Why is slab climbing hard You will often get better purchase by turning your hand around. My advice: start going to the gym with the main purpose of climbing hard on overhang. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright I would suggest a lot more slab. All other styles may be found on real rock with a bit more ease. Nov 25, 2019 · A less advanced tester slipped while climbing a slab in the Furia S. There are lors of issues with this plan 1 there aren't that many hard slabs to build a base of hard slab climbing (sort of a self fulfilled proficy) Which meant that when I climbed outdoor I didn't think I could specifically climb certain grades. capture the flag) 0:26:38 – Motivating adult clients, and working with one of his clients to get better at slab. I'll definitely have more slab stuff to upload slabs my favorite. Why? Because slab is so damn…ugh. Mantling is particularly important in slab climbing and in dihedrals and chimneys. Jan 12, 2025 · The threads on Middle and Lower Rock slab climbs, Jeff’s clean climbing threads, and the love-fest on the Ground Up thread got me to thinking more concretely about the whole Yosemite bolt protected slab climbing ethic. Overhang climbing is the opposite that it's usually much bigger handholds and it is very upper body strength based. All my gym climbing is done in these shitty Skwama's and 2nd pair of Tarantula's I own. This is the main reason why you might find slab climbing and straight walls to be Nov 25, 2014 · Friction is the magic ingredient in climbing. 12 the limit? And why don't people climb hard slabs much any more? Is it just because they're too scary, or not trendy? Apr 11, 2024 · Even so, Pearson’s suggestion provoked significant and immediate criticism within the UK climbing community. Moving quickly is not as important as linking holds with correct positions. Climbing slabs require more technical knowledge and less physical abilities than overhangs. Hands Our skin has a certain amount of strength ie. why are pistol squats so hard? Before we get into the pistol squat progression, let's talk a bit about why you'll likely need to work up to a pistol squat: it's a challenging exercise. Kris Hampton 38:32. i would make things as hard as possible, weather it meant climbing routes whre i wouldnt let my hands touch the wall at all, or if Jul 10, 2021 · It allows you to essentially climb up a wall without using any specific foot holds. Now a decade and some later, if I could go back in time I’d like to say I would have taken more true rest days. My Logbook Search Climb/Crags Find Crag Map Latest Ascents Recent Top Ascents Conditions Updates Videos Activity Diary Guidebooks Help Forums Oct 24, 2017 · [Fig. Climbing Techniques: Using Your Feet. Is it possible for there to be harder slab climbs, or is 5. But no true slab. Play around and find what works for your level. 14+ slabs exist in Spanish granite—but one of the hardest slabs in the U. It’s worth teaching climbing well as the habits you get people into might save their lives one day or prevent a serious accident. I know I hate slab climbing and it shows because I’m awful at it. Discover the intricacies of slab climbing, a unique style that prioritizes finesse, balance, and technique over sheer strength. Sorry. Slab climbing is know for having tiny hand and foot holds and being very balanced and footwork based. Climbing a slab requires balance and confidence in your footholds. May 31, 2023 · 12. Even meager holds will just be boring 5. “I love, love, love slab climbing,” says Beth Rodden, whose slab sends include Yosemite’s Lurking Fear (VI 5. if you like friction slab, all i can say is: crest jewel. Aggressive climbing shoes generally have an extreme downturn that exaggerates the arch, while flat climbing Most “shoe advice” focuses on aggressive vs non aggressive and fit. Indoor climbing is inherently safer - outdoor you are more aware of the risk you are taking (lead Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, thousands of training plans, and more. Aug 4, 2023 · If this is too hard, you can try using a regular foothold with one foot and smearing with the other. 8 or 5. Apr 16, 2025 · Here’s why: a lace-up allows the wearer to customize the way the shoe flexes or doesn’t. 13 You'll be far more motivated to try hard on climbs you enjoy. To encourage people to use climbing gyms, they grade climbs a lot softer. I can’t seem to find any articles breaking down the physics of shoes other than “downturned toe does hooks, flat shoe do slabs”. May 22, 2022 · Check out the video to learn slab techniques from slab expert @emilyaddison-wainwright1332!DM Emily for coaching: https://www. Basic techniques for using your feet are edging and When trails are hard and dry and the base of the climbs lie above slabs, this shoe excels. Slab walls are great for small children who need to get comfortable holding onto holds before feeling as though they can move their feet. ” So if you’re curious how good your footwork really is, see the following pages for some of New England’s most classic balance climbs. You can begin under the far right side of the Apron or start as for Banana Peel and continue along the traverse ledge to a two-bolt belay near the walk-off forest. If you buy versatile