The Climbing Academy - Bristol Bouldering Centre

[Simon S]

The overlapping middle grades will encourage climbers to try circuits that they might otherwise think too difficult - this is a real problem that rears it head when people limit themselves by numbers.

Strange - this reads as though you want to baffle people into trying harder circuits?

Tech grades have never worked for bouldering (how can they, when they only describe the individual move?). Almost everyone has either been to Font or wants to. Why not go with grades that will give people a more useful measure of their ability and progress?

I'm not from Bristol, but everyone I know from there has been moaning about this!

Grades aside, good luck with your new wall!

Funnily enough they have font grades at UCR now (wonder why they introduced that all of a sudden :-\) and so many people go around moaning that they are innacurate :wall:.

I agree with Paul that grades can put people off trying a problem that they feel is too hard for them. I have certainly climbed with others who wouldn't try X problem as it was a Y grade and they can't climb Y grade.

Besides, they are having a pizza oven installed so I'm happy! (great idea btw)

 

[Ged]

Whats the latest on an opening date?

 

[St Hubbins]

Besides, they are having a pizza oven installed so I'm happy! (great idea btw)
[/quote]

:agree:

 

[Duma]

Opens next Tuesday :bounce: :bounce:

 

[Paul T]

Tuesday at midday - a few things might not be quite finished but nothing that will stop us holding back the bouldering masses. Some great problems already and we're super psyched.

 

[Simon S]

Looking truely stunning now :great:

Roll on Tuesday.

 

[Duma]

Right, first impressions...
Plus:
Reception/cafe area good,seem well laid out, nice ambiance, decent coffee, awesome cake.
The daylight lighting works really well.
The walls/shapes are great. It's massive, and never felt close to crowded even though there were a few folk there this evening. Much steeper on average than UCR bouldering, but still good variety of angles etc. The junior problems for the lesser of stature are a great idea.
Fans work brilliantly - quiet (like silent) and effective.
Minus:
Problem marking - the posh tags are fine for the starting position, but too small for the circuits when you're casting around for where the next hold is. Also on several probs I tried tonight it wasn't obvious which was the finishing hold(s) - I think it would be worth bunging a finish tag on the relevant hold.
Buy some screw ons (more foot holds)!!! Far too much of the less steep hard stuff was hard/reachy mainly because there wasn't enough (small/rubbish) footholds - especially at the start of problems.
Holds - I know you have some deal with holdz(don't know if all the holds are by them, but the point stands), but there isn't nearly enough variety, and theres 2 types in particular that have been used very extensively that I really don't like, "blobby", and "pointlessly rough" - I appreciate that this may be just me, but I find the "blobby" ones tend to bruise the joints a lot, a few is fine, but it feels like over half the holds on the blue circuit are this type. I really object to the "pointlessly rough" ones (these are the ones where the grip surface is much rougher than the rest of the hold, really course grain), again no issue with variety, but when climbing/training indoors, I want my skin to last as long as possible, and not to be in pain just due to the texture of the hold. If I want that shit, Dartmoor is only an hour and a half down the road!

Sorry if it sounds like I'm moaning, I've waffled more on the minuses - trying to clarify/be constructive. I really enjoyed my first visit, and most of the above grumbles are aimed at the blue and orange probs, didn't really spend any time on the others so can't comment.

Oh yeah hope, the girl who dislocated (broke??) her arm tonight is doing ok.

 

[Duma]

Reading this again this morning, couple more points...

The circuits seem to work well, in practice I see how the idea of overlapping the difficulty ranges should be really good in encouraging people to try harder stuff.
The stupid eng tech grades aren't really an issue in practice, I was envisaging each problem being individually graded, but since the approach seems to be "x circuit, this grade range; y circuit, this grade range" they're not too intrusive.

On nights this w/e and then away for a few days so will be a while before I get a chance to try again :furious:, hopefully this time with a bit more skin and energy (doing the UCR comp yesterday afternoon before my visit probably wasn't ideal preperation!)

