[Jaspersharpe]

Was trying this yesterday and was getting pretty close. Thought I'd have a look at the video of Ben doing it as I remembered seeing it on the Moonclimbing site and wanted to check if I'd got correct beta. In the guide it says it's eliminate as the crack is out (obviously) but on the video it looks as if Ben starts with his left hand laying away off the crack and then uses a foothold on the edge of it so I'm confused.

The sequence I was using involved using a low foothold for my left foot, undercutting the little break with left hand, right on the sloper and throwing my right foot out on nothing. Up for the little edge/pebble with left hand, right foot up into the break and rock up to either reach static for the shit little edge (and fall off as it was too greasy to hold) or press the edge pebble thing a bit further and reach/slap for the top (also involving falling off but by the time I worked this way out I had very little skin).

I'm sure I can get it this way but Ben's sequence looks way better as (because of the "crack" holds) his body position is way further left when using the edge/pebble so it'd be easier to pull/press on and he can get his right foot further left (and a good two inches higher) in the break enabling him to reach the top easier (I was at full stretch and about an inch off getting the slopey top static from the further right foothold).

Am I sandbagging myself by not using those holds or should I keep plugging away at not going anywhere near the crack to ensure I get the proper tick? Any help would be most appreciated as I feel I may have wasted a lot of skin making it too hard and don't want to do the same when I go back to bag the fucker.

Sorry if this doesn't make any sense. It does to me but it probably doesn't translate too well.

Excellent problem by the way. Not climbed on Trackside before and I did all the easier stuff on there which was most enjoyable (plus good for getting a baby chariot there and with some great beginners stuff which is a bonus for the Mrs).

[Paul B]

found these after vaguely remembering the same thread during last winter:

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,7046.0.html
http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,4168.0.html

[Jaspersharpe]

Cheers Paul, not just me then!

So I'm none the wiser really.........

People seem to be saying that it doesn't make any difference as the top move will be the same. Er, no it wont. As described using the foothold that's sort of in the crack means your position is totally different and the extra inch or two gained by being able to bring the right foot further left would for me have been the difference between doing it yesterday and not doing it. Go figure.

Think I'll stick to doing it properly. I'm only climbing 7b ish at the mo so if I want to tick a 7c then I think it should be done correctly. I got very close so I'm pretty certain it's NOT 7c to do it an easier way. 

[Johnny Brown]

I've never seen anyone actually do this problem. I think its a good 7b to touch the top, good 7c to do anything with it, no matter how you get there.

[AndiT]

7b

[mini]

 

[Jaspersharpe]

That being the all encompasing 7b Andi?

[r-man]

I saw someone do this once, some long-haired Spanish or Italian guy. He did it without the crack and rocked leftwards to get the lh hold, then stepped his foot up high and rocked rightwards to finish. There wasn't any slapping.  Most impressive.

But then he fell off Strawberries.   

[a dense loner]

yeh nice one andi, it is 7b if you're tall i'll give you that

[AndiT]

That being the all encompasing 7b Andi?

That being the 'it's quite hard so it's 7b' and the 'it's desperate so it's 7c' attitude.

Dense, as you're a little smaller than me, it must be 7b+ for you...

[a dense loner]

not a chance i'll take 7b+ for it

[AndiT]

Awww, Dense, come on, if you can grade by proxy then so can I!

Jim: I don't think it's 7b, I just thought it was funny that on one thread I'd said 7b encompases what we might class in simpler terms as 'hard problems' and then JB had said that the bit folk can do is worth 7b but then as everyone finds actually completing the problem really desperate it then gets 7c. It fits with what I said earlier as 7b tends to lump together hard do-able problems (or in this case, moves). Then again, when I've done Play Hard in good conditions it's felt reasonable, I know that it isn't, but because it then becomes a hard do-able problem it could - by some - then get 7b.

Jaspersharpe: I step in using the crack to get my right-hand well seated on the sloping crimp, I do some shuffling around and slap at the top, it sticks eventually. I'm sure it's harder without using the crack, but to me it adds little to the overall quality of the problem. Each to their own! Reach helps, but you have to use what you've got to your advantage.

[Johnny Brown]

You are wise man in many ways Andi, but this 7b schtick is nonsense.

[AndiT]

Thank you. You're right.

[Jim]

don't get too offended andi, I know you don't think its 7b, nobody in there right mind would. However I think that anyone even suggesting its 7b, even if it was in some sort of cross-thread joke, no matter how obvious, still requires negative karma.
Now go and massively overgrade a 7a - you know what grade to give it - and then you can cross me off your list.

As an aside, I don't think using crack or not makes it any easier, just makes it more pleasant.

This is on my must do list this winter. Obviously I won't be using crack but I might use the crack

[cofe]

This is on my must do list this winter.

 

you've just gone down a notch in my estimation jim. you were on notch 1.

[Jim]

I've never tried it in good conditions.
Notch 2 ain't that bad a place to be is it?
who's replaced me?

[GCW]

Notch 2 ain't that bad a place to be is it?
who's replaced me?

Andi_e 

[cofe]

Notch 2 ain't that bad a place to be is it?

notch 2. re-read the post sunbeam. you're plummetting.

[Jaspersharpe]

I step in using the crack to get my right-hand well seated on the sloping crimp, I do some shuffling around and slap at the top, it sticks eventually. I'm sure it's harder without using the crack, but to me it adds little to the overall quality of the problem.

It is harder. And surely adds to the quality of the problem by virtue of not actually using any holds on a 5b. I'd like to know how Myers did it originally as to me it's becoming pretty obvious that the problem is harder, less eliminate and probably only should be ticked if you avoid the crack completely?

It's obviously quite conditions dependent and I was trying it in the warm so hopefully it'll feel a bit easier when it's cold. If not then, naturally, I'll just contradict everything I've said and use the crack. Tum te tum.

[dave]

if you do playhard using the crack then it may still feel 7c as you've just done a 5b crack using very bad sequence!