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Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Poll Option Votes Graph
Yes I use chalk 126
82% 
No I don't use chalk 28
18% 

 Page 10 of 12. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 40 | 41 to 60 | 61 to 80 | 81 to 100 | 101 to 120 | 121 to 140 | 141 to 160 | 161 to 180 | 181 to 200 | 201 to 220 | 221 to 227
Author
To Chalk or not to Chalk

itchyfingers
4-May-2005
10:18:58 AM
i would like that. the earning part. i still want to do the learnin' but i have that abba 'money, money money' song in my head, and i want IT!!!!

master of drung
4-May-2005
6:15:03 PM
one would think this topic is dead but i for one get some minor pleasure out flogging a dead horse.
I hate big obvious chalk marks
I think that if chalk was used as conservatively as is appropriate it would be all but invisible on most climbs even with heavy traffic.
If you climb regularly, or learnt to climb in a gym you will almost certainly be conditioned to extreme overuse of chalk.
Leaving big tick marks is reprehensible for multiple reasons.
I accept that on some routes, particularly overhanging upper end stuff, using a fair bit of chalk and it being visible is probably borderline unavoidable
All i ask is a bit of forethought instead of "everybody else does this it must be cool"

IdratherbeclimbingM9
5-May-2005
8:01:03 AM
Good points master of drung.
It had not occurred to me that my lack of 'regular' climbing and total absence of gym climbing are probably contributing to my minimal use of chalk.
I have definitely been conditioned by other factors!

steph
6-May-2005
11:21:21 AM
On 4/05/2005 master of drung wrote:
>I think that if chalk was used as conservatively as is appropriate it
>would be all but invisible on most climbs even with heavy traffic.
>If you climb regularly, or learnt to climb in a gym you will almost certainly
>be conditioned to extreme overuse of chalk.

Yep totally agree with you master. However I've learnt to climb primarily in a gym and I VERY rarely have used chalk outdoors ever since i discovered what it did to the rock.

It would be totally hopeless to attempt to completely stop chalk use outdoors cos after falling off some hard climbs myself recently, i can see people need it. But being conservative is the key. A little used appropriately wouldnt hurt but a lot ruins all.

If nothing else - I hope this topic just pops into mind for all chockstoners when outdoor climbing so they ask themselves (even just once) "Do I really need it here?"

sabu
7-May-2005
9:35:40 PM
after climbing a werribee all day today i witnessed useless chalk abuse by my climbing partner ( not steph, just to clarify) coldish day so heat or sun not a factor, not entirely pumpy or stressful moves just we couldn't get over this one part, i lost count the number of times he went for the chalk with no actual need for it. i hopped on after him and couldn't get the move but never acually needed it the chalk. the use of it in that example is purely psychological and nothing to do with the "slippage factor". so therefor can be done without, he protested when i tried to take it from him, he's bigger than me so i didn't push it !!

Rich
7-May-2005
9:48:58 PM
bla bla bla.. chalk me up baby!

sabu
7-May-2005
10:08:34 PM
hahaha! just so funny, he'd do one hand then the other, then do the other again and again and again!!! 3 times for one hand in the space of two minutes??!!

rhinckle
8-May-2005
6:00:58 AM

if you are using chalk for psycological reasons, try wearing a helmet, which can have a similar effect on frightening moves.

hard moves are another issue.




neats
10-May-2005
7:52:20 AM
yere its a comfort thing.
robbio
14-Jul-2009
10:40:11 PM
I don't use chalk, but then again i don't climb hard either.

I still climb with a chalk bag though, but with no chalk inside, just an emergency headtorch!

contactgav
14-Jul-2009
10:50:07 PM
i love it, and use a bucket load of it!!
for me, nothing better than cleaning up a new virginal line and putting some chalk on it..
a bit of chalk makes things look possible.

Sabu
14-Jul-2009
10:59:16 PM
wow talk about a blast from the past thread!
Although the recent article in rock might've brought it to mind maybe?

nmonteith
15-Jul-2009
8:48:55 AM
I did a very un-scientific test on my hangboard last night. Without chalk I could only hang for 20 seconds on the juggy sloper at the top before my hands started slipping off until finally they slimed off with sweat. With a small amount of chalk I stayed on for 70 seconds, and it was my arms that tired and gave way - not my fingers slipping off the holds. This was in optimum ticking conditions (ie 10'C and zero humidity).

Sabu
15-Jul-2009
9:41:01 AM
Not surprised by that result if it was on plastic!

nmonteith
15-Jul-2009
10:10:53 AM
On 15/07/2009 Sabu wrote:
>Not surprised by that result if it was on plastic!

Why is real rock any different? I constantly slime off holds in the real world.

Whilst that recent article in Rock made some good points about the environmental damage of chalk which I agree with, his other point saying that chalk made no difference to performance and was merely a placebo was a load of cods wallop. Yes, people overuse chalk, but its does have a very beneficial effect to grip (as shown by my test at home).

ajfclark
15-Jul-2009
10:17:14 AM
On 15/07/2009 nmonteith wrote:
> I constantly slime off holds in the real world.

Out of interest Neil, are you like me and leave little puddles on everything you touch?

nmonteith
15-Jul-2009
11:38:56 AM
On 15/07/2009 ajfclark wrote:
>On 15/07/2009 nmonteith wrote:
>> I constantly slime off holds in the real world.
>
>Out of interest Neil, are you like me and leave little puddles on everything
>you touch?

Yes. :-) I was demonstrating this to amazed people at Nowra the other day. They were complaining about freezing numb hands - whilst I was still leaving a delightful snail trail for others to slip off.

jkane
15-Jul-2009
1:36:12 PM
I voted yes, but am in the "try to minimise" camp.

>OK - My tube of Tite Grib has arrived from the USA (US$10 delivered in
>a week). Initial lab tests in my office show -
>It smells like peppermint
>It dries clear
>My hands don't seem to sweat typing this post

So Neil, do you now use the stuff when climbing? (maybe I missed the relevant post). I'm a bit of a sweater too. My mates take the p1ss at the gym in the summer. "Is it raining up there?" etc etc.

I used to use liquid chalk at the start of the (gym) night, then top up from the bag. Might start doing that again in the summer.

nmonteith
15-Jul-2009
1:50:48 PM
On 15/07/2009 jkane wrote:
>>OK - My tube of Tite Grip has arrived from the USA (US$10 delivered in
>>a week). Initial lab tests in my office show -
>>It smells like peppermint
>>It dries clear
>>My hands don't seem to sweat typing this post
>
>So Neil, do you now use the stuff when climbing? (maybe I missed the
>relevant post). I'm a bit of a sweater too.

Now that's a blast from the past! I really don't remember cleary. It can't have been that revolutionary as I didn't buy any more. I find i need large amounts of chalk when the going gets sweaty - a chalk ball doesn't even cut the mustard in summer - i need a solid loose chalk coating every few moves if the holds are slippery. I'm pretty addicted. I would go through half a block a day - even in winter. I feel all guilty saying that. :-(

IdratherbeclimbingM9
15-Jul-2009
2:05:09 PM
On 15/07/2009 nmonteith wrote:
>I would go through half a block a day - even in winter. I feel all guilty saying that. :-(
>
Far out!
Seriously I'd be over-estimating if I said I'd been through three blocks* since chalk first became common usage in climbing...
(*Can only remember ever having bought chalk twice, and was given a block once!).

Is this kind of like the climate/resource debate? Some folk use less (resource) but does not make up for those who use more?
I wonder how long I'd have to live to catch up if I ever tried?
Hehhehheh

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There are 227 messages in this topic.

 

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