rubbish - the finest guide on the planet will be available in about 8 days.

Checked the proofs last night - e mailed the final amendmants to the printers this morning - its off to production this afternoon and in 8 days time i'll have a new baby.........

A little excited now to say the least...

[SA Chris]

Thats a nice B and W pic dtu, i assube by the black spaces its the front cover. Do I get a signed copy? For photographic services over the years?

[hongkongstuey]

i assume by the black spaces its the front cover.

indeed it is - will send you a copy back when Grace is in the UK next (you can do a review for UKB...... :roll: )

[SA Chris]

You should have maybe pm'ed me that message, now everyone will want one!

[Fiend]

[schild=14 fontcolor=000000 shadowcolor=C0C0C0 shieldshadow=1]w0rd[/schild]

Nice one Stuey, looks like you've got a lot of class stuff to document from the pictures you've posted on here. Nice cover too, not always a great fan of the sillouette things but I love the crazyiness of the HK cityscape.

Now all we need is a sample .pdf =)

[Bubba]

A fine effort Stu - you've pretty much put HK on the world bouldering map

[hongkongstuey]

A fine effort Stu - you've pretty much put HK on the world bouldering map

and still no bugger ever comes here..........

even though the weather is prime at the minute - hovering around 20 deg C, low humidity etc etc...

[Jim]

too warm that. currently about 2 or 3 degrees c, suns out. Bloody freezin and I'm off to the peak in about an hour. may have to go and get on all my nemesis'

[hongkongstuey]

Well its ready and will be available in the UK through beta climbing designs soon

a few sample pages to wet your appetites:

Front Cover:


Area Intro:


Crag Intro:


Crag Maps etc:


Topo's:

[Nigel]

That looks absolutely gorgeous - a real inspiration for lone operators who need to write a guide! Check this out Greg. Nice one.  

[Bonjoy]

Nice one Stu, that looks quality.

[Bubba]

Awesome work Stu !

[cofe]

is hong kong further south than cratcliffe? i'm confused - is it near Churnet?  :wink:

looks dope. i'll start saving now.

[Fiend]

Cofe - think it's somewhere on the coast near Dartmoor, that's why it's sunny.

Stuey - ditto to the above comments, very nice indeed. Big up.

[account_inactive]

Nice

[Palomides]

Area Intro:

Looks good

(But should it say "described briefly at the back of the book" or "described briefly in the back of the book" ??)

[Greg C]

Looks awesome and with a little ethnic flava!  :up:

Not that I want this to end up in yet another mindless grade debate (don't you believe it) but I see for the easier problems you have used a VB grade whats that stand for?

[Fiend]

V-Basic, I assume. Have also seen V-Easy and V-Moderate in use, in NZ I think.

This guide certainly is a good demonstration/lesson to anyone who might be in a prime bouldering area that hasn't been documented in print and is sitting on a load of topos...

[cofe]

too late man, they're already doing a peak guide:

check it

[SA Chris]

VB gets used stateside, as easier than V0- (as opposed to V0 and V0+) basicall extending the V system downwards, to cover easier problems.

[dave]

just imagine if there was a internationally recognised grade scale that went right down to easy stuff. I recon it'd be a winner.

[Pantontino]

Yeah Dave, you're damn right: an internationally recognised grading system that went right down to easy stuff, and that could cope with traverses and long problems, and even that grey area in between: medium length problems - imagine that. :shock:

I reckon that would be a winner too.

[Pantontino]

...but then again that would mean we'd have to change the 'internationally recognised grading system' to suit our own crags were you get a lot of traverses and traverse/up problem hybrids.

And we all know that you're not allowed to change other people's grading systems, don't we.

Oh well, back to the drawing board.

[dave]

And we all know that you're not allowed to change other people's grading systems, don't we.

aye, but if those said "other people" change it then its all good:@

I get the impression that font traverse grades will die out. They have never been used in the peak (Jerry's traverse 7c is as hard as any up 7cs) so I doubt they will be used in the new guide, otherwise Jerr's travers would need to be graded 8a which I'm sure it will not be (I'd hope!)

I spoke to Jacky Godoffe about this in font recently and he said that they are a dying breed even in font, and quoted Millenium, a traverse graded 7c+ in normal grades and not given a font traverse grade. He then pointed out that problems such as Dreamtime - arguably a traverse - were graded in normal font grades and not with the traverse derivative. If you check out bleau.info you will se that the grade voting is gradually bringing all the traverses into line with the up problems.

