Can Dave Macleod help me send my hardest trad lead?

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This week Dave Macleod ‪@climbermacleod‬ helps me send my hardest trad lead to date. After leading a "VDiff" last year, it was time to push the grades a little bit with a "Severe".
Dave made a video about determining if a climber is ready to lead trad, which features a bouldering lesson at the crag. Check it out here: • How to climb trad: Hel...
Video work by:
Kieran Duncan: / kieranjduncan
‪@Kim_Norrie‬

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

Check out Dave's video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2GupmCDmtRroLcsi=69Qi14Yk3ivABphA

[@joobarr9888]

I love that Mike has learned hundreds of skills, and only got really sucked into climbing (and kind of biking, but that is part of his background). It goes to show how addictive climbing is.

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

absolutely. It's hooked me like nothing else ever has!

[@saemj]

@@MikeBoydClimbs Have you tried the game of Go? Its the only thing that comes close in addictiveness for me :D

[@gxbrielwatches4088]

@@MikeBoydClimbs Ive been obsessed since i started about 10 weeks ago.... climbing v2 atm v3 my style, but ive tried 3 gyms and my main gym is by far the stiffest as i was climbing v3-v5 at nearby gyms

[@nosreuter]

​​@@MikeBoydClimbs That's awesome Mike, we who climb know very well the appeal that your feeling, it's just too good!! Be mindful of finger injuries when your muscles rapidly becomes stronger than your tendons! P.S. Forgive me if you're experience and educated enough to be aware of this risk! I thought I was and still injured myself after ~2 years starting to put substantial weight on 2 finger pockets. Then I fell, and that was too much on my tendons for that sort of grip. Would hate to see you get injured and this awesome new channel to hit any speed bumps!

[@weedaviec]

Climbing is the most rewarding sport I have done and I am 51. You name it I have done it. Only climbing gives you the big long lasting buzz and powerful memories.

[@tobytee7883]

Dunkeld was where my dad taught me to climb. This was before there was sport climbing in Scotland. We had the exact same conversation about having to place gear on the upper slab after I failed to do so. This video took me back over 30 years to those days. We’re both still climbing, him in his 80s. I’m glad you’ve also fallen in love with such an awesome sport.

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

such a lovely comment Toby. Cheers for showing me the best sport ever :)

[@kevedwards]

Dave’s a fantastic teacher, for such a bold climber he doesn’t play with peoples safety by stoking egos. “The main goal is to survive the days climbing” such a great outlook for reeling yourself back in when on the verge of making sketchy choices.

[@WideBoyz]

Nicely done Mike 💪 and great job Dave. Just so you actually know what grades you've done up to this point, (as I noticed you put VD for Stanage)😅 At Stanage you lead VS 4c and seconded E1 5b In Norway you lead up to S and seconded up to E1 5b 👍 Keep it up and stay safe 💪

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

😳 oh no! My bad, I got the grades wrong. I'm not sure where I got VDiff from! Thanks for the correction Pete. Hopefully we can climb together again soon 💪

[@largeformatlandscape]

@@MikeBoydClimbs I think Cuticle Crack is a bit pokey for the grade, even if it's only that one move really. Polney's vertical routes and strangely featured schist can be a bit intimidating. I'm hoping to get back and have a go at The Groove, The Rut and Wiggle at some point (although they look really intimidating to me!)

[@pauljepson1249]

​@@MikeBoydClimbsalso (being new to climbing, you might not know this yet), all that matters is what you've done on grit 😊

[@aspuzling]

Retreating to a ledge is not only something you shouldn't be ashamed of it's good strategy for preserving energy. Sometimes i will plan to do it ahead of time if i know it's going to be tricky to place a piece of gear.

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

great strategy. I've got a lot to learn but this was a good lesson.

[@largeformatlandscape]

I’ll often backtrack to a previous safe spot after placing ear, even if I could continue. It clears the head so much (most often if placing gear was in any way 'strenuous')

[@nope110]

I’d definitely be up for trad if I was taught by Dave Macleod and Pete Whittaker, super cool stuff, loving these videos

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

To be fair, I have had a lucky intro to trad!

[@aroimicaraffu]

I SOOOOO love the fact that You decided to start a new climbing channel just because You climbed ones as a challange on You main account.

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

me too! Thanks for watching :)

[@unvexis]

Great progress. That said, I recall when you posted your 100 hours of bouldering video, there were multiple posts suggesting you work on foot placement. I was surprised when you reacted with surprise to Dave’s suggestion you focus on careful foot placement. This is a pattern. You’ll climb much harder and more safely when you put in the work.

[@jasonfulton2290]

really loved this video man was a good laugh seeing me and my mate in the background but good climbing from yourself. and thanks for taking the time to chat to us in between ur climb

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

not a problem man, was lovely chatting to you!

