Climber Stuck In Crack Needs Rescuing - Wide Boyz Analyse

We take a look at the third year of cracks in Meiringen and discuss what went wrong...
We were pleased to see via social media that Gregor was ok and uninjured after the incident, and massive respect to Mickael Mawem for reacting quickly and helping him out!
This incident shows that as cracks become more and more popular at indoor gyms and in climbing competitions, it should be taken seriously how cracks are manufactured and set (just like all other holds and problems in climbing).
Thought, care and crack climbing knowledge needs to be applied to ensure climbers safety.
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[@WideBoyz]

We take a look at the third year of cracks in Meiringen and discuss what went wrong... We were pleased to see via social media that Gregor was ok and uninjured after the incident, and massive respect to Mickael Mawem for reacting quickly and helping him out! This incident shows that as cracks become more and more popular at indoor gyms and in climbing competitions, it should be taken seriously how cracks are manufactured and set (just like all other holds and problems in climbing). Thought, care and crack climbing knowledge needs to be applied to ensure climbers safety.

[@ryonmerrick3112]

Pete Whittaker, so committed to cracks he put one in a tooth. Absolute dedication. My hero.

[@EarWaxRudd]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqPThoaBep6jla8

[@andyman127]

omg, it was hard to watch... just kept looking and thinking, when did he lose a tooth?

[@nathanielrobertson8827]

@@andyman127 He did it in Utah he put a little clip on his Insta, serious dedication

[@BingoBangoB0NGO8]

Hahahha

[@lvl300mrmime]

"Do they know their smoke in the eyes, do they know their trout tickler, do they know the invert torpedo" said with a straight face is hilarious to me.

[@alexthompson3447]

Not sure there is anything straight about those two! 😉

[@Joslinmeister]

19:54

[@timothyjohnson224]

My local gym had just set up a boulder with a crack that tapered in before you posted this. A couple days after this vid went up they changed it. Thanks for dropping this info that keeps us all safer and helps us learn.

[@ianfien7372]

As a setter thanks for making this video guys, I appreciate you sharing the knowledge, and that you didn't tear the setters apart for the bone jam in the conp

[@CoffeeChessRepeat]

I love when you start listing crack techniques that you came up with, named, done thousands of times, and now speak as if they are completely common lexicon. Cracks me up.

[@lucabrito]

Pete's looking even more british now.

[@TEKRific]

Yeah, what happened? Did he knock out a front tooth?

[@WideBoyz]

I know...it's not ideal 😅

[@lucabrito]

@@WideBoyz I think you still look great ! 😉

[@TEKRific]

@@WideBoyz Well it adds a bit of character, nothing wrong with that. Keep pushing on. Onwards and upwards!

[@matthew6732]

@@lucabrito even with the odd socks haha

[@SEMIGingerNinja]

Now then, is anybody going to talk about Pete’s missing tooth? Maybe crack dynos were a step too far after all..

[@johng5185]

Yeah we wanna know where the tooth is Pete.

[@0Menion0]

Went from watching KZbin on the TV to my phone to check the comments if I was right that Pete lost a tooth. Thnx for the conformation. And Pete tell us the story!!

[@lamonszorro]

@@0Menion0 ahahah just did the exact same thing

[@giacomocasanova2893]

@@lamonszorro same hahahha

[@flowrida1138]

Just another head jam that wasn't exactly bomber. Typical head slip 🫠 causing the loss of a tooth?

[@clown5911]

Every video with you two in it has me rolling, you're both hilarious. Keep living on the limits of safety in the crack cellar guys

[@DreIsGoneFission]

You guys were on one in this video. I loved it, even if I am haunted by the visual of Adam and Jakob buttering each other up

[@M0dElite]

How do I get this image off of my head? Please help me 😂😂😂

[@DunderFilip]

What the hell am I watching and why did I finish the whole video

[@WideBoyz]

😂👍👍

[@xxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

This may be the most important Crack video in history. It will be referred to for years to come. So many times I've thought of the nightmare scenario of getting stuck in a crack. Thanks for addressing this issue! Also, why have I never heard of the stuck climber? I searched the intertubes and find no mention about it. Plus the Qual round doesn't seem to be online, only semi and final. Where is the video?