[Pantontino]

Now all we need is somebody to establish some reliable and credible benchmarks for the lower grades and bingo bongo, luvverly jubbly, jobs a good un.

Hasn't Dave Jingo wobbers just regraded all the easy stuff in Font for his new guide?

Or will Rupert's guide (potentially the biggest - by a very long mark - selling UK bouldering guide to date) set the standards by which all sub 7a Font grades will be judged. And will the rest of the country then fall dutifully into line behind the mighty Peak Scene and scrap that American nonsense forthwith? (Actually I think you know the answer to that already.)

(Apologies to HK Stuey for the Tommy Tangent hijack of this thread. Your guide looks like a real quality job - well done for what I'm sure was a load of hard work and hassle. I should've start a new thread, but Dave is leaving at 3.00, so I'd only be talking to myself (again).)

[dave]

you're so beautiful when you're sarcastic Si. :kiss:

[Pantontino]

Actually, I'm half serious. If the traverse issue was dealt with and we could establish a reliable range of sub 7a benchmarks I would have no objection to using Font grades.

The only issue is a temporary period of confusion amongst mainstream guide buyers who have gotten used to the V grades.

If the next Yorkshire guide (which badly needs updating) switched to Font grades, then I reckon all other UK guides would follow suit.

[dave]

thing is, you're the only person who i've ever heard really take this traverse grade thing as an issue! :wink:  everyone else quite rightly just ignores it as some kinda ridiculous local folly/quirk, like yorkshire P-grades or County B-grades. Thats not a dig at you Si, just saying its not worth worrying about. :fluffle:

I mean for a start no-one really (except gaskins) goes to font to do traverses. I've never even thought about traverse grades as its a local thing to font and to be honest makes jack all sense, and from what i can tell it only exists in font anyway, i doublt anyone in europe uses them. I think they were made up by locals who were insecure that they didnt do any sport climbin anymore but wanted to show everyone they had some stamina and made up a new gay scale to kinda give it importance! i mean all jerry's traverse things in the peak have ended up with real font grades even though we went to font loads, so that shoudl speak volumes on how most people just ignore traverse grades, as it sounds a lot in font are doing anyway.

In short, its not an issue.

[c.j.d.]

If I could conjour up a picture of a couple of cats. I would.  Instead, using your imagination, put a furry fight at midnight noise on a normal cats miaw, to give more of a MIAAAAW SCREECH type thing...

[dave]

Oooh get her.

[DrWong]

Someone's gotta pull this thread back outa the clutches of the grade-obsessed...

:up: Nice work Stu :up: Looking forward to picking up a copy b4 my next trip HKside!

[Bonjoy]

some guy on cocktalk wrote:

.....with a manc uni law student IP address. Mmmm who could that be :chin stroke: :wink:

[dave]

yeah, i mean there must be hundreds of people on manc uni law courses who are wirting peak guides right?

[Pantontino]

I don't know what you mean Chris, I'm too hungover to be confrontational today. Haven't I just conceded that Font grades could work for the whole of the UK.

I have probably argued in the past that V grades suit power problems and Font in turn suits faggy slab stuff, but in reality either works as a linear system. Of course a N Wales V9/7c is likely be different in character to a Peak V9/7c - but then, so what, the difficulty will be approximately the same.

I really think it all hangs on the Yorkshire guide, and thus the potential author of such a guide. Is there a version of Rupert (i.e. super knowledgeable trainspotting type) operating in Yorkshire these days? What about Jon Pearson - is he up for producing a printed guide? presumably at the moment he would use V grades, but perhaps once the impact of Rupert's guide is felt, would he change his mind?

(As for traverses/long problems - okay, I admit it, I'm a lapsed sport climber, and I do like getting pumped.)

[dave]

Of course a N Wales V9/7c is likely be different in character to a Peak V9/7c - but then, so what, the difficulty will be approximately the same.

2rite

[cofe]

and I do like getting pumped.)

<sn**ger> :wink:

[Big Frank]

I really think it all hangs on the Yorkshire guide, and thus the potential author of such a guide. Is there a version of Rupert (i.e. super knowledgeable trainspotting type) operating in Yorkshire these days? What about Jon Pearson - is he up for producing a printed guide? presumably at the moment he would use V grades, but perhaps once the impact of Rupert's guide is felt, would he change his mind?