shoes such as the La Sportiva Miura when you only boulder, it’s slightly pointless when you could get better shoes suited for your specific type of rock climbing for Haven't seen this note on slab climbing mentioned yet and, strangely, this is my second post related to Neil Gresham's video series on climbing in just the past hour 8) Here he is specifically discussing slab techniques, and I wanted to point out the part about lining up your shoulder over your toe, and how it can help w/ maximum surface They’re also a better option when you’re going to be wearing your climbing shoes all day - getting the bouldering mileage in, trad climbing or doing long multi-pitch climbs. “I’ve done three hard moves in 27 years,” he likes to say. See full list on climbernews. There are three types of flagging in climbing, and I’ll explain how and when to do them. Keep climbing fun and keep your motivation to climb up. And it's, it's so fun to learn that style, I think. In fact, almost every leg movement in climbing involves some level of hip flexion. S. [Fig. I'm never really sure what that means tbh hahaha. He could hang a 10mm crimp with one hand but couldn’t maneuver his body around a crimp of that size when climbing on a slab. It’s what keeps you off the ground and makes subtle weight shifts and delicate sequences successful. Mar 16, 2017 · Let's face it: it's true. You've listed every angle that's not slab as V4 or under, so you're a V4 (or 3) climber that can get up the occasional hard slab. And actually in that corridor, that is where I did like one of the slab-only days. The hardest slab route I was involved in putting up with Kris Solem was 'The Gold Standard' in Courtwright. If your preferred style of gym climbing is run-and-jump parkour-esque triple-dyno boulders, you may have a hard time transitioning to the outdoors. Shout out to properly sized Sportiva Skawamas. When you break through a firm layer of snow evenly, you are probably on a wind slab. Honnold continued on Freerider, climbing the Huber Boulder Problem pitch, a delicate V7 slab at 1,700 feet Feb 14, 2022 · Slabs won’t pump you, although it is surprising how strenuous a hard slab can be, because although the angle is less than vertical, the holds can be micro. Often, slab climbs involve small holds and technical movement. But I am definitely going to do some auto belays training for endurance Jan 8, 2025 · Softer rubber. I've been focusing on slabs for quite a while and haven't had this happen to me yet. On steep routes, as the grades go up the holds get smaller and the moves get bigger. ” In many ways, builder- ing has been a signature of his climbing career. The RED CHILI Urban Tour is a Test & Feel Tour through the hottest climbing halls in Europe. Just remember, it doesn't have to be "good" it's only got to be "good enough. Jun 8, 2022 · Or when we need a strenuous knee-bar rest, which strains our toes, maybe insanely? Big-toe strength isn’t just handy for the occasional bit of slab climbing—we need it for everything. Mar 19, 2024 · But he also says that he has some PTSD about proposing hard grades. Climb a lot, climb often, climb with people better than you, climb with people worse than you. Apr 11, 2023 · I’ve historically been quite bad at slab climbing; my footwork used to be quite bad; heel hooks have been very hard for me; and it took effort for me to grow those skills. This one was a V5. Now you have a direction. And I don't think that slab climbing really translates well to hard bouldering on steep overhangs, which is mainly what I enjoy doing. 12c death at Clogwyn D'ur Arddu) to the world during his manic blitzkrieg in 1986. 13 Difficulty of Slab Climbs - page 6 - SuperTopo's climbing discussion forum is the world's most popular community discussion forum for people who actively climb outdoors. One of the best things about slab climbing is the fluidity of the movement; success is usually found from being relaxed and simply climbing instead of over-analyzing every move. Testarossas are incredible all around except for toe hooks. And it’s hard to track progress and know how hard something is and how close you are. He could crank out one-handed front levers yet couldn’t keep his feet on through tensiony moves. " Mar 21, 2022 · Climbing Style. Fast-forward to 2019, and it’s hard for me to believe how naive I was. One of the best routes I've done. In high school physics terms, friction is independent of the contact area, but in a Why Do Climbers Hate Slab Climbing? There’s a few reasons why climbers hate slab climbing but the most common is the increased risk of falling into the wall with your face. Always feel good even when pasting on glassy quartzite and limestone. If you get stuck in a particular position, you’ll have to get out of it at some point. For example, slab climbing one day, and cave climbing the next. Jul 18, 2017 · We don’t climb in the wet so climbing shoes are threadless to maximise grip. It is an extremely common technique while slab climbing. Especially compared to V5 overhang vs V10 overhang. You're weak. The UP Mocc is a great chill shoe and I've been in love with the rubber for 13 years. Find a slab climb with some sloping footholds, and smear as badly as you can. Slab climbing definition, in its simplest form, is rock climbing on a rock face that is lower than 90 degrees, sometimes making the route almost vertical, but other times on simpler routes that are I used to climb harder slab back when my max grade was around V5-ish. Slab takes away the strength points and forces technique and footwork, which I had largely ignored. These shoes don Bouldering in Tight Climbing Shoes. If you think you can do a V6 indoors, wait until you go outside. Some setters are really good at slab and therefore set really hard sandbagged slab problems. Aug 11, 2022 · In the real world, slabs tend to bottom out, so to speak, at about 20 degrees less than vertical, though there isn’t a hard and fast ruling on that. Lots of beginners try to pull themselves up the wall and quickly tire out. I find anytime I go up in grade it's on slab as well, except I think my first 6 I am living proof of why setters need to pay attention to this - I didn't realise a volume was in my fall line as I hadn't read the climb properly and have literally exploded my ankle slipping on the crux as a result. Work on your flagging to improve your climbing and send harder routes with more ease! The different types of flagging in climbing and how to do them. And if you see a beginner climbing overhangs really well then typically they’ve come from a more athletic background and are quite strong especially in their core. If you feel like your body is a little too over trained then you need to reduce the amount you train, maybe have a few days off now, and then go back to your normal Good for: Bouldering, comfort, slabs, overhangs, heel hooking; Bad for: Heat, breaking in period, thick rand; As an all round climbing shoe, the Scarpa Instinct VS is good alternative to the Muira. The Anorak has a single breast pocket, a helmet-compatible hood with a wide field of vision, and low-profile elasticated cuffs, which I thought was genius. The 23-foot boulder is Mar 10, 2020 · Areas like the Red River Gorge became some of the most popular climbing destinations in the world, home to steep, sandstone, single-pitch sport climbing—you’ll find more overhangs in the Red than slab routes. com Sep 29, 2023 · They ventured into Yosemite, climbing all the crazy classics on El Cap, which all have at some point or another had some slab climbing involved. Sep 27, 2007 · Fiercely intelligent, iconoclastic, dancing to the eternal vibrations of the rock that the rest of us just pull past -Johnny Dawes, 43, the irrepressible English climber who brought solid E8 (Gaia, an E8 6c at Black Rocks) and the world's first E9 (Indian Face, E9 6c, 150 feet of technical, 5. Oh yeah there's nothing more satisfying than a nice smooth slab climb. Buddy checks, bomber belays, belaying well, choosing suitable climbs, risk Jun 15, 2012 · But others say friction climbing is our most elegant discipline, a communion of mental grit and technical grace that rewards brains and finesse, not mindless brawn. Climbing the Cirque of the Towers Traverse in Wyoming with the unisex La Sportiva TC Pro | Credit: Jackson Sims-Myers If you aren't getting better after continued practice with overhang climbing then you aren't practicing correctly. i prepard for that climb by exercising the shit put of my calves and by doing slab routes in gyms where i would eliminate hand holds all together. The best gains, I think, come from the on-sight to project levels. 12 range, and many such routes were established 20 years ago or more. Nov 22, 2019 · Hard to find any truly pure slab climbs at the grades I climb at, but Islivig Direct (HS 4b) comes pretty close - the best pitch is a cracked in a slab but the rest is mainly slabs. You need better balance, sometimes smearing, and friction for slabs. But the dreaded crowds didn’t materialize then—or after Angele’s article. better yet, throw in crest jewel direct. The difficulty of a pistol squat boils down to three things: strength, flexibility, and balance. 3. A wind crust is rippled and scoured, while a wind slab tends to be smooth, hard and crusty. 10 face to avoid a 5. Those with an inclination for the off-vertical will descend on LancasterWall to participate in Slabfest on the 2nd of December, where all genders can compete in a rare open-category format. Nov 11, 2023 · This is why soft climbing shoes are most suited to smearing, large-volume friction moves, as well as some types of slab climbing. How did he climb hard slab and get good at. More weight more friction. I climb slabs when I find slabs to climb. Slab climbing can be very dangerous for that very reason, and because of this you should really learn how to fall correctly when climbing. com/emilyysends/My Cl Oct 6, 2021 · Some people prefer this. Instead, I might get on a problem and all I want to do is an opening move where it could be a compression or big throw (or vice versa; maybe you suck at slab and need to do more). From full climbing boots to curved, dancer-like shoes, each type serves a specific purpose on the wall. I'd say 50% of it is overhang climbing. Forward folds are generally tough because of tight hamstrings and glutes, so the best way to reach your toes is by loosening these muscles. In other styles, you can pull on and get an idea of what you might need to do – say, lock off a crimp, or do a big huck – and then try the move until you do it or decide it’s too hard. " True slab climbs to be put up in good style require scary runout climbing, maybe standing there on some questionable edge/stance on a hook and a ladder while you take the time to hand drill a bolt. But if you’re looking to round out your climbing repertoire and conquer that green circuit, then the circuits are great at being a wake-up call and helping you identify the things you need to work on. The accuracy, balance, flexibility etc. Anything bigger than 3/8-16 bolt head is already bigger than most slab feet out there. If you have a large enough space on your woody, it can also be a great idea to include a slab section so that you can warm-up easily. slabby slab slab!! I remember hating slab when I was learning to climb because of the cheese-grater effect. But folks who can climb hard can climb hard in any vaguely reasonable climbing shoe. Personal Bio: I find it hard climbing on the really unusual panels at the wall and really struggle to find the correct body position whilst climbing on slabs and corners outdoors. It mostly depends on the problem, indoors I've always seen people going softer, especially with more and more comp style problems. All Listings Find Crag Find Climbing Wall Find Climbing Club Find Outdoor Shop Find Accommodation Find Instructor/Guide Find Gear Manufacturers Find Goods/Services Help Photos Mar 10, 2025 · The La Sportiva Tarantulace ($89) has been one of the top-selling climbing shoes on the market for decades. It's a specific style of climbing. One of those moves was on the Courthouse Traverse in Boulder, which Powell calls his greatest contribution to buildering. 15a slab was recently established on UK slate, and 5. There's like, I don't know, I was falling all over V4 that day. Outside slab shuts me All Listings Find Crag Find Climbing Wall Find Climbing Club Find Outdoor Shop Find Accommodation Find Instructor/Guide Find Gear Manufacturers Find Goods/Services Help Photos But in terms of what makes Indoor climbing hard and what makes outdoor climbing hard: Outdoor climbing is hard because there is so much technical nuance (and finicky conditions, and access issues, etc) Indoor climbing is hard because it's just (physically) fucking hard. So Duel was a big accomplishment for me. Nov 10, 2021 · Knee taps help with hip mobility, which in turns helps you with things like keeping your hips close to the wall (crucial for slab climbing). it can resist a certain amount of pressure P (force over a given area A) be it a low force F on a small area (a tiny crimp on a slab) or a high force on a large area (a big sloper on an overhang). Notoriously hard to protect or poorly protected (bolts every 20' = beer can). Slab Climbing Tips. I’m wondering more about how shape of the shoe affects your climbing technique- what toe shape is better for smearing vs edging vs toe hook. It's not power endurance, it's plain weakness and Aug 8, 2010 · In reply to SharonC1604: When climbing on other rock types around the country, it usually strikes me how hard grit (which I usually climb) is. Since I really liked to grade chase, I spent a lot of time on vert and only tried overhang at the end of my session. That's why slabs are easy for you, cuz you stand on your feet and don't pull with your body. Dec 28, 2022 · Slab climbing will teach you how to stand on your feet like never before, and as Surette explains, “When you’re using your feet really well, you don’t have to pull that hard. ” Perhaps one of the best ways to succeed at the dark art of slab climbing is to simply do it. And for example my strength has receded a lot, so climbing 5. Gym climbing has various angles, holds, textures, etc training board climbing is dynamic, straightforward, and relatively unimaginative. Oct 15, 2021 · Slab climbing is a form of rock climbing in which the rock face is a slab that is at less than a 90-degree angle from the ground. 9 terrain. It can be hard. Feb 14, 2022 · Mike’s inability to climb hard was hard to make sense of. 0:30:15 – The school system, and understanding why you are doing things. Bouldering allows you to focus on hard moves in isolation, whether you’re trying to simulate the crux of your outdoor project or just want to build the strength and power necessary to do every I do all my moderate/slab climbing outside in the Anasazi Pro. Unique challenges of slab Love it or hate it, slab climbing is part of being a well rounded climber. From here, you climb slab bulges passing three bolts on technical 5. Watch small children climb onto counter tops for inspiration. Many new climbers are drawn to the Tarantulace — and for good reason. It would just be too hard. The hard slab redpoints the best thing to do is to get on the pitch before its in the sun, so anything frictiony on the Apron or at Shannon Falls you should be fine before noonish. Overhang and slab climbing are essentially polar opposites. The Forward Fold. It sounds like the questions that some other climbers wrestle with about the sport’s evolution are the same questions that you—as one of the most successful coaches—wrestle with. The second advantage to becoming more well rounded is that you reduce the occurrence of “personal cruxes”. Board climbing is a great way to get stronger for climbing but it is a very 1-dimensional style of climbing. By saying your route is the hardest route, you’re saying you’re the best That is exactly what you do when mantling in rock climbing. On the other hand, they flash V4's that are overhang or virtually anything that isn't slab that I really struggle to get. 13c; FFA with Tommy Caldwell) and Squamish’s Grand Wall (IV 5. The classic Moccasym relies on Five Ten’s ultrasticky Stealth Rubber to climb hard on any terrain despite an incredibly "go do a slab climb" my gym has little to no slab climbing. Slab climbing is a footwork and balance game. When tightening the laces down hard, the shoe gets stiffer. 0:32:26 – Slab climbing fundamentals You absolutely should not focus on one angle indoors or out if your goals are to climb more roundly. And you really don't get that same sort of friction on other rock. The flip side is that climbing well does require very high levels of specific strength. The softer construction will enable you to hook and pull at pockets significantly easier than their stiffer counterparts. Some gyms have powerful overhung climbing setters who set pretty easy slabs. Yeah. If you lead climb or do any other type of climbing than bouldering then you may want to consider buying climbing shoes that are known to be quite versatile. Slab Climbing. As Jack Geldard, former Editor in Chief of UK Climbing, says in Redemption: the James Pearson Story, “I don’t think people believed him from the outset. The RED CHILI URBAN TOUR comes to Climb Fit St Leonards! Check out the event here. The same goes for bouldering. So my vote is get a soft shoe and a stiff shoe. Understanding these purposes is crucial when buying climbing shoes. Dec 7, 2023 · “Also believing something is possible that feels really really unlikely. Only once you understand enough to accurately target it off the wall is that sort of general training actually useful, and even then only in small amounts that complement the hard climbing. So viewers can be forgiven for having questions about how the event works and what’s going on and why these large-forearmed people are doing what they’re doing. It also has less edge stability, which makes it harder to stand on smaller holds, but it has great friction for slab climbing, smearing on large volumes and can even help with toe hooks, which make these shoes a great choice for indoor bouldering or sport Mar 19, 2024 · Skinner cleaned the crack with a blowtorch and ultimately prevailed. but damn did slab not teach me a LOT about my feet and what's "good". Jun 5, 2023 · Indoor bouldering is graded a lot softer and there is definitely a strategy behind that. Jan 8, 2023 · 1:44:12 – Do coordination gym slabs help with outdoor slabs? 1:46:59 – Shoes for hard slabs like ‘Meltdown’ 9a (5. instagram. Outdoor there are athletes that tend to change and adapt the shoe to the problem a lot ( like Aidan Roberts with Scarpa models) but there are still boulderers that stick more to one/two preferred model ( like Brooke Raboutou with the La Sportiva's Skwama or Jan 25, 2022 · Whether you are a novice or a seasoned climber, the diverse types of climbing shoes may have caught your attention. fun game actually. Almost always feels sandbagged and hard for the grade. But the route’s grade didn’t stand. Typically, I tend to like compression moves on steep overhang as they suit my climbing style more - there are balancy slab problems several grades below my hardest send that are probably years beyond me. A wall that tilts back away from you, and is thus less steep than vertical, is called a slab. But, primarily, you develop that through hard climbing. Tina Breslin, a 5’2” climber with an equidistant wingspan, was recently climbing a beautiful slab called Acme Wall (V3) in England. I think that’s part of why people don’t like slab climbing: it seems so improbable. Also, slab is a great way to get used to slopers and crimps and holds where you don’t have to put your entire weight on Someone looking for every little advantage they can get in trying to win comps or test their limits can get a meaningful incremental advantage out of wearing the best possible shoe for the climb, and sometimes that mean a downturned shoe. Learn how to master precise footwork, subtle body movements, and effective use of friction on tilted rock surfaces. I was the same way, I felt invincible climbing several days on (very early on I remember climbing nearly every day for 5 months straight) all the while accumulating fatigue falsely thinking I was climbing at the peak of my capability. Feb 17, 2025 · The Anorak let me see my feet more easily while slab climbing in crampons (no more bowing of the zipper), and also made for a jacket that is marginally lighter and more packable too. Pretty much what afleimester said, but just to add: it might be hard to visualize what exactly a foothold is on a slab if you've only climbed inside. Sep 5, 2024 · Climbing: Right, climbing has a romantic past, as you say, and a heritage that is unique compared to other Olympic sports. What some people don’t realise when they first start climbing is that they’ll need to rent out or buy climbing shoes that are quite tight on their feet. In 2008, Pearson made the