Bareback

[martha]

Bareback

This is the term given to mixed climbers who go without heel spurs.

Apparently Will Gadd won't climb with heel spurs anymore, and has repeated 'Musashi M12' without them and 'The Game M13' via a newer more difficult finish 'The Game Reloaded M13+' without them. His arguement is that the hardest, pumpiest routes can be turned into 'two hour hang fests pump free' as climber 'bat hangs' on the smallest of edges to depump.

To make the point of this hanging to de-pump, Ben Firth took 'permissable' tactics to their limit by hanging a lawn chair from a tool in mid crux and relaxed in it!!

there is an ethics discussion for yas! Is heel spurs and other such things cheating?

[Fred]

There is an article on this at http://www.climbing.com under hot flashes ( I think ). They also talk about downgrading "Alcatraz" which is interesting.

The last time I did Musashi I used spurs but I'm going to attempt it bareback next time.

Remember the scene in Pitch Sorbet where the guy says "to climb wit leash or witout I tink is a quezion of style" I think it's much better style to go bareback as it is nicer to climb the nose free. But you can do both.

But what does it matter really? There's no mixed climbing here. lol

[Mountain_Marc]

well i'm kind of mixed on the subject. Last week we were attempting an M9 at Haffner Creek, we didn't have heel spurs but they would've really helped for the crux. The crux didn't involve bat-hanging or anything, just involved an tool lever heel hook. We were pretty much forced to use our rear bails to help us with the move (the bionics worked alot better on that move than my older style M10s), and many time they slipped off, heel spurs probably wouldn't have.

For that move I see the value of the heel spurs. It could be done if you're a freakishly strong mofo. Locking off on one tool with no feet and going for the next hold at full reach.

Excessive resting with the heel spurs I disagree with though.

[The Teth]

I say lawn chairs should only be allowed at belay stations, but I am not really qualified to have an opinion. Is there anyone out there doing ice aiding?

The Teth