Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Another poll on Arapiles bouldering 4-Apr-2008 At 5:27:08 PM duglash

Message

There is a nice tradition at arapiles (and maybe in bouldering generally - I don't know when bouldering
grading came into play in different areas) of not having graded problems. When I first went there (and not
being much of a boulderer) problems were either Just Doable, Almost Just Doable, or Impossible. It was nice
looking at the rock and not having a number system superimposed upon it, just the thing itself. Up to you to
decide if you thought it was beyond you or not, and safe or not.

That said it doesn't bother me if you grade them. I find bouldering grades even more stretchy than climbing
grades, when I went to Hueco I fell off V1 and flashed V7, so a grading system seemed faintly rediculous. The
thing I do find rediculous about bouldering grades is that John Sherman pirated the Ewbank grading system
and stuck a V in front of it. I think it's an opportunity to kick a bit of cultural imperialism.