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11
news / Re: The inevitable E grade thread
« Last post by Wellsy on Today at 10:57:20 am »
Idiot is maybe a bit harsh. Incorrect though yes. I'm not sure it's such a rare view as you say but I've no real idea.
12
equipment / Re: Semi-static / LSK recommendations
« Last post by Johnny Brown on Today at 10:46:49 am »
We sell a lot of low-stretch rope. 10.5mm or 11mm are standard, and most companies treat it as a consumable, so they go through a lot and generally buy mainly on price. The manufacturers know this and compete to be the cheapest, but customers quickly sniff out a rope that is less durable. Over the last decade Beal Contract and English Braids Tutus, both in 10.5mm, have been the biggest sellers. If they want a 'better' rope we sell them Beal Industrie although we only stock 11mm. Generous discounts to any walk in customers but postage costs aren't cheap.

I think all these are a bit thick for an ab rope and I'd go for 10mm or 9mm. If you have a belay device suited to 8 or 8.5mm ropes it may be difficult to use with a stiff 11mm - I had to carry a second device for a while when I was using Reversinos. Now I have a Pivot and a thinner ab rope. 9mm can be a bit terrifying on a big intimidating ab like you get in the Barra Isles, but like 8mm lead lines you get used to it.

I'm not convinced you need 100m and have always got away with less. Originally I got full 200m a reel very cheap and split into 3, they are generally a bit over length so plus stretch, minus knot, you get 70m+ which is plenty for Gogarth in my experience. I think on Pabbay we had a 90m 9mm which was long enough for the biggest abs although there wasn't loads to equalise anchors - you can always take have a separate 15m length for the rare times it's needed.

In the small print, most manufacters suggest 'conditioning' the rope by washing and drying it, just in water. This shrinks the sheath onto the core and washes out some of the lubricants used in weaving. You end up with a much stiffer rope without the supple new feel but in theory it should last longer.

As Lopez says, beware uncoiling rope that has been wound on a drum or reel. You may never get it properly untwisted. It has to come off like sellotape, which isn't easy if they've removed the drum it was wound on.

13
power club / Re: Power Club 751 29 April - 5 May 2024
« Last post by Duncan Disorderly on Today at 10:27:09 am »
Better late than never... club.

M: AW - Few MB problems up for 6A+ then routes up to F6c.
T: 15 miles on the push iron (well it's actually carbon but you get the drift)... Nice to get out but seemed to cause issues with elbow and shoulder....
W:MB @ AW - 10 problems 5+ to 6C+ inc new 6C flash!
T: Sheaf Bloc - 1st time this year - Hoped after all the MB work it would feel easy... It didn't! Couldn't even do the hard move on the Traverse FFS... Had to remind myself that it always feels about F8a until you get it dialled then it goes back to F7b (not that I have any idea really as I'm the only idiot who does it).
F: Rest
S: Surfing @ Cayton - Nice session! Followed by a walk round Bemptom RSPB to see some puffins and Flamborough to see some seals - nice!
S: Drove over t'lakes and biffed up some multipitch VDiffs with the GF in the drizzle - Great!

Not the best training for Verdon week! Have somehow managed to re-tweak my SLAP torn shoulder and have some acute hip pain on the LHS (possibly brought on by sitting on my surfboard of all things!) so am going to need to rest a bit more than I want and just accept that I'll possibly be sub-par in the Verdon... Hopefully experience and not being in excruciating pain will count for something - we shall see!
14
news / Re: The inevitable E grade thread
« Last post by abarro81 on Today at 10:21:26 am »
Wellsy - whoever told you that is an idiot, as everyone else has pointed out. Fortunately they're also in a vanishingly small minority so their view is irrelevant.
15
news / Re: The inevitable E grade thread
« Last post by T_B on Today at 10:19:05 am »
That’s the first time I’ve heard that. Kind of weird given Font is so techy/tricksome. Or maybe that’s the point?

My understanding is grades in Font get bumped up for exposure/height.
16
news / Re: The inevitable E grade thread
« Last post by spidermonkey09 on Today at 10:17:47 am »
Totally incorrect use of font grades is out there in the streets every day, as John Redhead might have said...
17
news / Re: The inevitable E grade thread
« Last post by Wellsy on Today at 10:14:54 am »
Oh no I'm not saying you were, just that it is out there. I don't agree with it at all, personally. But it definitely is out there. Like Roswell.
18
news / Re: The inevitable E grade thread
« Last post by mrjonathanr on Today at 10:11:16 am »
I’m not having a go at you Wellsy.
19
news / Re: The inevitable E grade thread
« Last post by Wellsy on Today at 10:02:26 am »
*shrug * the opinion is out there, anyway
20
news / Re: The inevitable E grade thread
« Last post by spidermonkey09 on Today at 09:59:53 am »
Anyway an E-grade like system for bouldering would nicely show the difference between say, Gritstone Megamix and Mermaid that 7A and 7A does not.

If you were bothered about that you could just add a ! like eg. the North Wales Bouldering guide does. Its also fairly obvious from a simple look at the problems in question which one is highand which one isn't.

Anyone using font grades that way hasn't thought about whether it makes sense even remotely and they're using them wrong. Its as simple as that.
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