[B0405413]

I'm off to font for the first time in march, and i'm looking for a good general guidebook. Thought about the fun bloc one by jingo wobbly but the lack of descriptions puts me off, and it doesn't seem to say whether the problem is a sit start or not (might just be me being stupid). Also the 5+6/7+8 guides look good but don't have photo topos. Just wondering what people recommend? (Also, are the grades in font as nails as everyone says?)

Thanks in advance!

[nai]

Fun Bloc uses symbols and there is one for a sit-start.  Not used mine yet but leafing through it, it looks pretty good once you get past all the nonsense about height dependent grades and whatnot. The banned hold symbol might be useful though, save you finding you didn't get the tick after checking bleau.info.

Definitely don't get the Hors Piste guide, useless by itself and only marginally passable with the accompanying Circuits guide.

Which one to get will probably depend whether you're planning to do circuits or problems and at which grades, etc.  Unless you're solid in the 7s you're unlikley to need 7&8s, there'd be enough low-mid 7s to go at in a circuits guide?

Grades can seem harsh at first but they're not, just takes a bit of getting used to like any area.

[B0405413]

Nice one,  I reckon i'll probably go with the jingo wobbly one then, so I can tick easy and harder stuff. Cheers for the reply!

[psychomansam]

(Also, are the grades in font as nails as everyone says?)
Thanks in advance!

The lower ones are. I think that above 6a most people think they make sense.
But it's like grit in that it'll all seem hard until you know the rock, have the friction dialled in and have the right muscles/tendons for it (triceps perhaps)

[Johnny Brown]

I'm off to font for the first time in march, and i'm looking for a good general guidebook.

For your first visit I'd strongly recommend you get Essential Fontainebleau by Stone country. Don't be fooled by the fact it's tiny and only a tenner, it's better than all the other select guides and probably has more info, definitely the most usable. Plan topos and photos of selected probs, lots of circuit info as well as all the classics. V good.

If you get into I buy the 7sn8s. For all it's glorious design it's not very user friendly for getting your head round the place, and the for the vast majority of us a 6sn7s would be far more useful.

[B0405413]

Yeah I thought the 7+8 guide might be a bit of a waste of money considering I'm only bouldering up to about 7b on grit at the mo, and it will probably take a while to get into the swing of font. Essential fontainbleau actually looks really good, I had a flick through in cotswold the other day. Might even buy both considering that i'm a complete nerd when it comes to guidebooks. Cheers guys.

[psychomansam]

I'm off to font for the first time in march, and i'm looking for a good general guidebook.

For your first visit I'd strongly recommend you get Essential Fontainebleau by Stone country. Don't be fooled by the fact it's tiny and only a tenner, it's better than all the other select guides and probably has more info, definitely the most usable. Plan topos and photos of selected probs, lots of circuit info as well as all the classics. V good.

I love this guide. I have the old version. Is the new one different enough to bother buying? I'm trying to justify it...

[ghisino]

personally speaking i love the 5+6 and 7+8.
What i like the most is that the plans, both for walk-ins and for the individual areas, are the most "topographically accurate" among font guidebooks i know, and for me that's the most important bit.
I find it considerably easier to drive/walk from A to B with these than with any other bouldering topos i've used. Only a GPS app would be better.

Their downside is that the information about the individual lines is very essential.
How much of a deal it is, will depend on how much complementary use of bleau.info, internet videos and local knowledge you make.

[the_dom]

I'm off to font for the first time in march, and i'm looking for a good general guidebook.

For your first visit I'd strongly recommend you get Essential Fontainebleau by Stone country. Don't be fooled by the fact it's tiny and only a tenner, it's better than all the other select guides and probably has more info, definitely the most usable. Plan topos and photos of selected probs, lots of circuit info as well as all the classics. V good.

I love this guide. I have the old version. Is the new one different enough to bother buying? I'm trying to justify it...