first ascent of the intimidating slab Walk of Life, on England’s North Devon coast, and suggested “the godsmackingly high grade” (as Dave MacLoed, the route’s second ascensionist put it) of E12 7a. 1 month in and 5 surgeries later, I'm looking at a huuuuge recovery of at least 12 months and will likely need an ankle fusion or replacement sometime in my future. And so you're relying on friction. Here is an article with some more tips and tricks on how to stretch properly for climbing. Indoor slabs often are so different in climbing style that people who don’t really engage with that style, probably won’t learn the fundamentals of it and thus never be good at it. I am struggling to climb routes efficiently and often make many mistakes first time on a route. I don't like exclusively climb slabs tho. If indoor gyms were just as hard as outdoors, no one would ever climb. I find slab climbing a very patient art that requires balance, and (usually) very little strength. Once the pressure Jul 24, 2021 · When climbing indoors, make sure to warm up properly to activate all the most needed muscles, get more flexible, and prevent injuries. You can also mantle off smaller holds and ledges to get your feet higher. You’ll be humbled. Just as in gym climbing, the style of the boulder compared to your preferred style will impact how hard it feels. Slab climbing has a special place in learning to climb, so much so that many climbers frequently refer to it as technical climbing. But there's a world of difference between V5 slab and V10 slab. 2 - The Death Slabs - From supertopo. The advice should be: Don't neglect any particular angle, so if you always climb slabs, try some overhang, and if you always climb overhang, get on some slabs. 13c which might be why it's been unrepeated for 23 years. Smear poorly (on purpose) Sometimes the best way to learn to do something right is to do it wrong. 10d Monster Offwidth lower than normal to avoid an exposed 5. Anders wrote: Anyway, it is interesting that the hardest true slabs seem to be in the 5. Need the knee, which means needing the toes. Apr 17, 2025 · However, on techy vertical faces—especially techy vertical faces with big moves between good holds—it’s hard to argue that being tall is anything but a gigantic helping hand. You can’t just focus on one aspect constantly, otherwise you’ll be putting too much stress on the same muscles. It also often requires flexibility that many climbers (especially men) do not have, and won’t put in the effort to achieve. Apr 21, 2022 · It seems most agree that the climbing is equal to hard 5. I was actually in the same boat pre-quarentine where I could climb 2 grades harder on vertical than on overhang (in the gym). Basically, on a slab, you're just pasting your foot against a flat surface (not on an edge like you do inside). When you start lead climbing again, avoid positions that increase the risk of inverted falls and collision with the wall or your belayer, such as having feet overhead, large distances between draws or difficult clipping positions in the first 4 draws, hard moves on severe wall angle changes, horizontal edges, and slab terrain with volumes. All of my climbing buddies struggle extremely hard with slab and they're never surprised I can flash V4's that they can't even start. For climbing hard slab I recommend getting very confident with your footwork. 11+ slab in the gym. Of course, the climbing media covered all of this with relish. Dude, you don't regularly climb V5-6. But Richardon’s perspective change has changed my perspective on the wall, literally. Nov 11, 2023 · While I have shared some of our favorites, it’s hard to pinpoint the best slab climbing shoe for every imaginable slab climb. This applies to overhung climbing too, another style of climbing that soft shoes excel at. The flat and low profile provides stability but the midsole composition and thickness can allow some pressure from small stones and pointy obstacles, especially under heavier trad climbing loads. you'll learn from slab climbing is invaluable imo, but yes, it is a scary prospect to slide down the wall catching your face and groin on protruding V-beginner handholds. Dec 13, 2022 · Especially if you are climbing outdoors, you are likely to encounter walls at different angles, even ones that change angle throughout the climb. If you're psyched on a certain climb, you'll probably do better on it. I wouldn’t say slab climbing is a strength yet, but it’s not necessarily a weakness either. Feb 26, 2013 · With slab climbing, assuming the rock is featureless and the same angle everywhere, you don't have much choice in terms of the direction of the forces as you'll have the same angles pretty much any way you stand. 11c slab move. Dec 17, 2024 · As we mentioned above, stiffer rubber is great for edging and slab climbing, while many sport climbers and boulderers prefer softer compounds for better grip and sensitivity. 