[@martijnveldhuis1377]

5:10 This is very relatable for people who haven't climbed outside much. Knowing you could easily do the route and not finding the ''correct'' way can make you feel really insecure on the rock. Great video Mike.

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

Yes! It was so awkward and even when I got it, it just felt weird.

[@gerlagerweij]

You've really started gettin addicted avent't ya? Been climbing for about 10 years now, really love seeing you learn from some of the best. Love the ambience they're bringing, with your enthousiasm to pair. Keep it up, will be climbing in Scotland somewhere next year (Im Dutch so no climbing here). who knows, might see ya hangin around!

[@slimaque727]

Last weekend I was on my first outdoor bouldering trip. Getting out on the rock is so fun, no matter how many routes/boulders you did and how hard they were. Especially if you have great company

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

Really happy you are getting outside and enjoying it.

[@Nyitemare]

That was a treat, cheers Mike

[@juancristi376]

Nice video! Congrats for the lead!

[@HMartinsFood]

Let’s gooo!! Loving the climbing videos.

[@charliemcmonagle]

Thank you for showing and talking about your mental approach to getting spooked. Very relatable and good to normalise this as part of climbing and learning and skill! 12:50

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad I kept this part in.

[@rokatwo]

Just like with the routesetting video, again I'm super jealous! Super cool to see you climbing more and more, as I've been watching you for ages. Hoping to get out on some trad routes myself :)

[@isaacgardner7722]

Really interesting to watch your climbing journey, as you started at the same time I did. So cool to see you do all this trad stuff so quickly after first learning to climb - really inspiring.

[@GoodLuck-rh8tb]

I love Dave and his calm attitude so much.

[@surfarden10]

I'm loving the climbing videos.

[@marcushill78]

Excellent video, I really enjoy these sorts of videos, the tutorial from Dave would benefit so many people. Most climbers are normal people and make silly mistakes, the shared wisdom in these videos is invaluable. Don't worry about the shooting, there is a clay ground nearby, it is a far safer sport than climbing!

[@maxblair3317]

Love hearing Bomull on this channel. I remember the first time you used one of their songs, I got so excited!

[@ScobieClimbs]

Nice one mate, as always quality vid, please do keep them coming 👌

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

thanks for watching :)

[@jameswoodlake541]

It's funny how many times the word "bomber" came up in this video, a term I've never heard before. ha

[@denlolify]

lovely video, i like how i could watch both of your videos and they were complementary! lowkey a little jealous of all these experiences you are getting, definetly going to tradclimb myself in the future!

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

great! Climb safe 💪

[@REIDiculous64]

Loving your climbing journey

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

Glad to hear it! Thanks for watching!

[@KieranJDuncan]

Banger video mate, what a great day. Looking forward to filming your next one in a little more sunshine 😉💪🏻

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

Thanks for filming and the guidance Kieran 💪✌🏼

[@breaktheresistance]

Awesome video.. Binge watching now that I've just come across the channel

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

Welcome aboard!

[@lawrencesounddesign1862]

Great work with the video and climbing. I really enjoy watching the thought process behind "why" - something I'm paying close attention to right now as I'm just learning. The lesson on this video about extending your draw was a great example of one of the thousands of things to think about while climbing. Yes, running an extended alpine sling off that would add more slack in to the system (leaving you a little more exposed) but having a lot of rope drag also amplifies the exposure (especially if you had a deadpoint to reach out for at some point above!) Which is exactly the type of thought process I'm trying to build in my head since I'm a beginner who is still learning! Trad climbing is so interesting because it's not just a physical exercise but also quite a mental workout. Thanks for the great video and the beautiful location. A huge chunk of my ancestry comes from Scotland (according to my DNA test) so seeing the land where my ancestors lived is also quite amazing and special. Someday I'd love to take a trip to visit that region.

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

Deadpointing with the rope drag would be horrible. I'm glad you found the video relatable. I hope you enjoy some cool trad if you visit :) Thanks for watching :)

[@timonix2]

@12:50 downclimbing is NOT bailing and both allowed and sometime absolutely necessary. There are routes where the only protection leads up a dead end. So you climb up the side route, place protection, downclimb and climb the proper way. In fact... You can downclimb all the way to the ground, rest, do it again with the all gear you placed previously and still onsight the route.

[@lastnamefirstname8655]

doing great, mike!

[@SkiSummer]

IMHO Dave is the greatest of all time, he's the GOAT.

[@brutalctg7654]

20:09 dont take your hand of the dead rope!