[@WideBoyz]

Ifsc have sold the streaming, so no streaming online now. The videos of Gregor in our video were from Instragram

[@tmurray1567]

Always brings me a sense of peace when I see these videos pop up. Officially starting the van life in a few days so I can finally devote my life to crack. Hopefully I don't get stuck.

[@WideBoyz]

Good luck an have fun with van living 😎

[@tmurray1567]

@@WideBoyz Thank you! Keep up the amazing content!

[@CodingWithUnity]

Precariously worded. Drugs are bad M'kay!

[@tmurray1567]

I mean, how do you think I constantly have the energy to climb?

[@CodingWithUnity]

@@tmurray1567 lolol

[@tobysegar]

“I haven’t got a clue what I’m doing” 😂😂

[@grey-yem]

Great video. Good to see the 'z' put back in Wide Boyz and the balance of serious advice and good craic was golden

[@samshornvibes]

"Jacob being lathered up in butter, by Adam Ondra. Oh, actually I'd pay to see that." Best quote of the video!

[@DesmondRayBeltrop]

My local gym accidentally set a problem that had an inescapable crack bouldering problem if you screwed it up. It was a V7 or 8 and the hand jam was technically unnecessary, but if you used it as a jam and slid downward, it acted as a perfect chock and it was literally impossible to unweight because of the footing and lack of nearby handholds. I've been climbing for like 32 years now, I actually thought I was going to break my wrist in it, had to have 2 people help. The gym did not mean to set it that way and they changed it after several other people who are comfortable with jamming got stuck as well, but it definitely happens. A bit surprising we saw it in an IFSC comp, but setters can't account for everything.

[@markuswrede8960]

Oh my god. This is so entertaining. I'd love to see more talk-format video content like this. The way you are both really smart and hilarious at the same time. Amazing.

[@ChocolatTherapy]

i was hoping on another crack-analysis of meiringen! thanks for being of service~ also, completely unrelated, but what happened to pete' s teeth? not to sound like a total creep (i swear im not) - it looks like something's stuck in them? or did a piece break off? did he lose one? :o

[@1stPadawan]

hope you get an answer i wanted to ask the same question. maybe bite in a crack?

[@WideBoyz]

Piece broke off. And have to wait and month for the dentist 😅

[@perzoorgasmatron4914]

Yeah, I was like, Pete fell of a crack and knocked his front teeth out 😂💪. Good luck with the dentist in UK tho, Ive heard there is a shortage of them these days.

[@dave_h_8742]

@@WideBoyz toothy grin 😁

[@ChocolatTherapy]

@@WideBoyz oh my god. tried too hard on a dyno face jam? 😂 good luck with the wait and at the dentist’s! 💛

[@meganwong9508]

I'm really glad you guys took the time to analyze this. I think it can be easy to just assume the style is scary or dangerous after what happened at the comp, but you realize that's not the case at all. I think it can be like with any climbing, where if not set well, it may lead to those potential incidents happening (eg. you think of how downward dynos are banned and there must be a reason for it :P). Either way, having your guys' insight is so invaluable! Thanks for the great vid as always and finally...bless you Pete for your chipped or missing tooth!

[@slapthesloper]

You guys should extract the legit setting guideline information from this into a shorter (and maybe more professional lol) video for setters to reference to help promote climbers’ safety

[@chaosengine4597]

I think setters should manage to "spare" 22:37 of their life to get some valuable setting info, all things considered.

[@trachtigetanne1197]

7:49 Loved the way how you went from "who is gonna wanna see that..." to "Actually I'd pay to see that" 😂😂 You clearly imagined what you just described and realized it's not that bad at all :D

[@ritnerritner1]

I got stuck once at a bouldering comp at my college; had a large mushroom hold on a steep overhang and got a heel-toe cam between the mushroom and the wall. The handholds were shite so was worried after the 3rd removal attempt that a fall would break my ankle so needed a rescue 3 feet off the ground.

[@paulmason5977]

Dang, sounds nasty, glad you survived 😱😂👏

[@kurtzepausekurtzepause1695]

what happend to your tooth?

