Dangerous Routes with Outrageous History

[@ukclimbingofficial]

We're still traumatised from the Bransby footage...

[@glyndavies8195]

SO good to see my buddy Mark Edward's mega routes getting some well deserved attention. Nice one Tom !

[@ukclimbingofficial]

I'm not sure this sounds like his finest, although there's a distinct chance it was a lot less loose when he made the first ascent. In its current state it sounds pretty horrendous!!

[@paulrhodesquinn]

Ben is an absolute monster! Wonderful footage and a stunning send!

[@debeer77]

Great, these videos! Keep 'm coming

[@harrypickin1845]

Met Tom in a cc hut in cornwall once. He went out and soloed half of bosigran in the dark when he was 16 so not surprised to see him on this sort of level atm

[@ukclimbingofficial]

He’s definitely got a natural talent for it, but it’s been honed through repeated application. Helps that he loves it!!

[@richardcarey169]

Awesome Stanage grit, one of my first climbing experiences

[@ukclimbingofficial]

It's Burbage South, not Stanage, but either way - they're both awesome 🙏

[@richardcarey169]

@@ukclimbingofficial oops me wrong lol, still yorkshire grit is awesome, I am in australia and my climbing days are done, to many injuries at 70, many falls, motorcycles, army service etc etc but my spirit will always be 8 meters above my last protection on a huge wall in Bungonia or The Warrumbungles

[@lindseymckirdy1830]

John is a great guy and his achievements are incredible

[@charliebakes2]

Even as a non climber I would love to see more of the South West Deep Water soloing. You might need to explain the E-numbers to me, sounds like you're talking about a packet of skittles

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Charlie, there’s nothing I’d like to do more than a DWS film in Devon. Nick, our cameraman, slightly less so 🤣

[@chondromarecords]

that footswap and subtle rope flick is confirmation of Bens godlike status

[@ukclimbingofficial]

It’s utterly astounding isn’t it?! Harrowing to watch, let alone live through 😱

[@carolinedegroot5604]

Really enjoy the channel!! Would be great to see more coverage of the history of women's climbing too, and hope there will be some upcoming vids on these topics!

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Definitely! Thanks for the feedback, Caroline!

[@iljate5238]

Hey, im currently looking for a second pair of shoes. My dragos just broke so now I only have my instict vs, which I love but I miss having a softer though aggressive shoe too. I'm currently trying to decide whether I'll choose the evolv phantom or the five ten hiangle pro. Any tips?

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Is there any reason why you’re not getting another pair of Drago, as that would have been my first suggestion - especially if you know they fit. My experiences of the Hiangle Pro were pretty poor, so they’re certainly not a shoe I would recommend. Here’s a link to the review: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaKnfaijibmUZ68. I haven’t used the Phantom, so can’t comment on those. The Black Diamond Method S, which I reviewed quite recently, is well worth a look. Here’s a link to the review: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3mok35umc-Cla8 At the end of the day, go with whatever feels best on your foot!

[@TrackpadProductions]

How can a DWS get an E10? Was the water too shallow for a safe solo when he lead it?

[@ukclimbingofficial]

I think we explained this in the video, but it was given 8b for DWS and E10 for trad - it’s been done both ways

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Actually, come think of it, we didn’t go into great detail about how/why it justified E10. A a large part of it comes down to the physical difficulty and the other down to the gear (and the fact that if you fell, you’d end up in the sea, which wouldn’t be ideal - or safe)!! All in all it feels a lot more logical to DWS it, but that’s coming from the perspective of someone who’ll never, ever so it. I guess the appeal of doing it as a trad route is that you don’t get wet…unless you fall…

[@TrackpadProductions]

@@ukclimbingofficial I just always figured that the risk of decking is, like, 75% of the severity grade. But if a ground fall just results in getting wet, I don't understand how it's dangerous enough to get an E10? I don't do trad, just sport and DWS, so I'm a little confused about how it works...

[@ukclimbingofficial]

If it’s any consolation: it’s confusing to people who do a lot of trad too. The upper end of the British grading system isn’t entirely logical!!

[@lizarddronedude3617]

It was encouragement from the dog that did it for Ben

[@alexanderbonnet3494]

I think it depends on the English Diners That they do Not prefer a Long Life

[@2rfg949]

holy fricksticks

[@thomasbahr2806]

Not sure if this is stupidity of the English (the garding system honoring risk?), but drill a few holes and glue a stainless or titanium bolt in there and its fantastic and still difficult climbing for the next 100 years. I don't think that the risk of getting killed makes such climbs more attractive. In Central Europe these would have been glue bolted probably 20 years ago already.

[@pauljepson1249]

Different people climb for different reasons. If you want bolted sport climbing, there is plenty. What you are suggesting would ruin the routes for those who wanted a traditional adventure, putting themselves to the challenge that the rock offers, rather than bringing the rock down to their level. Slightly entitled to think that what you want is more important than what others want.

[@ukclimbingofficial]

I think you’ve fundamentally misunderstood the grading system if you think it honours risk, because that’s not what it does at all - it ultimately seems to provide a balance between how safe/unsafe a route is vs how sustained and/or cruxy it is. I can’t think of a single other system that succeeds in doing that. The American system tries with R and X, but it doesn’t provide anywhere near as much insight, although this does require an understanding of the system to ascertain. As for the rest, Paul - who’s posted above - has hit the nail on the head. If everything was the same, climbing would be boring. In the UK we’ve got heaps of classic trad, some safe, some bold, then we’ve got a load of classic sport too. Better we have both than homogenise everything into one.

[@thomasbahr2806]

@@ukclimbingofficial What is the difference between an unsafe route being graded higher and honouring risk? I can see that for some people it is attractive to climb stuff which is dangerous, makes you also popular on KZbin. I will definitely not be able to climb up that rock independent of Safety being installed or not. But I personally don't like the glorification of climbs with the serious risk of being killed in a grading system. That just leads to more unnecessary deaths or very serious injuries.

[@ukclimbingofficial]

I don't think what you're describing is particularly new, as there's been bold climbs for over a century. In terms of unnecessary deaths or very serious injuries, a quick glance at what routes people get rescued off will reveal where the issues lie, and it is - perhaps ironically - not the most bold or dangerous routes.

[@middle-agedclimber]

One of the dumbest climbing related comments I've ever read. Congratulations.

[@reubenmace6644]

Great content rob, trads back!

[@ukclimbingofficial]

In/amongst the recent run of bad weather it’s come back against the odds hasn’t it?!