[@geoffswyka1143]

Hell yeah brotherrrr

[@daveatutube]

I haven't watched Dave's video yet so he may address this point. You identified that the first wire at the bulge should have been extended, but the second (blue) one seemed to only have a single crab. Chucking a quickdraw allows more wiggle in the system, which helps avoid the wire being lifted out. This is particularly important when you're on sketchy ground where the placements are a bit dodgy. I'm really enjoying your climbing journey Mike, and will happily take you to a crag or two if you're ever in Sydney, Australia.

[@benbockelman6125]

I love your chalk bag

[@mjb3190]

funny how when placing you want a short runner because youre thinking about the fall, then 20 feet later you feel the drag and wish you had extended it. hard thing to balance

[@gr.4380]

I just saw Dave Macleod in a video with Climbing Stuff, I guess he's going around

[@MarkHa5555]

Hi Mike, great video thanks. The route you led at Stanage was VS not V Diff

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

My bad! I'm not sure where I got VDiff from. Pete has since corrected me too!

[@jameseatscrackers8297]

Great Video! This the main channel now, or u still uploading to the other one?

[@iluvatar4244]

You could try to attemt a crack technical. Stay toprope but always kinda loose. And work yourself up with only nuts and friends. Takes its time but actually noticing how everything holds your weight. Really nice, helps many of my students.

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

thanks for the advice. What do you mean by a crack technical?

[@iluvatar4244]

@@MikeBoydClimbs you place nuts and friends and what ever trad gear you desire(we usually try to stay on nuts) and use them as only source to get up the wall. attach one at your hight to your harness with a sling. Then you arrange a higher placement attach a sling for your feet and maybe your hands. Pull yourself up on that, clip your harness to the new placement. Sit back in. Arrange the next placement. I'd show it to you myself. But Scotland is quite a distance from Germany. Probably Dave has knowledge about technical climbing as well.

[@iluvatar4244]

@@MikeBoydClimbs and feel free to give me a short "ok" if u get my gibberish

[@ip2862]

Aid climbing. Not so many people do it these days [until they go to Yosemite and want to climb El Cap!] but it used to be quite popular as a winter activity before modern climbing walls existed and all the old aid routes had been free-climbed. The point is that aid climbing, whereby you are hanging on the gear that you've placed all the time, very quickly gives you an appreciation of how good - or bad - each placement is; whereas you might otherwise only find out if you fall on it!

[@iluvatar4244]

@@ip2862 ah, aid climbing is the term i didnt get yesterday. good explaination.

[@theotaylor7038]

Hi Mike, great video what route was this?

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

Cuticle Crack - Polney Crag

[@marijngrashoff30]

Epic

[@acdbrnout5101]

Hey Mike, or anyone in the comments who knows. Where did you get your chalk bag? :D I neeeeeed one haha

[@acdbrnout5101]

Never mind I've found it! :D

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

glad you found it :) (I've actually since lost this chalk bag 😢

[@foshi2896]

I use the same La Sportiva shoes outdoors and I found the rubber to be super sticky on real rock its amazing, one thing I noticed though was that the heel of the shoe felt very large for the shape of the shoe in general, how do they feel for you? (I'm so jealous you climbed with Dave)

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

The heel is quite baggy. I use them as my relaxed shoes for chilled outdoor stuff. For heel hooks and ultra tiny edges, you’ll want something more precise. For easy Trad when you are learning, these are ideal.

[@mariesidman7905]

My sport grade is 7b my trad grade is somewhere in the 5s lol. Wheres the 7a send btw

[@MikeBoydClimbs]

Waiting for my project to dry!

[@dondrap513]

Does mick Ryan still own rockfax?

[@JamesLouwerse]

Rockfax is part of UKClimbing Limited which is an Employee Ownership Trust. Up to last year I (Alan James) owned it from its creation as a limited company in 2001.

[@avfc1985]

Will all your videos be about climbing from now on?

[@tomasito1184]

on this channel id assume yeah but this isn't the main channel

[@avfc1985]

@@tomasito1184 fair comment. I had not realised I was subscribed to two different channels

[@DiscoDyl]

Trad dad

[@Mike-oz4cv]

Have to learn some proper communication instead of shouting down “that’s me safe!”. Just pull in ~5m of *one* rope (preferably you also agree on a color before, I’d pick the orange one) and the belayer knows you are safely at the anchor. Once you’ve pulled up all the rope you only pull the orange rope taught once you’ve inserted it into the belay device and it’s safe to follow for your partner.

[@lightonia]

Aaaaaah, I just opened up KZbin wondering if you’d posted another video or not - and here we are 🥹

[@jmek8868]

Watching this was very relatable. You and I are at the same place in our trad journeys. I am working on getting more reps on 5.7 yds climbs (similar grade to severe I think). Dave's wisdom is so helpful and reassuring.