[@andrewseburn]

Scooby-Do "Ruh Roh"...wondering the same thing.

[@StickyPaw]

Cracked tooth most likely🤙🏽

[@knotten33]

Crack hits hard.

[@WideBoyz]

Trying really hard on a route in the states, and the already fake bit snapped off 😅

[@benw1620]

Pete set up an offwidth crack climb in his mouth.

[@travislayes6024]

Thankyou Wideboyz for another great informational video. Great information everyone needs to know, if they are going to attempt crack climbing.

[@Olli999Olli999]

OmG Guys!! Finally you are posting something about meiringens Crack attack. I was in the cround and honestly the first thing I though was, I cant wait for the wide boys analysis of this overload

[@CuriousGeorge1603]

Great video! Very solid advice and so much fun to watch. You should really try and get in touch with some routesetters. I think they could want to hear your wisdom and maybe it would make for a good video. I didn't have the chance to see Meiringen yet, but i love that they made another crack problem. Sad that the publicity wasn't all good.

[@2funk2bpunk]

The transitive property of hold touching in comps. Now that's a new one!

[@TheRedWon]

You guys are always a riot, great video.

[@TheManCave563]

I was climbing a wideboyz crack on an indoor boulder. I'm terrible at jamming so lost my grip. I had my right foot jammed in lower in the crack. In the split second i fell off I forgot which way I was twisting my foot and ended up jamming it in more instead of releasing it. I honestly thought I was going to flip upside down and be hanging by my ankle after snapping it in the fall....absolutely the worst scenario

[@bencoward2748]

I really hope the traumatic events of Meiringen havn't had a knock on effect on the gnarlyness of the crackfest routes haha. so excited for this weekend :)

[@KD_cycling]

Speaking of oiling up climbers. There's a squeeze crack boulder at Arapiles called Squeeze Test. A hapless slightly chunky kid on a school trip got stuck in the boulder. After a couple of hours of trying to free him a solution was found. They poured olive oil all over him and pulled him out by the ankles. A proven technique!

[@millacabral9475]

Damn, I feel very bad for that kid if this is a true story

[@stevewillson9218]

I've heard of that happening to a few people in The Squeeze test

[@KD_cycling]

@@stevewillson9218 I can believe it. Better there than Mr Chicken though. That's the stuff of nightmares 😱😵

[@dartleg13]

Proper good laugh this episode. Thank you Bois!

[@chriscroteau4793]

Pete: “We are serious.” Also Pete a few minutes earlier: Wonder what this would feel like rubbing on my forehead?

[@michaelpook6651]

That was the best hold advertisement I've ever seen! Pete that was ridiculous but I do really want a nice Soft Grip Pro Crack now

[@hidden_sense9839]

Really interesting video! And very important! Thinking of hardiseasy's channel (with the belay masterclass), a crack setting masterclass would be awesome. Even as paid videos, there might be setters interested. On another note: You talking about dangerous crack setting made me think: But those things exist out in the wild, right? So what should every outdoor crack climber know to avoid bone locks? Or is it a non issue outdoors? (Not expecting a full answer, but if it is an issue, maybe that would be a good episode...)

[@ravivandersalm4586]

don't fall lol

[@MrDdog678]

I'd love to see a roof crack to lip transition to the upper part of the wall, especially if they ease them in somehow with crack climbing styles from qualies, through to semis, and then reveal it in the finals. It would be a massive bracket breaker, but it would definitely get more pros to train it. Plus it'd just be exiting! Edit: Made it to the end of the video, what if finals was just one boulder roof crack traverse across the wall LMAO

[@Vitakraft911]

What a banger! Had a good laugh.

[@ztormentedz]

I would love my gym to set with some of the wide boyz cracks, would be nice to have something more comfortable now and then.

[@Rippaaja]

Maeby him being stuck is start of the Czech style coming in to comps?

[@Therealadriaanvisser]

Listen to you guys speaking about cray and lob variations is like listening to professional wine tasters but then much more enjoyable. You should write a comic book using this style and some kind of superhero and crackclimbing hybrid. I would definitely buy it.

