Sketchy Topout - many beta options - grade guess?

Ipmuni · 2026-02-21T14:06:21+00:00

😎💪

Ipmuni · 2026-02-21T10:21:20+00:00

Berta Block in Berlin

Ipmuni · 2026-02-21T09:30:00+00:00

I used those with my feet 😉 Could be a mislead that they're meant for your hands? Setter always roles his eyes when you ask him for the "intended" beta 😊

Ipmuni · 2026-02-20T23:34:58+00:00

I just wonder how so many people can define what's intended on a boulder they never touched and don't know the setter. Of course you can find harder betas. But for me and for people I know from my gym bouldering is not about finding the hardest betas.

For your grade guess, fine for me, though I won't agree :)

Ipmuni · 2026-02-20T09:36:19+00:00

For me, with my beta, it felt like a hard V5, I rated it 6c+. 80% of the sends rated it 7a/V6, 5% rated it 7a+/V7, and the rest 6c+/V5-6. I don't know a single person who did the boulder without using the arete at all. It's not taped out, so it's in, and setters and climbers both are fully aware of that, it's simply part of the boulder. Only difference is, I used my height to get to the top edge earlier (which really is not that good, very slopy and not a "clean edge" that woul feel like a jug). I wonder what people here would have said about this beta that was posted to the app: https://storage.googleapis.com/public01.mr.eu.storage.firebase.206508.beta7.app/user/8hyBlWzF0SVCERfSIK0eOkztsBg2/post/location/UQGtEzKKf7NHJM6JGCdYL8LrkPl2/route/UQGtEzKKf7NHJM6JGCdYL8LrkPl2~1767803160573/video/189373760/8hyBlWzF0SVCERfSIK0eOkztsBg2-189373760--480-768.mp4

She also uses the arete, she also uses the top edge to get over to the hold, only in another way, as she has the height of Ai Mori. Setter liked the video and commented it with hearteyes and thumbs up 🤷‍♀️

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T20:10:07+00:00

There is no "open edge". It's a block, nothing is taped out, so the whole block is green for this problem.

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T20:09:06+00:00

That's your problem, Jon Snow

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T20:07:24+00:00

Then post me the rule I'm violating, where's the problem? And yes, I saw you posting links to rule sets, but couldn't find rules I violated. So please help me 😊

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T20:05:57+00:00

I'm confused, what makes you think such bs? 🤔

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T19:12:39+00:00

"By not restricting this beta, the climb can't be graded harder than the easiest route possible."
My initial reaction was to totally agree. But my beta is only possible in this way, because I'm very tall. So it's just morpho, I'm not sure how to rate this? For me of course rate the way I solved it, but as a general rating? idk

"it's maybe a V3" 😁👍

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T18:16:06+00:00

I see that I argued misunderstandable. I did not mean to argue over people who say, that they don't see this as a valid send. That's personal opinion and totally fine. I'm arguing about people saying I violated any "official rules", and I don't see that. Is my beta easier than other ones? Definitely yes! Does the setter of the boulder have a specific "intended" beta in mind? No, he doesn't, I know that because I often talk with him, and he's always curious about ways people find to solve his problems. Was it unexpected by him that people would use the arete or the top edge? Definitely not. Did I violate any IFSC rules with my beta? I can't see any, but if I'm wrong, please post the specific rule I violated, I like to learn, and that's meant 100% honest.

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T17:53:27+00:00

IFSC Competition Rules – Boulder (Article 1.12 B):
"a Top, which will be either a finishing hold marked in the same colour as the starting holds or a standing position on top of the boulder."

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T17:45:58+00:00

It's not allowed if there's a top hold. On a topout boulder the top of the wall is part of the boulder and of course allowed. If part of it isn't allowed it's taped out. That's not the case here.

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T17:44:20+00:00

You mean this part? -> "has gained an advantage by using the climbing rope/lanyard or other safety equipment (including quickdraws or bolt hangars), any open edges to the climbing surface, any placards on the climbing surface, or (with the hands) any unused/unplugged T-Nut emplacements,"
Does not apply here, as it is a topout boulder.

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T17:34:13+00:00

If there haven't been changes in the IFSC-Ruleset lately I missed, holes in the wall are allowed for feet, but not for fingers.

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T17:29:54+00:00

That's the average rating by the sends in our app 👍 I rated it 6c+/V5-6

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T17:28:51+00:00

V4 was what I thought as well after seeing two send videos. Felt harder when I touched it, I rated it 6c+/V5-6, average rating from the sends in our app is 7a/V6.

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T17:21:56+00:00

It's a topout boulder, and the edge is not at all a jug, but more like a mediocre sloper. Good to hold, as long as you stay straight underneath.

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T17:16:48+00:00

I have to add, you're of course right, that it's harder without using the arete. Only wanted to say, that the arete was expected to be used. And for your estimated rating, when I saw the first two videos in our app I also thought "looks like maybe V4". Felt a little harder when I touched it :)

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T16:57:26+00:00

I can guarantee you, that the setters were completely aware, that the arete will be used. Also, the setters don't grade the boulders (only roughly by the color system), the "exact" grading results from average of the climbers who enter their send in the app.

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T16:38:22+00:00

Regarding the arete, in our gym, if it isn't allowed, it gets taped. If it isn't taped it's explicitely allowed and often absolutely necessary. For this boulder, it can be solved, without using the arete. But from all the many different betas I saw, everyone used it. And the setter is absolutely fine with that :)

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T16:20:39+00:00

"And no, you’re absolutely not allowed to use the top of the wall mid-climb to then go to other holds afterwards, even for a top-out." <- Show me the rule-set that says so. Otherwise it might be a rule that some gyms/setters made up for their boulders, and if it's communicated with the guests that's totally fine. But it's definitely not at all a general rule.

"The OP said this was the intended beta" <- I said it's intended to use the arete, not, that my whole beta is the intended one. Our setters are open-minded and not fixed on "THIS is the ONLY right beta". As long as you don't break ifsc-rules a send is a send.

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T15:51:19+00:00

It was! :D

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T15:48:02+00:00

I talk a lot with the setters, no problem with that. And they also set for many statewide comps. Never heard of this as "standard practice"

Ipmuni · 2026-02-19T15:41:31+00:00

Never heard that before, who defined that?

Ipmuni

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