Significant changes in climbing tech?
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| The original 5.10 Dragons in ?2004? Image courtesy of rockclimbing.com |
For some reason I started thinking about technologies that have changed dramatically since I started climbing in 1998 and what has come along and made significant performance improvements to climbers in general.
Also, what order of imporance would you rank them?
Ideas:
- single ropes have evolved to the point that you can now purchase
them
in the same diameter that double ropes used to be.
- Downturned shoes (probably my top ranking one for importance). The earliest ones I can remember seeing were the Scarpa Paranoia's but I'm sure they weren't the first. My first memory of them was that they were unwearable (for me at least)! Of course, times (and shapes) have evolved thankfully and we now have numerous different models to choose from. If you haven't tried downturns, you are seriously missing out. Stories of them being worth half a grade performance increase aren't far off the mark......so long as you have the core strength to help also!
- Wiregate quickdrawsv that chopped quickdraw weight significantly, although you can now buy solid gate quickdraws that weight the same.....
- ultra-light harnesses. Arcteryx
were the pioneers in this field with their how-can-they-be-that-thin models, Black Diamond and Petzl are now following suit. No, I still can't get my head around their thinness, but who cares, they work!
- Ultralight helmets. Take a bicycle helmet, modify it for climbing (essentially) and away you go. I know I can't touch the old plastic style ones anymore.....
- What am I missing when it comes to trad gear? I can't think of anything major to be honest, more evolution than revoltion I think? Does the anticam count (you should watch all of The Season to get a better understanding)?
What else am I missing?
along the same lines as harnesses, you have the newer slimmer lightweight helmets! when i started they were so heavy and off-putting.
ReplyDeleteyep, got that one - 2nd last point :)
ReplyDeleteNot sure that's my favourite one (bendy shoes stills win though...)
Since 1998 the most significant change I've seen is that I'm now using a wall instead of a trampoline to get high -
ReplyDeleteAlso I'd like to back your point about downturned shoes - they're awesome!! :)
Down turned shoes are deffo the winner for me, the difference they make for bouldering is remarkable !! La Sportiva Solutions are excellent
ReplyDeleteThe downturned shoes are my winner! However since those first 5.10 dragons and lasportiva testarossa's I don't think shoes have developed to much lately. Perhaps a bit softer (Projects/Speedster) but weren't the Boreal Matrix already that flexible?
ReplyDeleteIs the development finished? It would be a shame not needing to try on new shoes and just stay on the same model forever :)
Good point Riemer, but if I remember did the Boreal's only have a lifespan of about a week before the rubber wore out? :) At least the newer FiveTens and Sportiva's rubber will last a significant amount of time.....
ReplyDeleteAs for other improvements, I think I'll just have to focus on improving myself if there isn't new tech to help me out ;)
I'm still in the excited haze that must come with discovering some kind of new world - after 12 years of anasazi i've bought a downturned toe in the form of Muira velcros - wow!
ReplyDeleteDo Sports science research, indoor walls and fingerboards count as technology? :o)
All those things count Dave, although I suppose the only real change at climbing walls is the bigger prevalence of bouldering walls nowadays (especially in the UK).
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, I suppose on the Irish scene, all of those are very new. I don't think there was very many people who were using these tools prior to the mid-90's (with the exception of a few?).
Welcome to down-turned heaven by the way :)
and speaking of new shoes......new velcro dragons!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeletehttp://fiveten.com/products/footwear-detail/10098-blackwing
(except for the silly piece of non-rubber on the inside of the heel like on the Team 5.10's.....).
http://fiveten.com/products/footwear-detail/10096-hornet
"As for other improvements, I think I'll just have to focus on improving myself if there isn't new tech to help me out ;)"
ReplyDeleteThat's actually what makes climbing so great, it isn't like fishing.. If you fall off blame yourself!
Training facilities are still improving, so that helps, from a science point of view I am a bit skeptical in how far we actually understand what we 're doing (As a human movement scientist I try to keep up my reading). If you know some good research I like to read it!
And here's a new update on the way for ropes that could be useful, I know I've almost core shot a rope while hanging about 20 metres off the deck......
ReplyDeletehttp://alpineinstitute.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-rope-technology.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AmericanAlpineInstitute+%28American+Alpine+Institute+-+Climbing+News%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher