I Love my Shoes

Climbing shoes are for me the most important piece of equipment in climbing. They can make a problem feel 3 grades easier, and unfortunately if they are the wrong pair, ten times harder. Changing to a new shoe can be stressful; after all you know what your current pair can do. However, there are few things more satisfying than discovering ‘your new climbing shoes’ – a pair that not only feel just as good as your current shoes, but so much better. Dare I say it; they may even help you break that next grade boundary?

A bit of context is needed here. During my first 8 years of climbing I experimented with a variety of shoes and brands – Boreal, 5-10, Sportiva, Scarpa, to name but a few. However, it wasn’t until 2007 that I found a make that truly fitted my feet – Evolv. Suddenly I had a comfortable, yet tight heel, rather than a baggy one that came off when I really pulled on heel hooks. The rubber was sticky and they lasted a reasonable amount of time. My preferred shoe was the Pontas Velcro, in which I climbed my first font 8a that summer, as well as many of my most memorable climbing experiences. The picture below is taken on a new route I was attempting in Leavenworth, Canada in 2008. That is not to say I wasn’t partial to the other shoes in the Evolv range – I lead my first sport 8a+ in the Pontas lace-up, and I still have a soft spot for the Talon for steep overhanging walls.

However, last year I ended my five-year obsession with the Pontas, as I started wearing Evolv Shamans. I was uneasy at first. This was a far more aggressive shoe than the Pontas, with the ‘love bump’ and ‘knuckle box’ forcing your toes into a down turned position. However, I quickly realised that this new design was not just suited to steep walls, but was also as effective on slabs and technical flat walls. 2013 was probably my best year on Southern Sandstone based upon the nine first ascents (from font 6a-7b+) that I put up. However, it was also my best year due to the improvements I made in the technical aspects of my climbing. I have always found slabs hard, and in the past my footwork has been the subject of many jokes. But last year I managed to repeat the highly technical ‘Porg’s Progress’ (font 7b) and ‘Continuing Adventures of Porg’ (font 7b+), as well as getting the second/third ascent (I’m not sure which) of ‘Sansara’, which is given font 7a, despite being more like a highly technical 7b. All of this is partially down to my change of shoes, as I wore the Shamans pretty much exclusively last year.

Nevertheless, since the end of last year I have been anticipating the release of Evolv’s new performance shoe – the Nexxo. Created with Chris Sharma (my all time climbing hero!), and building upon the success of the Pontas (it also includes a ‘love bump’ and ‘knuckle box’) I couldn’t wait for them to arrive in the UK. At last my pair arrived a couple of months ago, and like a child at Christmas I eagerly unwrapped them - they looked amazing! New climbing shoes always take a bit of time to bed in – but I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly these shoes felt just right. I think it might be due to the elastic top section, but the nearest comparison I can make is that it felt as if I had a rubber sock on. Everything felt so precise, and within a week of starting to wear them I don’t think I have worn my Shaman’s once. However, it is not just how much control I have pushing down that impressed me, but it’s the rubber on the top of the toe as well. I have struggled with toe hooks for years (I find it quite painful to make my leg do that for some reason), but the ample rubber on the top of the toes has made them a lot easier. Multiple people who have tried this shoe have expressed this as well. Unfortunately I have not had much opportunity to try them on rock yet as the weather seems to have turned against us recently, but on the few visits I did manage to make to sandstone with them they justified being my first choice shoe – as I sent ‘Quoi Faire’ (font 7b) at Stone Farm, finally being able to stand up on a particularly nasty sloping foothold.

So there we have it – I am in love with a climbing shoe, and that shoe is the Nexxo by Evolv. I didn’t think I could be swayed from the Pontas so quickly - which I still rate as a top quality shoe, that I am sure I will still use from time to time. But the Nexxo’s have impressed me so much in such a short time frame I am genuinely very excited to see what I can do in them on my projects this winter.

Stone Farm

Stone Farm is a great little outcrop just to the South of East Grinstead, with lovely views overlooking Weir Wood Reservoir. More importantly, it is the closest major outcrop from my house, and contains some classic problems! I have not climbed here enough in the past, as despite it being so close to home, it is quite a faff coming or going to the other bouldering areas, which are nearer to Tunbridge Wells.

However, I ended up here last month for a picnic with my wife. Despite the hot temps I couldn’t help but try my luck on one of the classic mid-grade problems on the sandstone, ‘Milestone Mantle’ (font 6b+). This involves a difficult and reachy pull off the ground, before slapping round a small roof, which is unfortunately often wet. I have a history with this problem, as I last attempted it as a naive 18 year old, who thought it must be a jump start (which would make it even harder). However, it proved no problem this time, and fully deserved its stellar reputation. As is the case in climbing, once I sent the stand I couldn’t help but look at the sit start – ‘The Painkiller’ (font 7b). This is essentially 3 moves from a positive start hold, going up twice with the right hand to two poor slopers, before reaching out left to the good starting side pull. At first I could not do a single move. Everything felt so precise, and not just in the way you have to hold the holds, but you needed to get your body in just the right position in order to weight them properly too. The third move is also the hardest, as moving left inevitably destabilises the right hand and often leads to a barn door effect. Long story short, I eventually did all the moves that day, but not the problem. However, I could not let it go and I came back a few days later when the temps were a little cooler. Unfortunately the top of the problem was a little damp, and my initial idea of warming up on it did not go smoothly! Luckily the crucial bottom holds were dry, and in cooler temps I despatched the problem (even if the top was a little harder than last time!) Since then I have spoken to my friend Peter who did the first ascent, and it seems that I got the second ascent (to our knowledge?!). We also discussed the grade, which like a lot of sandstone is definitely harder than its recorded grade of font 7b – for me it feels more like font 7b+, possibly even 7c? Only further ascents will tell…

After sending ‘The Painkiller’ I had an hour or so spare, so I cast my eye over ‘Quoi Faire’ (7b). This is an old school English 6c top rope from the 1980s up an imposing buttress, with the main difficulties being centred around getting established on the top wall after pulling round an initial roof. However, in recent years it has been climbed as a highball, and I felt inspired to try this after seeing a video of Belinda Be Fuller soloing it earlier in the summer. It proved tricky, and I could not seem to get round the crux. I eventually bailed on the problem after continually failing to match my feet on a large sandy ledge. I did not return to Stone Farm until a few days ago. This is largely due to being away in Romania and Wales with work, but I was psyched to get back. This was also down to having in my possession a new pair of Nexxos by Evolv (thanks beyond hope climbing!). I have been drooling over these shoes for months, and was so excited to get my hands on a pair! New climbing shoes always require a breaking in period for me, but after two brief indoor sessions I felt more than comfortable taking them out to the sandstone. After a quick abseil down to suss the top section I set about trying the problem again. It went about 4^th go of the evening, and the Nexxos more than lived up to their deserved hype as I easily matched the sandy foot ledge that had caused me so many problems in August. Quality shoes, quality climbing! Unfortunately the route is so big I couldn’t fit it all in shot – below is the best that I could manage.

With ‘Quoi Faire’ ticked off, and still two hours of light left I went for a little wander over to Standen Rocks. This is a very minor outcrop that I have not visited before – but I am always curious to see if small spots like this have any overlooked potential for new routes. I was not disappointed. The main buttress was fully developed, but on the wall behind there was only one route, ‘One Fine Day in June’ English 5a, which follows a diagonal crack/flake system from left to right. However, directly above the start of this problem the rock rises into a nice rolling overhang, which was unclimbed. I ran back to my car to grab some pads in an attempt to climb the line before I got benighted. At first I tried to stick strictly to the left hand arête, but the top proved both too sandy, and too close to the main buttress, which made it almost impossible to not dab. Instead I took a more central (and more obvious) line through the overhang, with the crux move being reaching to a right hand side-pull, and using this to pull past the roof section. The climbing was not hugely difficult, and I settled on font 6b+ (English 5c in old money), although it was fun, hence the name ‘Hidden Pearl’. This would be a regularly climbed mini-classic if it was at a more popular venue, but if anyone fancies a walk up to Standen Rocks (again with a nice view of the reservoir below), I don’t think they will be disappointed.

Faith

Today I completed a project of mine at Mount Edgcumbe Rocks that I have been working on for a few sessions. It is highball, technical, varied in style and in angle – in short what I wanted in a project (although less dusty rock would have been preferable!).

This line has gone from me not being able to get past the second move, to making a couple more move of progress, to abseiling down to assess and clean the top holds, before I put it all together today.

I have called it ‘Faith’ – very simply because the crux involved standing (and matching) your feet on a sandy sloping foothold before pulling up to a small pocket/pinch. It requires total faith that your feet will stay (mine peeled off on many other occasions), as well as maintaining ones centre of gravity in a very delicate position.

As for the grade – I went for font 7b in the end. Like almost every project I have tried the line looked reasonable, I got shut down and I thought it was really hard, before I sussed a new sequence, which made it feel much easier than I was anticipating. This might be on the softer side of 7b, but considering the height of the problem, and the difficulty of working out the moves (this would be an impressive flash – if there are any takers?!) I think the grade is fair. It felt similar in style and difficulty to the two ‘Porg’ problems at High Rocks (font 7b and 7b+) at least, which helped me to grade it.

So another project rapped up – plenty more to go! I feel spoilt for choice at the moment as the sun is drying everything up nicely – got to love summer on the sandstone!

Unfinished Business

One of the nice things about climbing is coming back to old projects. Quite often there can be months, even years in between your attempts, and it is in returning to these old undone problems that you can see how much you have progressed. It is definitely an element of climbing that you miss out on if you only climb indoors. In the last couple of weeks I have taken a small break from new routing (it can be exhausting finding and cleaning problems, before the climbing even starts), and I have really enjoyed returning to some unfinished business on the Southern Sandstone.

First up was ‘Maybe When You’re Older’ (font 7b) at Bowles. I met up with a friend mid-week and did a few top ropes at Bowles, and while I was there my eye drifted over to this traverse. I had tried this line once before a couple of years ago, when it was not in the best condition. I did all the moves that day, but I couldn’t put the whole thing together. Anyway, I came back at the weekend, repeated the moves, and to my surprise sent the whole link within about 10 minutes of trying. What was really nice was how easily this climbed, considering how hard font 7b can be on the Sandstone!

Next up was ‘Yoda Assis’ (font 7c) at High Rocks. I had ticked the stand start to this (font 7a+) back in 2012, but when attempting the sit start it looked like a crucial undercut had come off, making it un-climbable. However, sometimes you can’t get a problem out of your head, and I found myself sitting once again underneath Yoda. Indeed, I think that the way that it had been climbed via the undercut would now be very unlikely, however, I started playing around with a slopey left hand hold. This hold is very poor in isolation – yet when you sit just under it and compress with your right hand and feet, it gives you just enough to dead point through to the top section of the problem. In a moment of elation I held this move…. and then I remembered both how difficult the top was and that I was approaching it from a different (and more awkward angle). I didn’t send the problem that day, but a week later I returned, and after tweaking the beta for the top section I sent what has got to be one of the coolest 7cs on Sandstone.

The final un-finished problem that I have tried recently is ‘Hypersonic’ (font 7b+). This is a striking line up a high blank wall at Eridge Green. The problem starts with a tricky (and dynamic) move to get to a large pocket. From here there are basically no more hand holds for another meter and a half, which forces the climber to do a large move from undercutting the pocket to reach a vague break, where a selection of small but positive edges lead to a finishing jug. Traditionally from here you would top out using an old tree, but this is long gone these days and recent ascents instead involving using a rope to pull round the sandy top out (the last meter or so really is completely un-climbable!). I had tried this problem before, but I had always struggled with the large reach off the pocket. However, off the back of climbing the previous two problems I felt a certain momentum that could help me dispatch this one as well. This problem also went fast – so fast in fact that I didn’t film it (this is also difficult to do due to how big the route is). However, it did provide one of those wonderful moments in climbing – as I reached from the pocket to the small ledge – where you do a move where everything feels perfectly in balance. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to capture this climb on film - but there are other videos of the route being done on youtube.

Bring on more good weather!

New Routes at Mount Edgcumbe Rocks

New Routing is for me a relatively new part of my climbing. It requires a slightly different approach to that one would normally take when out bouldering. When trying someone else’s problems I would try and watch videos, get beta and send it as soon as possible. With new routes there are no videos, there is no beta, and while trying it you have no idea if it is possible. Also the speed is far slower as you need to clean the problem (new problems on southern sandstone are even sandier and dirtier than established ones – if you can believe that), find the holds (often not as obvious as you would hope!) and try and find a workable sequence. Every new route that I have done has followed a similar trend of trying what I thought was a desperate line, which I question if I can do, before I find a new hold or sequence which ‘unlocks’ the problem. It is a great part of climbing, that I am really enjoying – especially the discovery part. Last year I found a new boulder – this year I am developing a whole new crag. Mount Edgcumbe Rocks.

Mount Edgcumbe Rocks is a small crag that is mentioned in the ‘Other Outcrops’ section of the 2008 Climbers Club Southern Sandstone guide as: ‘A small outcrop on Tunbridge Wells Common, close to Wellington Rocks. A major tree clearance took place here in the mid 90s, and there is now potential for a few new routes.’ I first checked the crag out last year. At first it looks incredible, with imposing roofs jutting out above clean landings – but on closer inspection, while these faces may appear impressive, they are clearly not suitable for bouldering due to being far too sandy. It was after drawing this conclusion that I began to walk away. However, a couple of vertical walls caught my attention. The rock appeared fairly solid, and there were some interesting pocket and pebble features (very rare on southern sandstone). I made a mental note to come back after winter when the crag had dried out.

The first occasion that I got to climb here was in early April, when some of the potential problems had just about dried out. I cleaned up a nice looking groove line next to a small roof that is sadly too sandy to climb on. The climbing is centred on a nice dish feature, which is reached via some monos and pebbles, before pulling into some more pockets. This felt desperate at first, as I could get little purchase on the crucial dish. However, a lesson that I have learnt the hard way from new routing is that the holds are rarely in good condition when you begin trying to climb virgin rock. The dish needed a good dusting before it became useable. Suddenly it all became very possible, and what I thought could be a problem around the mid-sevens, ended up becoming ‘New Jerusalem’ (font 6c+). The grade could be a little stiff – I debated with 7a, maybe it is, but nonetheless the quality of the problem is excellent. Names of routes are something that I struggle with sometimes. I like to have a religious theme throughout most of my problems, and I didn’t buck the trend here. As it was the first route at a new venue that could become a great new circuit, I thought ‘New Jerusalem’ was an appropriate name – also there is a problem with the same name at Caley, and I have always thought it sounded good!

Due to a trip to Font (see last blog post) and some poor weather I didn’t get back to Mount Edgcumbe Rocks until early June. Since my last visit no one had come to try my route or to put anything up. Incredible, when you consider that this is a 10-minute walk from Tunbridge Wells train station – thousands of climbers must have driven past this area over the years. This certainly would not have been the case up North! Anyway, on my second trip I got stuck into another problem on the same buttress as ‘New Jerusalem’. On the far end of the wall there is a distinct sloping feature at head height in the shape of a smile, somewhat reminiscent of ‘Smiling Buttress’ at Curbar. While it basically forms a one-move problem I began trying to move off this feature to the top. The handholds are quite poor, but it is the lack of feet that makes this hard. Essentially, hanging the hold is relatively comfortable, but any upwards movement off it felt hard. Like ‘New Jerusalem’ the holds needed cleaning, but once tidied up it became clear that this was both possible and very good. I eventually sent it, and ‘The Smile’ (an obvious name) was born at a grade of font 7a+, although once again it will take further ascents to confirm this.

Next to ‘The Smile’ there is a shallow groove, which is fairly sparse of holds until near the top. The beginning is clearly where the difficulties are, but how to get to the holds near the top posed a problem. However, I surprised myself by sending this quite quickly. While it looks blank, the first section is balancey yet surprisingly feasible, meaning that the problem ended up being font 6b+. I named it ‘The Diaconate’, as I had just become a deacon of my church.

While there is a gap in-between ‘The Diaconate’ and ‘New Jerusalem’, this is still a project that I haven’t been able to do as of yet. Instead I turned my attention to the buttress the other side of the sandy roof. This is higher than the other buttress (which I have named Smiling Buttress – what else!), but it is similar in that it is covered in pockets and pebbles. I decided to try the easiest looking line of resistance, which goes up the left side of the wall on a very vague arête, beginning with a pull round an overlap. This was dusty even by the standards of southern sandstone (so much so that I have named the buttress ‘Dusty Buttress!) It was also very difficult to read, as there were lots and lots of similar (and fairly poor) pockets to choose from. However, I eventually sussed a sequence that involved pinching a collection of pockets and pebbles and doing a big slap to the top. This I appropriately named ‘Through the Dust’, at a tentative grade of font 6c+.

So there it is. One new crag, four new problems, and potential for at least three more quality routes - probably more. I am planning to come back soon and add some more additions, but I would be really great if some other boulderers could come and confirm the grades – watch this space!

Boulder Battles in Fontainebleau

So here it is, my first ever blog! As I have called it ‘sandstone bouldering’, what better place to start than with a trip to the sandstone bouldering Mecca of Fontainebleau. Matt Cousins and myself headed here for a week over the Easter holidays, and as I sat down to write this I reflected on how I have chosen to use my holiday time. Instead of kicking back in a nice five star hotel (what my wife sensibly did with her week) I chose to stay in probably the worst hotel ever made and battle against some rocks. Bouldering trips seem to be a series of mini battles, whether it is against conditions, projects or yourself. As such, instead of just writing a tick list of what we have climbed, I have put each problem within a broad ‘battle’ category that I think many of us have faced in climbing.

The Previous Battle:

I think everyone who has been bouldering for a few years has one of these. You are planning a trip, which of course involves hours of youtube and guidebook research to find the perfect problems. You go on said trip and find that the problem that looked so easy in the video is actually an unsolvable monstrosity that you can’t even imagine climbing – one to leave to your future self! One of these for me was ‘La Gaule’ (font 7c/+) at Bas Cuvier. I remember trying this when I was 19 years old. I had climbed 7c+, surely a font 7c compression problem (my climbing style of choice) would be the perfect problem for my trip. No, no it was not. I remember not being able to do a single move and drawing the conclusion (or excuse) that I was not tall enough to climb the problem. Eight years later, and we ended up at Bas Cuvier on our first evening. While Matt was crushing ‘Carnage’ (font 7b+) into submission I took a wander up to La Gaule to have a look at my old nemesis. Try the moves, why not; I’m too short to do the problem anyway! Yet move-by-move it all began to seem more possible. Two days later I came back and sent it. Whenever this happens I’m sure most of us think to our selves ‘how much stronger I have got’. In this case I would like to think that this is true – however, I think the key to sending this problem was how much better technically I’ve become as a boulderer in the last eight years. Resting, thinking about my feet more, and body position – these are so much more valuable than that extra rung on a campus board.

The ‘Should have done it already’ Battle:

Perhaps the most dreaded of all battles on a bouldering trip. Matt set about trying ‘Symbiose’ (font 7c) at 95.2 one evening. Having worked the moves out, he began redpointing, clearly enjoying the process as he made more and more progress up this classic line. Finally, he made it through the crux and was on the easier, yet still technical top out. Having climbed with Matt for 13 years I have seen him in this position hundreds of time – composed as ever I expected him to top it out with ease. However, once a foot slips or a sequence is slightly altered it can throw even the best of us – and uncharacteristically of him, Matt blew it. Enter the ‘should have done it already’ battle. This is perhaps the most frustrating of all bouldering battles, as you fall from lower down that your previous high point, while at the back of your mind you can’t help but remind yourself that you should rightfully have done it by now. That enjoyable problem that you were freely pulling up earlier, suddenly becomes a grinding battle – although more mentally than physically. To Matt’s credit he calmed himself down with a walk before sending the problem with his normal technical style. Often it is difficult to walk away from a problem – but when you have been this close it become almost impossible.

The Flash Battle:

Perhaps the shortest battle of them all – the problem that you want to flash. You have identified it in the guidebook as a climb that suits your style, you have watched every youtube video on the Internet - you are as ready as you’ll ever be. However, when you sit down under the climb there is that horrible voice in the back of your head that you only get one flash attempt – no matter how well you do it on your second, third, umpteenth go, it is not a flash. Pressure. I had two problems that I wanted to flash;  ‘Magic Bus’ (font 7b/+) at Buthiers, which the legendary Mark Croxall had flashed back in the day, and ‘Gargantoit assis’ (font 7b+) at Gorge du Houx, another compression problem that I thought would be right up my street. Thankfully, both went well (this time) and I walked away with two 7b+ flashes for the trip.

The Time pressure Battle:

The worst thing about a climbing trip is when it is all over. Actually I don’t think that is quite true – I think the worst thing is when the trip is almost over, you are tired and your skin is shredded, and you stumble across yet another amazing looking problem. For me this was ‘96.15 Power’ (font 7c) at Rocher Canon, the day before we were going home. I had tried this before (another failure from eight years ago), and it had stuck in my mind, like ‘La Gaule’. This climb is one of those great problems in bouldering that combines power with subtle movement – I was strong enough eight years ago, but definitely not subtle enough! I set to work and formed a sequence that was consistently leading me up to the crux final slap. But I was tired, my skin was screaming, and I could feel myself becoming less precise. I hate leaving problems that I am close on, but after three hours you begin to question whether this is meant to go this trip. ‘Just one more go’ I said to myself again and again, as I’m sure all boulderers have! On one of these ‘final goes’ it all came together and I sent the problem – I have deliberately not edited out the end of the video when I come down from the boulder as it shows both how shattered and pleased I am that I ticked this problem.

The Battle too far:

If I climbed every problem that I tried on a climbing trip I don’t know if I would be happy – I like having something (although not lots!) to come back for. This trip the main problem that I’m desperate to come back for next time was ‘de la Terre a la Lune’ (font 7c+) at Gorge du Houx. This is a visually stunning boulder that involves shouldery indoor style climbing lower down before transitioning to a rather delicate and technical upper section. We found this mid-way through our trip and decided to return on our last day and once again face the long walk in (ok it was 20 minutes – but that’s no Bas!). Matt got desperately close (as you can see in the clip), and I’m sure that he would have got it if he were fresh. This was a battle too far for me – I got nowhere on it! But it is nice to have an excuse to come back in the near future, and at least I have something to watch on youtube in the mean time.