[@vancestanfield]

The gym I go to has a V6 cave crack up, I love doing all the variations I can on it (feet first, campusing, etc..). I really want to have some fist jams, but idk if they'll be able to set any. Anyhow, crack climbing is really fun. I used to hate it because I was just trash at it but I finally took the time to learn the technique and I swear it's addicting!

[@pkWreck]

Nice to see the boys advocating for Safe Sets.

[@Zorbas75]

You should get the oscar for this video. I wouldn't know for which category though. Would you consider to recreate the exactly same routes of Meiringen and then make the optimization and show how it should be?

[@andrewgilbertson5356]

Brill, thank you.

[@Phoenixhunter157]

I recently started crack climbing because of you guys. Totally your fault. My wrist got stuck on a route in the gym. I honestly thought someone was gonna have to climb the route next to me to help me out. It was just a few moments but it felt like forever. 😂😂😂😂I managed to force my hand out. Wasn’t easy. Totally worth it

[@chaosengine4597]

Or gym just got the first set with the soft grip couple of weeks ago. I did watch too many WideBoyz videos, as I could figure out the 7b they set pretty fast. I have a vid on it but dont want to pull people to my non-existing channel. Just wanted to say that I love those holds and want to see more of them in the Gyms.

[@jackalexander102]

Good effort

[@syindrome]

These are straight up Nostradamus level predictions

[@jurrrus]

Second I've seen Gregor stuck my brain went: "Oooow, I can't wait for Wide Boyz video about that" :D

[@GlizzyMonger]

y'all are a couple of 13yr old boys and it's hilarious, i love it

[@Govanification]

While it's a huge safety concern with setting constricting features in a gym, sometimes outside I seek out "bone-locking" constrictions on crack climbs to make a jam more secure, or even as a rest since the hand muscles can be somewhat relaxed. Could still be bad if you slip outside but often there are some features you could use to get your feet back on the wall so probably wouldn't need a rescue.

[@CambuGus]

Superb lads

[@garywheaton7112]

My bouldering gym in Bellingham Wa sets the few crack routes they set with the volumes from the gym. Basically sand paper. Even a few laps of perfect hands will take considerable skin off.

[@garretthorner]

I want these guys to name every new climbing move

[@nopro_films]

have you ever been able to jam in the Cracker Machine? (the modular system used in Meiringen this year)

[@danieljensen2626]

I am curious if any of them follow your stuff at all. Maybe publish some kind of guide for crack route setting?

[@Jkbb6]

Awesome analysis with humor! You should be invited to set a boulder for the ifsc:D

[@galaxy_brain]

"a little inverted book opening" 😂😂😂

[@123tobiiboii123]

I want to see Toby from Storror doing some of those dyno jams

[@dr2165]

my new favorite Tom Quote "Jakob being lathered up with butter by Ondra.....actualy I would pay to see that"

[@robertreid2241]

One thing you guys didn't touch on but I think is really crucial is that the inside of that dyno fist jam was no texture. I reckon if that had been textured we would have seen at least 1 top using the fist jam

[@Zraknul]

Would sandpaper smooth up the rough volumes? They might not, for some reason, have Wide Boyz volumes, but there should be a hardware store nearby.

[@JesusGotFunk]

im a fairly novice climber so perhaps dont know how to keep myself safe crack climbing, but at my gym there was a climb i tried where i ended up with my forearm stuck in a crack. i knew i was stuck and if my feet slipped, i would have been dangling. i had to ask a friend to support my weight from underneath so i could lift my arm out.

[@basti1597]

That's some deep nerd talk over here. Love it

[@atariks1475]

A question about your crack volumes. Are they pressure washer and chalk solvent resistent?

[@isabelnecessary5915]

I noticed you guys hadn’t said it in the video so I thought I’d just bring it up in the comments for additional context, I think I remember the commentators saying that the dyno jam was actually completely smooth on the inside. Perhaps if it wasn’t for that they would’ve been closer to the correct level, consider a few of the competitors did look to be getting close, at least had the right motion, but just slipped straight out of it.

[@mr.apartment]

any chance you’ll ever make a video / book of all your extended techniques? i’d but it…already bought pete’s haha

[@yuvaldahan642]

How can you avoid bone locks In outdoor climbing?