I spent 2 weeks in Font, alone, using this guide and Jackie Godoffe's Bleau a Bloc guide, which I found excellent but didn't cover all the areas (and it was in French). At that point, the 7s and 8s guide was out of print, but I didn't have any problems.

[Sloper]

I'm off to font for the first time in march, and i'm looking for a good general guidebook. Thought about the fun bloc one by jingo wobbly but the lack of descriptions puts me off, and it doesn't seem to say whether the problem is a sit start or not (might just be me being stupid). Also the 5+6/7+8 guides look good but don't have photo topos. Just wondering what people recommend? (Also, are the grades in font as nails as everyone says?)

Thanks in advance!

For your first visit I'd suggest not worrying too much about individual problems rather about finding the circuits and just climbing what looks nice.  For example, you don't need a guide to Cuvier, Roche aus Sabots, Isatis, L'Elephant and so on.

The 5+6 is my favourite, but there's also Fontainebleau off piste which is a cracker.

My advice would eb to ge the Pink Godoffe guide and then just try the odd harder problem when you feel like it, as a first timer you're much better of doing blue and red problems and getting some volume in rather than thrashing yourself on a single harder problem

Font breaks newbies (as well those who are more experienced)

[i.munro]

For your first visit I'd strongly recommend you get Essential Fontainebleau by Stone country.

Referrred to in my head as "the wee guide". I concur.  Just remember that the pictured problems are by no means all that's worth doing they are chosen partly to be useful to orient yourself in the area.

[fried]

The 5+6 guide is fantastic for maps/ topos, but for the casual visitor it has the problem of only covering half the forest. It also includes info on problem numbers and starts for easier circuits. The amont of info is a little overwhelming if you arent familiar with the areas.

* Apparantly there is/ was supposed to be a second part to the 5+6 guide, if anyone has any info......

[finbarrr]

* Apparantly there is/ was supposed to be a second part to the 5+6 guide, if anyone has any info......

Bart van Raaij is working on it. He took a short break after finishing that first half and the new 7+8, to focu on climbing for a bit.

[fried]

* Apparantly there is/ was supposed to be a second part to the 5+6 guide, if anyone has any info......

Bart van Raaij is working on it. He took a short break after finishing that first half and the new 7+8, to focu on climbing for a bit.

 

Cheers!

[B0405413]

Sweet, cheers for all the info, it seems that essential fontainbleau is the one to go for.

[psychomansam]

Sweet, cheers for all the info, it seems that essential fontainbleau is the one to go for.

For your first trip to Font, I really think it is the best starting point. Climb some circuits, join in with randoms working problems on and off the circuits, see what you stumble across. The book also points you at some selected great problems, but it's specialty is in just helping you find loads of great areas and circuits.

If you go for you first trip to Font with a tick-list in mind from your shiny 'comprehensive' guide, you'll miss the point. Do that later if it takes your fancy.

[SA Chris]

Is the new one different enough to bother buying? I'm trying to justify it...

I got a freebie, based on having a few pics in the old which are kept in the new, sitting on my desk as I type. It's a really nice guide, feels a bit more "proper guidebook" than the little "pocket guide" older version. I've not compared them side by side, but the newer version seems to me to have a lot more emphasis on circuits, whereas the older one seemed to be a bit more about the individual problems. Photos are still fantastic though

Rodma, did you get a freebie too? What you think?

[rodma]

Rodma, did you get a freebie too? What you think?

mine hasn't turned up yet, which is a wee bit odd. John did email me saying it was in the post, but that was a very long time ago now. didn't feel like i should chase him since i wasn't able to give him any new photos

[SA Chris]

I didn't give him any new ones, and still got a freebie. You got an acknowledgement, and there are some photos in there of a weak punter who looks a lot like you?

[rodma]

When did you get yours Chris?

[SA Chris]

before Xmas

[rodma]

Thanks , that was about when I was expecting it.