On 29/08/2006 Stuey wrote:
I would suggest that a harder grade often indicates
>a blanker or overhanging wall, so theres less to hit on the way down.
and also less to hit you - rocks off the top aren't going to hit you when you're under a roof - and often fewer people, and what people there are aren't walking around the top setting up topropes and knocking off rocks, and you're less likely to pull a hold off and fall unexpectedly, infact you're probably less likely to fall unexpectedly at all as ppl on harder grades would *generally* be more experienced/know when and how to fall...
all sorts of reasons
Also, as someone pointed out above - assuming I'm right about there being some sort of calculation to determine appropriateness - and I like to assume I'm right ;) - then beginners are probably less able to appropriately judge the risks, and the benefits, of helmets so it probably makes sense to have a blanket rule imposed on them (as most guiding companies do) - but for the rest of us, it just comes back to how sexy they look, oops, I mean whether you feel its appropriate for the situation.
J |