[LongMonkey]

A little anorakish but what is your favourite temperature, for climbing purposes? Does anyone know if there has been a study into the optimum temperature for climbing and whether (or is that weather!) temperature ‘X' varies between rock types? Humidity will no doubt also play a part in this but lets assume for the purposes of this thread that you're out on a thoroughly dry day with a slight breeze but nothing that adds major wind chill.

Mine has to be 7 degrees.

[Fiend]

Assuming the temperatures take into account wind chill etc.

Normal trad routes: 10 - 15'c

Grit routes: 5 - 10'c

Normal bouldering: 0 - 10'c

Grit bouldering: -35 - -5'c

[dave]

i don't think the temperature is that important, rather the humidity and the wind.

[tommytwotone]

word, if you've got the wind it's much harder to boulder.

sorry

[LongMonkey]

So Dave, for example it could be 20 degrees C + and so long as there was low humidity and a slight wind you think you could hang a sloper just as easily as in close to freezing winter conditions? If that's the case why is the peak bouldering season at Hueco early in the year?
I've been there in August (a flying visit on the way to Vegas from Texas), the temperature was close to 100 degrees F, the humidity was obviously very low and the wind was like a blast from an oven, I appeared to be the only person stupid enough to be climbing. Maybe that's a bit of an extreme example but those conditions made any climbing very tiring.

[Fiend]

Conversely, climbing at well below 0'c, wouldn't any moisture freeze out of the air? Unless it's like thick fog...



P.S. Don't put me in the box with r-man!

[andy_e]

I personally enjoy 276 Kelvin.

[SA Chris]

I personally enjoy 276 Kelvin.

My name is not Kelvin.

[r-man]

KEEP OUT.

BOX GAURDED BY DOGS WOT BITE:

Spike
Rex
Ripper
Psycho
Fluffy
Killer
Cuddles
And a cat. (Wot scratches)

[Stubbs]

Ideal grit conditions (as far as i've encountered) seem to be in the range of -5 - 5 degrees celsius, with a small amount of humidity and a light breeze. I have certainly been out on colder days when i have expected good conditions, but holds have felt glassy: this always seems to be due to very dry air and the lack of a breeze - anyone else experienced this?

[Soxs]

recently i've come across another factor - THE SUN! On to overwise perfect grit days with temp around 3 degrees the f***ing sun was out and all the slopers felt like shit.   :cry:  So I recon between -5 and +5, slight breeze and overcast.

[widdop]

wind chill is the one that you land up hurting yourself and creeping about for weeks, like a old sheep

[dave]

So Dave, for example it could be 20 degrees C + and so long as there was low humidity and a slight wind you think you could hang a sloper just as easily as in close to freezing winter conditions?

I didn't say that, i said it wasn't asimportant as everyone makes out. For example for every crisp cold winters day where the nick was mint i can remember i can also think of an equal number of cold days when the conditions were shit does to a lack of wind or the blazing sun, or it just being way too cold to move properly. I know that myself and a lot of the homies tend to get their hardest ticks done in say late spring evenings and stuff like that - often its worth trading off a bit of the ice cold temperature in return for actually being able to move and flow a lot better. ok i'm not taking about 20deg+ but i'm easily talking outside the usual 3-5 deg optimum temp window or whatever. all my hommes I know who've done Westside story for example tended to do it in like may when it wasn't cold. I did blind fig last may on an evening, after failing on it on days with 3foot of snow on the ground, and other bitter cold days where the sun came out and everything was shit. likewise didn't moon do high fidelity in like august or some shit? go figga.

[cofe]

So Dave, for example it could be 20 degrees C + and so long as there was low humidity and a slight wind you think you could hang a sloper just as easily as in close to freezing winter conditions?

I didn't say that, i said it wasn't asimportant as everyone makes out. For example for every crisp cold winters day where the nick was mint i can remember i can also think of an equal number of cold days when the conditions were shit does to a lack of wind or the blazing sun, or it just being way too cold to move properly. I know that myself and a lot of the homies tend to get their hardest ticks done in say late spring evenings and stuff like that - often its worth trading off a bit of the ice cold temperature in return for actually being able to move and flow a lot better. ok i'm not taking about 20deg+ but i'm easily talking outside the usual 3-5 deg optimum temp window or whatever. all my hommes I know who've done Westside story for example tended to do it in like may when it wasn't cold. I did blind fig last may on an evening, after failing on it on days with 3foot of snow on the ground, and other bitter cold days where the sun came out and everything was shit. likewise didn't moon do high fidelity in like august or some shit? go figga.

ditto.

[squeek]

Moon did High fidelity in May, I think.  I agree with your point too, I prefer it to be a bit warmer so I can feel my fingers and my body can move better.  Must lose a bit of weight with all the clothes you're not wearing too.  I just find it hard to warm up properly when it's really cold.

[Falling Down]

Dave's on the money.... Spring and Autumn is where it's at homies.  Plus I'm always about 1/2 a stone heavier in winter, covered in fleeces, hats and all the other sh*t.

Once it gets too cold it's just glassy and your feet are always numb....

[Fiend]

Obviously it depends on how much heat you produce and how much you sweat...

If it's cold enough that were you to sweat, it would freeze on your fingertips and be easily picked off to leave dry hands, that's probably good enough...

[LongMonkey]

Don't get me wrong Dave, I wasn't attacking your thoughts on the subject I was asking a hypothetical question. Ok Moon did High Fidelity in May but he also did Voyager in mid November. Maybe there are advantages and disadvantages of climbing in icy cold and slightly warmer conditions. It could just come down to personal preference too.

[moose]

Agree personal preference is the determiner.  I take absolutely ages to warm-up at the best of times, on proper cold "gritstone days" I don't have a chance.  Even if my fingers aren't numb I just cannot summon the dynamic "bounce" to do anything near my limit.  I instead spend most of my time moping about, rationing my coffee, and half hoping for rain to give me an excuse to go to the wall / cinema.  

All my hardest ticks have generally been done in fairly warm weather (when I'm often seen climbing ecstatically whilst the hardcore are falling off stuff and complaining about conditions).  With me happiness to be outdoors on a nice day seems to outweigh any frictional benefits... maybe I'm solar powered?!  

One good condition that hasn't been mentioned: the beginings of a rain shower.  The impetus for that angry "one last hard go before it gets too wet" which results in many a last minute tick.