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Post by rob on Aug 20, 2015 13:57:52 GMT -7
Hey all, I recently built a campus board, then added a detachable bottom panel and more holds to make it a bouldering/ training wall as well. Anyway, after discovering how expensive holds are, I've taken to using real rock for holds as can be seen in the photos below. Some of them are a little chunky, but the one in the bottom right, for example, is a crimp rail of varying depth, has a side pull, 2 different sized undercuts, a drilled 2 finger pocket and a drilled mono, all in a tiny space. This may not be ideal for gym use where stters are encouraging certain tpyes of movement, but for training purposes, what could be better than having all these options to develop different problems (especially for those with limited space like myself). I've only added a few hold so far, but every single one has at least 2 variations, typically an edge and a pinch (several have an undercut also or a drilled pocket). They're no rougher on the skin than normal holds and it wasn't difficult to drill/ set them up, and they're free! So basically I was just wondering if anyone else has experimented with this? And if not, why?
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Post by sorvad on Aug 20, 2015 15:18:08 GMT -7
My gym has been using granite hold like these: Feels great to climb on. Don't remember who makes them, but I think there is someone in Sweden who does. My gym unfortunately had to take the grips down, as one of them broke and landed in somebody's face. Not good for business. Edit: I think these are the ones we had at my gym: natureclimbing.com/ They feel amazing to climb on
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Post by MarkAnderson on Aug 20, 2015 20:07:35 GMT -7
My very first home wall had a bunch of glued-on rocks. I liked them quite a bit, but eventually the glue failed and the rocks got ripped off. I really like the idea of drilling and bolting them on.
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Post by Chris W on Aug 21, 2015 2:02:47 GMT -7
They're not actually real, but the Yosemite line of granite holds from Three Ball Climbing is a pretty awesome set. Don't know how easy it would be to get them in the UK, but I've talked to the guys before and they are pretty cool and easy to work with.
The gym where I learned to climb (North Summit Climbing Gym in Wind Gap PA) had a bunch of those real rock holds. I always thought they were pretty cool but there were a few issues with them breaking. That would be my only reservation. Also, I'm discovering with time that smaller holds seem to be more useful for me than the large volume type holds. I would assume it would be harder to bolt or screw on a smaller real rock hold without issues of fracturing, but I haven't actually tried to.
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Post by jorgemendoza on Aug 21, 2015 5:49:03 GMT -7
rob, have you tried wooden holds? tedwelser has pretty cool stuff in his blog (boulderingathenscounty.blogspot.com/p/bouldering.html). You can find scraps of wood in most construction sites for free. The only thing I do is sanding them down. However, you can buy good moulding, and make holds with it. At least that's what I have done.
My old gym used to have real rocks for holds. They are awesome, but way too bulky for a woody, IMO.
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Post by Will S on Aug 21, 2015 18:47:30 GMT -7
One of my buddies built a hangboard with glued-on real rocks back in ..probably the 90s. They are all still there, none of them have popped off despite the board being outside (under a patio cover) in the desert for a couple decades at least. HA! I actually found a pic of it from way BITD:
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Post by MarkAnderson on Aug 21, 2015 19:07:06 GMT -7
One of my buddies built a hangboard with glued-on real rocks back in ..probably the 90s. They are all still there, none of them have popped off despite the board being outside (under a patio cover) in the desert for a couple decades at least. HA! I actually found a pic of it from way BITD: Dude, that's awesome. Those are some serious lats!
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Post by climber511 on Aug 22, 2015 8:06:35 GMT -7
The old "Petrogrips" (if memory serves me right) were real rock and are still to this day my favorite climbing wall holds. Been in use for a long long time now and no breaks!
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Post by rob on Aug 22, 2015 11:15:12 GMT -7
Good to hear everyone's experiences. I haven't had any break yet... but they havent been on for long so I'll see how things go. I'm discovering with time that smaller holds seem to be more useful for me than the large volume type holds. I would assume it would be harder to bolt or screw on a smaller real rock hold without issues of fracturing, but I haven't actually tried to. That doesn't seem to be an issue so far. The majority of the holds I have are between 1/2 and 3/4 pad size on a 20degree overhanging board, so they're pretty small (or feel it). The 2 larger "volume esc" one's are a litttle bulky, but the one has a full pad edge and side pull which are sloped so not easy to hold, but I included it mainly for the 3 finger 3/4 pad pocket I drilled, and the other has a nice incut crimp that varies from just over a full pad to a 1/2 pad across it's width, with a 1/4 and 1/2 pad undercut underneath. But I do have some matchstick sized ones I'm going to try and drill for footholds, they might not go so well!