14d) 1:52:54 – Question from Ethan Pringle: What are some synonyms for success in rock climbing that aren’t violent or war-like? 1:58:52 – Another question from Ethan: Where does Anna’s work ethic come from? 2:02:55 Jun 28, 2024 · Climbing doesn’t rely purely on strength or height; as you can tell, it also requires tremendous technique. Sep 22, 2023 · What Is Slab Climbing? Slab climbing refers to rock climbing where the angle of the wall is less than vertical. I’d say some gyms I climb a grade or 2 harder on slab. Particularly good at roof climbing, but horrible on slabs? Seek out a handful of slab projects to round out your skills, and save the roof routes for when you need cheering up from the slab beatdown. It's the same in climbing. Highly technical and terrain specific. Jun 16, 2023 · Guidance from an *actual* longtime local/regular who has *actual* hard slab climbing history would be especially useful. Here's why. It’s motivating to see hard climbs come together. When the surface breaks unevenly, you are likely on wind crust. Nov 16, 2020 · Slab. Pretty much obligatory to get up many of the world's classics Mar 22, 2024 · From Heart, he deviated onto an unbolted 5. Learn More Feb 21, 2025 · Similarly, though Tophet Wall was a standout lakes severe for me, i think the best climbing I had at the grade in the area was onRib and Slab Climb (HS 4b), which is a tremendous route and my hope is that having such a boring name will grant it a bit of obscurity and thus keep the wear and tear on this lovely route down to a minimum. Feb 28, 2022 · Powell spent a lot of time climbing urban landscapes, or “buildering. If that's all you do, you'd be missing out on getting other types of movement on slab, slopers, volumes, etc. Many of the most extreme slab cruxes consist of sidepull combinations, pulling sideways on vertical edges with arms extended in an iron-cross position. Don’t think, just move: I try really hard not to overthink what I’m doing. Jan 23, 2025 · Teams out in North Wales, the Peak, Cornwall, the Lakes, guiding on Shelterstone, Torridon, the Lakes, Lundy, Wales, hard to beat. On slab the holds can only get so small. It’s the shoe I wear most because, in my opinion, it’s the perfect bouldering shoe! Hard slab takes a long term conserted effort to master just 1 climb and its not incentivized Say you have a hypothetical pro climber who wants to be a crazy good slab climber. Strong feet and legs are assets. In a fascinating inversion of typical climbing logic, Mike Mar 17, 2022 · Slabs are generally easier than overhangs, but they can be harder for some climbers. If the route you are climbing has tiny edges on a slab a stiff shoe like Miura is the way, conversely if it’s a slab with crappy pancake smeary holds the miura would suck and you want a soft shoe to stick to the holds and be able to drop your heels. Play follow the leader or other silly games on the wall with your friends. That said, if you’re planning to downsize shoes considerably you’ll get a much snugger fit with a pair of compliant and flexible soft climbing shoes. In contrast to overhung or steep vertical climbs where lots of upper body pulling is required, when slab climbing the climber needs to stand on their feet and utilize good slab climbing technique. Higher, he stepped away from the standard line and entered the 200-foot 5. Slab means the wall is slightly inclined away from you. climb, climb, climb -- climb all kinds of problems/routes. All of the shoes mentioned above are certainly more than capable of improving your slab climbing game. Unless you're used to climbing at 40+ degrees, there's a pretty rough learning curve. Try all kinds of holds. . For those perhaps a little unsure, slab climbing is classified as any rock face that has an angle of less than 90 degrees, so it is less steep than a vertical Feb 14, 2022 · In general, wind crust is safer, while snow that is deposited by wind—a “wind slab”—is dangerous. Slab climbing, also known as friction climbing, prioritizes foot work over hand and footholds, as opposed to vertical climbs or overhang climbs which often have foot and hand holds. There's a lot of really hard slab climbing. But why do we want to have strong hip flexion — how will it improve our climbing ability? First, let’s think about hip flexion in the context of less-than-vertical terrain. On the night you can Test the new MYSTIX model from the RED CHILI Collection 2020 on March 16th, 2020 at Climb Fit St Leonards, sydney from 6 pm-late. Think about climbing a ladder—you don't pull yourself up, you step up, and use your arms and hands for balance. Slab climbing is typically done outside and refers to a route on a less than vertical rock face. com] So the approach to HD is not easy: either an 8 miles trail up to the shoulder and then down, or 3 hours up the Death Slabs, a path which includes parts on fixed ropes and some tricky climbing passages (more about the Slabs on summitpost. Nov 19, 2024 · So, I ignored it. 10d in a gym is pretty hard for me now but I can still climb 5. Jan 31, 2022 · This is the key to hard slab climbing: maintaining points of contact and letting go with the fingers of one hand only to quickly latch the next edge. I'm interested in trying the Evolv Aggro or possibly getting a new pair of Skwama's next. Nov 17, 2023 · In recent years, slab fans such as YouTuber Anna Hazelnutt have tried to make slab climbing trendy, proudly coining the slogan: 'Slab is Sexy'. Some fairly straight or very very slight overhand sections. Steep overhung climbs I will put on the Testarossa's. is graded just 5. It basically