Experiment: gloves do not make climbing low 5s harder

[Simkin]

Climbed a 5.5 in mechanic's frosted grip gloves. Feels fine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iaias3ZWbKI

[ExcitableBoy]

Before dry tooling was a thing, on winter mixed climbing routes we would drop our tools (let them dangle by their leashes) and rock climb in our gloves. This was typically on routes that were graded 5.7 or so in the summer. Occasionally, we might slot a tool pick if a crack looked especially good. I think it was Ward Robinson who was known for taking his gloves off during winter climbs in the Canadian Rockies so his bare hands would freeze to the rock for better grip. You don't get a nickname like The Suffer Machine for nothing.

[Woodie Hopper]

Alain Mesili comes to mind...

[Simkin]

we would drop our tools ... and rock climb in our gloves. This was typically on routes that were graded 5.7 or so in the summer.

So what do you think is the source of anti-glove bigotry?

https://www.reddit.com/r/adrenaline/com ... e_minaret/

[Dave B]

Climbing technical rock in gloves is objectively harder. There is no debate about this. Try another experiment; tie your shoes with and without gloves. Which is easier?

Scrambling in gloves is probably no different than scrambling without them, however. Lots of people scramble with gloves, to keep their hands soft and to prevent upsetting their manicurist.

Here, watch Josh Warton put up and FA, in the butt-f***ing cold, bare-handed. He's not climbing bare-handed because it's more comfy.

[Simkin]

Climbing technical rock in gloves is objectively harder. There is no debate about this. Try another experiment; tie your shoes with and without gloves. Which is easier?

Scrambling in gloves is probably no different than scrambling without them, however. Lots of people scramble with gloves, to keep their hands soft and to prevent upsetting their manicurist.

I posted a video which shows that climbing a 5.5 in gloves is easy.

Here, watch Josh Warton put up and FA, in the butt-f***ing cold, bare-handed. He's not climbing bare-handed because it's more comfy.

It would be easier to climb that route in gloves.

[ExcitableBoy]

So what do you think is the source of anti-glove bigotry?

https://www.reddit.com/r/adrenaline/com ... e_minaret/

Probably the same as the anti gaiter crowd. 'It's not cool'.

[Simkin]

Probably the same as the anti gaiter crowd. 'It's not cool'.

Whats cool in hurting your fingers? More likely herd mentality.

It seems to me that cool is climbing without a rope. However, climbing community hates it

https://www.reddit.com/r/Climbingvids/c ... olo_in_jt/

[Simkin]

Free solo climbing of the North Palisade chimney (5.4) in gloves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NASwdKPOz-M

[ExcitableBoy]

Probably the same as the anti gaiter crowd. 'It's not cool'.

Whats cool in hurting your fingers?

What's cool in allowing snow to fill your boots? Oh, yeah, your feet.

[rgg]

Unless I forget to pack them, I always wear fingerless gloves for any rock climb that's not close to my limit. Only when I try something hard, for which I need chalk, do I take them off. Having gloves doesn't make climbing easier or harder, it's to protect my hands against sharp rock. It also makes belaying safer because I have a stronger grip on the rope. And I never get rope burn, be it while rappelling or when lowering my climbing partner rather fast. As for being cool? Who cares if anyone else considers it cool or not; they are not just anyone's hands, they are mine!

When I first started climbing with gloves, I used fingerless leather gloves that were meant for handling weights. They suffered a lot. Later I switched to Via Ferrata gloves, which last a bit longer. I still haven't found a pair that's really durable, but these, by Salewa, served me two years before they started getting holes from all the abuse that I put them through:

[MoapaPk]

For higher than 5.4, where you need to put fingers in small spaces, cracks, etc., gloves are a PITA. But I've been surprised to find specific times when gloves really helped.

About 3.5 years ago, I was leading a "hike" over volcanic spires that had 5.4 max. Most of my finger use was in squeezing hard on the crumbly volcanic rock. The day scheduled for the trip projected 25F in 30mph wind. I bought some cheap insulated (but fairly tight) mechanic's gloves, and also bought a 5-10 kit for reconditioning climbing shoes. The kit consisted of barge cement and ground-up sticky rubber. I put a sticky rubber coating on each finger tip, and the climb was a breeze.

Out here we have a lot of low 5 - class 4 climbs that involve pulling oneself over slick sandstone or limestone boulders. I've found that gardener's gloves, with fabric backs and textured rubber palms, are very good for grabbing the boulders; it's like having sticky rubber on your hands. These gloves are cold when it's cold, and hot when it's hot, but I generally wear them for just a few minutes. The gloves cost 1-3$ per pair.

[Simkin]

What's cool in allowing snow to fill your boots? Oh, yeah, your feet.

Yes, but can you give a concrete example of anti-gaiter bigotry. Comparable with the vicious hatred for gloves.

[Yank-Tank]

It depends on where you are, what you are doing and what kind of rock you are climbing. I have tried climbing 4th class in all all kinds of gloves here in New Zealand and have never been so scared. The Graywacky rock is not only slippery but loose as well.