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Post by rob on Aug 22, 2015 11:18:44 GMT -7
rob, have you tried wooden holds? tedwelser has pretty cool stuff in his blog (boulderingathenscounty.blogspot.com/p/bouldering.html). You can find scraps of wood in most construction sites for free. The only thing I do is sanding them down. However, you can buy good moulding, and make holds with it. At least that's what I have done.
My old gym used to have real rocks for holds. They are awesome, but way too bulky for a woody, IMO.
I thought about wooden holds, but it seemed like they would require a bit more craftsmanship, especially to create the variety I have with the rock holds. The two larger holds I’ve used are a little bulky to be honest, but fit more into one space than plastic holds ever could, but the pinch/ edge holds I have don’t feel much bulkier than regular holds… I guess it depends what rock you use. My geologist climbing partner tells me the rock I’ve used is “old red sandstone”
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Post by rob on Aug 22, 2015 11:20:13 GMT -7
One of my buddies built a hangboard with glued-on real rocks back in ..probably the 90s. They are all still there, none of them have popped off despite the board being outside (under a patio cover) in the desert for a couple decades at least. HA! I actually found a pic of it from way BITD: Haha that's pretty awesome! If mine last that long on an indoor woody (bolted/ screwed on) then I'll be impressed!
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Post by slimshaky on Aug 24, 2015 12:57:21 GMT -7
The old "Petrogrips" (if memory serves me right) were real rock and are still to this day my favorite climbing wall holds. Been in use for a long long time now and no breaks! yeah, petrogrips. for some reason i thought they were called 'synrock' or something, but i think you are right. IIRC, Jim Bowers (?) back in PA made them. something like that. in the late 90's i tried to use some limestone chunks for holds, but failed miserably
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Post by jcm on Aug 24, 2015 16:39:37 GMT -7
The old "Petrogrips" (if memory serves me right) were real rock and are still to this day my favorite climbing wall holds. Been in use for a long long time now and no breaks! yeah, petrogrips. for some reason i thought they were called 'synrock' or something, but i think you are right. IIRC, Jim Bowers (?) back in PA made them. something like that. in the late 90's i tried to use some limestone chunks for holds, but failed miserably Synrock is a ceramic, not rock ("synthetic rock" gives it the name). The material has a sandstone-like feel to it. Grippy but nice on the skin, pretty much perfect. It is very, very heavy, and also fairly brittle, which has limited it's popularity with gyms. In addition to the holds, there is a Synrock hangboard, the "Mini Crag". This was my first hangboard, purchased ~ 10 years ago (if only I had started using it properly back then....). It is a unique board with some nice features, but ultimately it falls a bit short. The texture, as noted above, is AMAZING. Grippier than wood, but much nicer on the skin than plastic. Really a perfect texture for hangboarding. Also, the dense ceramic has a lot of thermal inertia, so it doesn't get warm as you hang on it, like plastic does. It is a huge board, with tons of holds on 3 separate pieces. Two of the pieces are identical and operate as a pair, and the middle piece is symmetrical and could be used on its own. Like the RPTC, this allows you to place the holds at a custom distance apart (sorry Mark, someone else thought of it first!). Even more interesting is that the pieces are set to be mounted with a bolt and T-nut setup. This makes mounting the board potentially difficult, but what it does is allow you to rotate the pieces easily with an allen wrench. This rotation gives various interesting options to change grips, especially with regard to pinches on the sides of the board. If the pieces are flipped around 180 degrees, there is an entriely different set of holds. Unfortunately, the hold design itself is only so-so. There are a TON of holds, but many of them are not useful. It is a great "outside the box" board and was quite innovative for when it was mad. There is a lot of room for the design to be improved, and I do think that the ceramic should be further explored as a hangboard material. While writing this, I also thought of an idea that never occurred to me before. With that board, you could chill the board to get good hangboarding conditions. The pieces are easily removable, so you could take down the board overnight and chill it in your refrigerator. When you take it out, it would stay cold for quite a while, and cool your hands nicely, due to the dense ceramic. This would allow you to hangboard on 40 degree F surface even in mid summer. This may be the next level... Ceramic for RPTC 3.0?
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Post by Lundy on Aug 24, 2015 19:15:28 GMT -7
While writing this, I also thought of an idea that never occurred to be before. With that board, you could chill the board to get good hangboarding conditions. The pieces are easily removable, so you could take down the board overnight and chill it in your refrigerator. When you take it out, it would stay cold for quite a while, and cool your hangs nicely, due to the dense ceramic. This would allow you to hangboard on 40 degree F surface even in mid summer. This may be the next level... Ceramic for RPTC 3.0? This thought has me salivating...
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Post by climber511 on Aug 24, 2015 20:24:41 GMT -7
No idea if this is the same company but the ones I have are actual pieces of rock - they have a "backing" of some kind of blue or red fabric made flat and stiff with a resin or something. I have granite and sandstone ones - and have never had on break on me. I'd buy more of them if I could find them.
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