Also the misplaced comma in the last sentence of my last post really annoys me - can a mod fix please?

 

[BB]

I'm going to go and have a look tomorrow. Won't be doing much with my crippled elbows though!

 

[Ged]

i think it's chuffin brilliant, nice one everybody involved. I predict a massive hike in standards in the bristol area.

Only request would be for a few more problerms of the savage crimpy variety than the big blobby bicep ones.

But basically brilliant. Especially the flapjack.

 

[BB]

I had an excellent choccy and Praline slice on Saturday afternoon. Bouldering was pretty good too.

On a serious note...

F***ing awesome job (grading system aside). Beautiful finish on everything and there was a definite feeling that no expense has been spared. The dyson hand-dryers for example!

I puntered my way round the green circuit while the missus had muchos fun on the black (fnarrr). I'm truly amazed at how many people the place can swallow without seeming the least bit full.

Some very well set problems, many of them on some alarmingly steep walls. My hands really suffered as the holds are so rough, but i'll toughen up!

My only minor niggle was that it was bloody boiling whilst bloddering away from the door, but when you stop for a coffee it was really parky in the seated area. Silly little thing really and i don't want it to detract from what is an excellent facility.

Paul mentioned that the next thing is to get a license to serve booze! Result!

I'm heading back on Tuesday for more!

Shiga-DING!

 

[Paul T]

Happy new year and thanks for all the constructive feedback guys. The overall response has been amazing but we're certainly not going to be doing any laurel resting, and we will continue to strive to improve the centre as and when we can.

We're still doing some finishing around the place, the wooden frontage is going up at present and the signs arrive today at last, though some people have really been enjoying playing the 'hunt for the gate' game in the local streets. The extraction is working beautifully but were still going to get a bit more cool air through into the climbing area. All the staff have recieved barrista training and the standard of coffee making is second to none. Big Ron has been popping in especially to warm his feet on the toilet floor, and there's lots of good (in between mouthfuls) being said about the fresh home made pizzas.

Our friendly comp dates are Jan 24th, Feb 28th and March 21st, all Saturdays with free evening lectures and music. There will be male and female 1st prizes of £100 Ellis Brigham vouchers and £100 cash, and loads of other prizes from Boreal, Holdz, DMM and Beta Climbing Designs. We've also got Chris Sharma on the 26th feb for a very limited place lecture. All details are on the events page of the website, which is almost fully up to speed.
We've added a comments book to the site so that any constuctive feedback can be made directly and easily - and done so anonymously if desired. We'll be genuinely considering all comments and adding or changing things as we feel necessary.
There will also be some coaching days coming up shortly - keep an eye on http://www.theclimbingacademy.com/events for details.

 

[BenF]

I visited the centre just after Christmas whilst returning from my parents place and was really impressed. A great feel to the place, some excellent problems on every circuit and lots of climbing to be had. Really liked the attention to detail as others have said and was amazed at how much bouldering fitted into a seemingly small area without getting busy. There are some brilliant angles all over the centre, I especially liked the steep boards opposite the entrance and the "mantel" board at the back left (with the change of angle to a slab giving some very cool and unusual indoor problems). I was a bit puzzled by the blue circuit which stretched apparently from 6a to 7c, maybe it needs to be a little harder (ie no 6's in it) as there is plenty of easy bouldering in the orange, black, green, yellow circuits. Just a thought and I am sure your circuits will settle down. Oh yeah, the training boards I presume will get more holds added to them in time?

Anyway, I shall certainly be back every time I pass through Bristol as I thought it was brilliant. Keep up the great work and the fantastic cakes.

 

[BB]

I reckon Paul should get a Knighthood. I can't get enough of the place and I've been visiting regularly despite the 45 minute drive up the M4. In fact, i'm heading there tonight. Save me some of that coffee and walnut cake.