Has he the time is the real question. It would be a massive job if you consider all the venues on his site compared with the current guide.

[rowena]

Anyway, all I wanna say is that it looks great    looking forward to hopefully hauling ass over next autumn for some HKPeeeee style bouldering!

[hongkongstuey]

But should it say "described briefly at the back of the book" or "described briefly in the back of the book" ??)

Bugger - indeed it should - just goes to show that no matter how many times it gets proof read - by myself and others - there's always one or two things that slip through the net.

Hell, anyway its on Page 13 so i guess i can live with a little bad luck on that page...

[Ru]

Hello y'all

I didn't do the post on Rocktalk, but I have now. I don't know who did the other post, suffice to say that there are at least 3 post grad law courses in manchester, 3 undergrad ones, and lots of non law people that use the law facilities, them being just next to the main library. There's at least 4 boulderers on my course including Dave Buchanan and Andy Higginson, and that's just in my year, but I don't think it was either of them.

Like I said on the rocktalk post, I'm live and let live on the V grade issue, I just hope that using font grades doesn't compromise sales at all. the only reason I used them is that I'm not too familiar with V grades, never having been to the states, but having been to font a lot.

[c.j.d.]

Ru, I'm, sure all will be fine!  Basically, inmy humble opinion, certain grades suit certain problem.  Sometimes a font grade will stick, other times a V grade.  You could give a traverse V7, but usually, you'll try and convert it in your head to a sport grade (7c?), like wise with various other problems, some work bette rusoing certain systems- way of the world - ok here come s my boss Bye!

[Bonjoy]

Soz Ru, just being mischeivous.
 Accuracy and consistency are far more important than which system is used, in both respects the new book is light years ahead of it predecessor.

[hongkongstuey]

I just hope that using font grades doesn't compromise sales at all. the only reason I used them is that I'm not too familiar with V grades, never having been to the states, but having been to font a lot.

Ru

I wouldn't worry about it - it'll sell like nobodies business and, think of it like this, at the same time you'll be giving people an education in Font grades.

At the end of the day its your guide so i wouldn't pay too much heed to what others think - there'll always be good and bad comments made no matter how perfect you make it.

looking forward to seeing how the end product comes out - and being eductaed in font grades..........

Stu

[account_inactive]

Grades smades.  As Love Joy said it doesn't matter one jot which grading system you use as long as they are accurate.  







.................and the Terrace gets 7c;)

[hongkongstuey]

planetfear review of HK Bouldering guide

http://www.planetfear.com/review_detail.asp?r_id=503

[Fiend]

Bit of a brief one but the picture of the guide inside says it all really.

I think they've got a good point about providing traveller's information. Not every is lucky enough for the full HKS hotel service =).

BTW, where can one purchase said guide?

[fatboySlimfast]

The boys at Beta climbing designs have got some I do believe(well i know cos i was looking at one yesterday)
Looks good stu, nice effort

[hongkongstuey]

I think they've got a good point about providing traveller's information. Not every is lucky enough for the full HKS hotel service =).

i thought about including a page on this but didn't bother for two reason:

1 - i only printed 300 copies all of which i originally intended to shift locally (international distribution seemed to much of a ball ache being as i'm most definately a one man band - it only through chance that several copies winged there way to the beta boys). Being as locals are, by definition, already living here there seemed no point. As the guide would only be on sale in HK, anyone else buying it would also be in town already....

2 - buy a lonely planet, it'll be more up to date and comprehensive than anything i can sling in one page - plus i have absolutely no idea about back packing in HK. Everyone i know who visits just sleeps on my floor!

P.S. The guide for routes, which i've shifted my efforts over to now, will have a page or two on these subjects as i'm looking to print more and try and shift them globally - somehow

[Fiend]

Had a look at this in the Edge today, very nice, really photo-tastic although most of them have appeared in the Quality Bouldering Pics thread at some point =).

The bouldering looks great there, and the guide with it's plethora of topos, does a really good job of highlighting that - pretty much every page has some topo that made me go "damn, that looks cool". Shows a good variety in rock and locations, too (though I didn't check the walk-ins =)).

[hongkongstuey]

cheers Fiend, glad you liked it

purely out of interest - what are they charging for a copy in the UK??

[Fiend]

Dunno, it wasn't for sale...