Have to agree with tnd,
I've always thought people looked like tossers carrying in their climbing ropes to lead climb at gyms. Too many distractions..the music volume, amount of people close by and all around, and now different devices, different rope diameters,blah blah blah.....too much trouble for not enough gain I suspect. It wouldn't worry me if I couldn't lead indoors(some say I can't lead outdoors!!).
Let's cut a swathe through some of the arguments.....
Can't toprope a roof - bin the roof then. They only impress punters who know no better, they're not much chop for training on, and they take up too much space. A steep wall is way better. Go into the home woody of any top climber and I guarantee it won't be horizontal. Besides, how many routes does it simulate...training for Passport?? Put a roof in the bouldering area for the heroes.
I agree Mike(G), the heart and soul of climbing is leading, but OUTDOORS. I appreciate how lucky we are to have climbing gyms, they're social, an awesome training tool, and great for crappy weather options, but if most accidents occur from leading, then ban it. If you can't get what you want from toproping, bouldering, campus, hangboard, bachar ladder or systems board then you're missing the point.
Juniors preparing for competitions - the precious ones, surely they can train on steep toprope... Get them outdoors on the sharp end, that's what lead climbing's all about.
Any belayer who drops someone to the deck through their human error should NEVER belay anyone again. Period. They should walk away from the sport. I learned with this in the back of my mind every time I went on belay.
Experience leads to complacency...rubbish.
Save the leading indoors for the comp I say... See you all at the NSW State Onsights???
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