What's Harder? Climbing E1 or 7a? Climbing both on the Orme! (Precious Metal & Julio Juvenito)

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[@eccehomer8182]

Nicely filmed and pertinent observations. My climbing partner climbs 7a/7a+ and I struggle on 6b/6b+. Yet when we're trad climbing I'm doing E1/2 and he's bailing on similar or even lower grades... often down climbing or sagging on gear. He just doesn't trust his gear and messes around with it for far too long trying to get absolute bombers every time. The thing is most of the time his gear is great, but with trad it's often more about where your head is at rather than where your arms are... and I suppose vice versa for sports climbing. I guess my problem is that I approach sports climbing with a trad mentality, where falling is the absolute last option... or rather non-option... I spend far too long trying to suss out the moves to make sure I won't fall.

[@Robertvwoods]

I like your honesty JB - "click bait rubbish but you've got to play the game" ha ha

[@gavin8615]

I am pushing for 7A/E1 at the moment so this was a well timed vidro. I feel very comfortable on HVS and I've a good few under my belt now. I've only 2 or 3 6Cs tho and I've not felt good on any of them! A climbing friend of Mine climbs high 7s but I've seen him bail of Severe. It's all about experience and very individual. I love the tactics of trad. Everything feels methodical. I know I'm not physically the strongest so thinking my way up a route suits me better than pulling!

[@JBMountainSkills]

Good luck with the E1 and 7a goal 💪

[@Mitzbergatc]

You can't really compare them in terms of technical difficulty. For that, a 7a would be closer to E4-E5. In terms of effort/involvement, tho, I'd say 7a is more comparable to E2, but then again this changes for each individual.

[@bcdragon447]

Hey Jez, you weren't clear about the style of the ascents that you're comparing - on-sight or redpoint? Speaking as someone who learned to climb in the UK in the 80s/90s, it was on-sight trad all the way, which influenced the style of my sport climbing. On-sighting 7a is lightyears away from on-sighting E1...

[@JBMountainSkills]

It was just to provoke discussion really. As I say in the video of course the physical climbing is very different, but climbing is so much more than that.

[@2002mitchell]

Another great video, thanks! Love the music, what artist is it?

[@danglingdads-climbingupthe49]

Well that E1 is going on the list for spring next year, looks nice

[@JBMountainSkills]

I enjoyed it, well worth getting on!

[@davecraven8379]

Hey Jez interesting one ! I’ve led many e1 and above but only managed a couple 7a outdoor although after the climbing course with you earlier in the year and some training feeling like 7a outdoors is just as doable 😃

[@JBMountainSkills]

Be smashing loads of 7a's soon no doubt!

[@Robertvwoods]

I recently unsighted my first E1. Nowhere near 7A but I'm trying to work towards it. But I have mainly focused on trad in my climbing over the last few years so its not surprising I guess. I wouldn't be comfortable on sighting either at the moment so I've got a way to go.

[@JBMountainSkills]

Good luck with the 7a goal!

[@AndrewBenham]

Ive done a few e1s and only one 7a but that's more down to living in Cornwall! I think e1 has always seemed like a big jump from vs/hvs, something about that "extreme" moniker, I wonder if the jump between 5.9 and 5.10feels the same! But I'm definitely in the camp of leading trad a long, long way inside my physical limit. Even after 20 years I don't truly trust my gear, something I'm currently working hard to address having come back to climbing after a fairly long break

[@JBMountainSkills]

Ah yeah, not many 7a's down your way!!

[@bryanshedden5433]

Hi Jez, great video as always, keep up the good work. I think you have touched on this before so forgive me, helmet on the E1 wooly hat on the 7A both on the same crag? Just interested to your thought process? Thanks

[@JBMountainSkills]

Good question, the answer in this instance was quite simple... I had intended to wear my helmet on the sport route too, but forgot.

[@bryanshedden5433]

@@JBMountainSkills 😂 not just me then

[@andystairmand9023]

Really interesting this one. As a bit of a newbie to trad, E1 seems like such a far flung goal for me at present but also seems to signify an upturn from the HVD, VS, HVS Plateau, where as 7a sport (indoors at least) seems like, with an adventurous spirit, a much more achievable goal in the short term. So is it more a question of head game, experience and confidence for trad progression over a comparable sport route progression?

[@JBMountainSkills]

I definitely think Trad rewards playing the long game, gaining loads of experience etc. Sport is much less risky to push your grade on, plus it will also help your trad climbing :)

[@chakchalks]

E1 is more achievable for most climbers. It's difficult to compare trad and sport at lower grades as easy trad demands knowledge and experience, not physicality. On the other hand, E7/ E8 is CONSIDERABLY harder than 8a, in my experience. Both will require experience, tactics, knowledge and physical demands. Interested to hear what you have to say about pushing you limit on trad vs sport.

[@JBMountainSkills]

I'll try and do a video on it one day but for sure I'd agree! I've climbed up to 8a+ but don't expect I'll ever do E8, although I am going to find a hard head point project next year.

[@chakchalks]

@@JBMountainSkills "hard head point project' sounds like exciting content!! keep up the good work :D

[@brandonridleymusic]

7a was definitely easier for me to achieve, although I’ve only managed to tick a couple so far, and not even attempted an E1 yet! But the head space of going up a grade in trad is so much more daunting. After doing a learn to lead course with you recently I’ve got out and ticked a few HS and VS routes, but the found moving up the grade more mentally challenging than bumping up a sport grade! Maybe as you said in the video its more accessible to get into sport and I’ve had more time to work on my sport climbing, and that is purely down to how much more it costs to start trad climbing! Looking forward to getting out more and working through the new challenges of trad though! And hopefully tick a few more 7a’s before the winter really kicks in

[@JBMountainSkills]

For me one big head game boost is that if you can climb 7a, you will NOT find the moves hard on E1 :)

[@andrewdineen2387]

Gates in! I nearly got sick, I thought you were one of the cool kids. 😜

[@JBMountainSkills]

Gates out?!?! 🤢🤢🤢😂

[@jeremyballard7461]

Really interesting Jez. I suppose there is no real answer to that question. Did you choose the helmet on the E1 for the filming or as I think you have commented on this before you go for helmets on trad rather than sport. I suppose this is one answer to the original question. End of the day climbers need to appreciate the differences and consequences of what they do on the different type of routes. Your point of accessibility is so important and the differences are key. Perhaps this is the message you are trying to get over? A good film to stimulate chat and thinking. Cheers Jez

[@JBMountainSkills]

My default is a helmet on trad, but not on sport. On that day though I did intend to wear my helmet on the sport route too as I had it with me, but I just forgot!

[@robstone8782]

7a by far for me, especially as i've never done one (6c i think is top) but plenty of E1s and a few E2s

[@gregflynn1029]

I thought the e2 there felt lots less secure than precious metal, but they're same tech grade. Any thoughts why e grades can jump apart from higher number of hard moves? Style/worse feet? Less good gear/more spaced? Just subjective?

[@aviduke]

the consequence of the fall also impacts on this.

[@JBMountainSkills]

I expect in this instance its a mix of a touch more sustained and fractionally less gear, not that much in it though :)

[@stanleygardiner1780]

I’m fortunate enough to live in the Lake District, endless amount of trad to go at. But to be honest I prefer sport, mainly down to worrying about gear placement. Great vid thou 👍

[@JBMountainSkills]

I love it all, but currently love sport a little more!

[@virgill6881]

shouldnt your first piece of gear be multidirectional?

[@JBMountainSkills]

For sure it’s nice if it can be, but in this case it couldn’t be. To be honest with a good belayer who positions themself well it’s not something I get particularly stressed about.

[@virgill6881]

@@JBMountainSkills thanks for your answer!. I was always stressed about this but it's a good idea that the belayer positions itself right below the climber so the gear is not pulled outwards.

[@JBMountainSkills]

@@virgill6881 no worries!

[@grahammeigh]

Knowledge vs ability? With experience and a little ability E1 achievable. 7a requires technical ability.

[@tgeo2880]

like for the clickbait (acknowledgement!)