allows you to alter the fit of the shoe depending on the type of climb—minimizing the need to take multiple shoes to the crag. Slabs are worth getting into. But before we dive into the routines, let’s look at the biomechanical functioning of the toe during climbing. Jan 31, 2022 · How Hard Can Slab Climbs Actually Get? A 5. From no-edge technology to classic stiff-soled designs, all these shoes require some degree of getting used to. I came back to climbing from lifting a lot over the pandemic so I over relied on strength. Almost universally hated except for a small group of people who REALLY love them. For climbing in places like the Red—just like climbing steep gym routes—an asymmetrical, downturned shoe can help you get to the top. Dec 13, 2006 · All Listings Find Crag Find Climbing Wall Find Climbing Club Find Outdoor Shop Find Accommodation Find Instructor/Guide Find Gear Manufacturers Find Goods/Services Help Photos Unparalleled Mocc for most general climbing and Sportiva Testarossa for hard climbing. Been climbing for: 6-12 months; 1-3 days a week. You cannot train slab footwork in the gym, its impossible. Understanding the how and why will make you a better climber. Some gyms I climb a grade or 2 harder on overhung. org). For me, I definitely climb my best when I am on a slab but doing slab all the time isn't going to help me. Feet are the foundation of climbing. At a given grade it is less technical, and many people improve their technique faster than their strength. Slab vary a lot and different shoe work on different slabs (smooth slab Glacier Apron, rough slab Squamish apron, Edgy slab TM, etc etc) I asked my buddy once about his ascent of Hall of Mirrors. Any wall that is not vertical but leans back even 5-10 degrees can only have slabs climbs as well. Softer rubber offers better sensitivity, which allows you to feel what is underfoot better, but it can be a bit less durable. I also think the difference between indoor and outdoor bouldering is far greater than with indoor/outdoor climbing. Here are some useful tips for those of you that want to get into slab climbing, and are unsure about where to start or how to train for it! Slab Climbing Training In rock climbing a slab climb (or friction climb) is a type of climbing route where the rock face is 'off-angle' and not fully vertical. That and half of slab climbing is searching around for dishes and praying to the rubber gods. 9 slab. Aug 9, 2024 · While speed climbing, lead climbing, and bouldering are nothing new, Olympic Sport Climbing—the category under which all three sports are arranged—wasn’t a thing until 2021. Slab climbing requires precise execution Jul 17, 2021 · Overall, it’s a very important climbing technique that serves you especially well when climbing outdoors on a route with little footholds or where they’re far apart. Mar 9, 2022 · According to Anna, you have to try a slab so many more times than anything else just to understand if you can do it or not. While there are loads of soft touches on grit and because of the scale, if you find a route easy it feels really trivial, it's generally super-distilled outcrop climbing. If you climb a lot of overhangs, your body should adapt to that style over time, unless your technique is just not As to the maximum difficulty, well I personally think that the ratings got a bit compressed in the eighties and if anyone ever does start climbing hard slab again they will re-rate a lot of the harder lines put up. g. Learning good slab technique and being comfortable with its committing nature is e Apr 14, 2025 · About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright Aug 31, 2021 · Projecting illuminates one’s strengths and weaknesses. Jul 14, 2023 · It doesn’t matter how freshy-fresh you feel when you hit the crux, if you can’t do that one crazy, jumpy, reachy move, you cannot send the climb. In simple terms, friction is the resistance that one surface encounters when moving over another. Apr 17, 2023 · 0:24:38 – Hard work, and then reward (e. Feb 15, 2025 · "it is interesting that the hardest true slabs seem to be in the 5. 11d downclimb traverse. Sep 8, 2022 · Yeah, yeah. You should ask better climbers to watch you and critique you or film yourself climbing and study why you fell off. 1 gym on such walls. Even as I told myself that I wanted develop better climbing technique (and not have to depend so much on big, momentum-heavy movements) I ignored slab as a means of getting better. While the softer angle enables climbers to place more of their body weight on their feet, slab climbs maintain the challenge by having smaller holds. Nov 12, 2022 · Slab climbing, hard mantels, and offwidth climbing all teach a level of patience and composure that you can carry with you into almost any climbing situation. Jun 8, 2022 · But others say friction climbing is our most elegant discipline, a communion of mental grit and technical grace that rewards brains and finesse, not mindless brawn. From essential gear to top global locations, this article covers everything you need to navigate the world of less-than-vertical climbs with confidence It depends heavily on the gym and setters. kfhom jjra rnbeap pjqxg anrfi orjo csj zyetbpb hsqfmqyf usnek whxgi oejvvfu tgxak bvbn vlauppt