Friday, 20 June 2008

A Doylesque Sermon

Climbing hold manufacturers (because of course, they will all read this), step up to this challenge. Climbing holds wear at a different rate to rocks. When you make your holds you have to make them more grippy than the rock would ever be, which you do because you know that the hold will wear into good condition, and in time, back out the other side again - and at this time your business model is that the hold should be replaced - repurchased from you, presuming you didnt go out of business in the meantime. Climbing holds are so over grippy when they are brand new, the hold doesn't allow for natural slippage, it mechanically sticks into the skin and prevents movement. The human attached to the skin still moves around the hold leading to extreme soreness of the paws, delamination of the skin surface - referred to in the trade as 'plastic rash'.

So, climbing hold manufacturers, dont make your holds so grippy. They hurt and lead to enforced resting through skin soreness. You've spent time and effort getting the shapes nice and comfy - and you're doing well, but stop making them so grippy. See here, evidence of an over grippy hold (on a circuit at the works).

My challenge then is for you to make holds with a material that is neither too grippy, too slippy, lasts well and is inexpensive. What are you waiting for? get to WORK!

Weekend plans? She's out most of tomorrow, so unusually, I have more time. I will get on the text and hopefully get on it!

1 comment:

Slap Holds! said...

As you know dobs our holds are a light textured, ergonmically designed and are so strong that they bounce when dropped........

plug over ;)