[@ThePastor44]

Amazing

[@lucky-leif]

Brilliant socks Tom :)

[@thelonelyphish]

I bone-locked on a small outdoor finger crack when my feet slipped off of the holds, thank god I could regain my feet and finish the climb but it felt like I was going to dislocate my finger if I spent another half second with all my body weight on that one finger

[@jaredasa626]

Tom's socks are class

[@aidanloeser4890]

a war of paddles

[@dondrap513]

I once got my foot badly stuck in a crack while on toprope. To get out, someone had to slide a cam down the rope so I could put it in above me to take weight off. If I'd been cleaning the route as a second, that wouldn't have been an option; the pieces above me would have prevented doing that. I'd still be there. A numpty skeleton hanging from a sandstone splitter.

[@Ejejej649]

What’s happened to the tooth ! Or am I just seeing cracks everywhere now

[@naver789youtube6]

Has somebody a full Clip of gregor getting Stuck?

[@igon388]

Gotcha, jamming is like placing cams, and bone locking is like setting nuts

[@ravivandersalm4586]

crack climbing gives me claustrophobia

[@TristanCleveland]

This was excellent. Just could have used a glossary!

[@minihjalte]

Will you be making any videoes for crackfest, the boulders look very interesting. The crack cave in particular i wish i had the chance to climb.

[@WideBoyz]

Yes we will. Three videos probably

[@minihjalte]

@@WideBoyz I am already shaking from anticipation.🤩

[@kar0x]

maybe you should try to sponsor a few jam volumes to some of the comp venues

[@djayers]

What about on crags? Bad angles must happen a lot in nature. Have either of you got properly stuck..?

[@LuxeEnnui]

Now you guys can be blamed for making both crazy crack moves and safe crack moves popular!

[@ghetto_penquin8324]

I wish I could climb like everyone. I live in Michigan, USA. It’s all trees btw. The only place to climb is a gym a hour and a half away. Without building an entire wall. What are ways to climb?

[@cconer512]

Would love to hear the story of the chip in James Pearson’s spine in the cellar!😂

[@dave_h_8742]

Yup ditto, did he land on a broken bit a screw or that circular saw thingy ?

[@cconer512]

“Stories from the cellar” - new book release?

[@augustinmoinat761]

12:45 I'm frightened by so much genius

[@benoitbergeron8858]

I Really don't upvote videos often, but this one has to get some traction to spread the awarness.

[@ArmanGole]

If I was stuck in your… hold on we need to monetize this video

[@1981stonemonkey]

21:21 Blooming telling you how to say "Meiringen": "MIGH-ring-en". First syllable is stressed, not the second. "Migh" as in might (shorter than as in "my"), "ring" as in ring (but with a sharp Scottish r), "en" like halfway between "en" as in end and "un" as in under (but not in a northern england kind of way). No hard g as in get! Good luck from a Dutchman who lived in Germany for 11 years and did loads of holidays in Switzerland.

[@joakimbergstrom4347]

First: You guys ❤ Second: Emil Abrahamsson collabed a video with a routesetter in france. Pretty sure he sets for the world cup. Worth reaching out? Thanks for a brilliant video. Made my morning. 🙏

[@cev083]

These zoom-ins made me realize how huge Pete's hands are..

[@halenball-vant1772]

James pearson chipped spine? Please explain

[@zh3178]

the tooth wasnt like that in the last video..... lol?

[@AllegraClimbingPsychologist]

I am sooo looking forward to the S. Valentine episode

[@rockclimbinghacks9222]

Holy shit, I'm never climbing cracks again

[@dadbod4038]

ok am i overly baked, Toms socks are looking at me and Pete looks like he's chipped a tooth.

[@WideBoyz]

I have 😬

[@ZaiLafone]

Alright guys, I haven’t seen any other comments about the pronunciation, and since pete was expecting it, I wouldn’t want you to be disappointed. The best way I can explain it without using the phonetic alphabet is : “My - ring - en.” Hope that helps😄

[@spudsrus]

Appreciate the setting advice on cracks. Wish we could afford those sexy wide boys volumes.

[@stuartday3232]

Tom, you need to elaborate on the James Pearson comment....sounds intriguing 🤔