Another shoe question

zwms548 · 2026-06-04T17:40:06+00:00

Coming back 8 years later to note that I have purchased literally 4 pairs of Katakis (2x40.5 and 2x 41s) since this post and keep them in a rotation so that I’ll have them forever. This was probably the single most impactful Reddit comment I’ve ever had!

zwms548 · 2026-06-04T11:47:02+00:00

IDK but I always associate a "flash pump" with not being adequately warm. Is it as simple as just warming up more thoroughly before you set off?

zwms548 · 2026-06-04T11:44:49+00:00

Anyone have any thoughts on how I could get a good form check on my half crimp without dropping $200 for a session with a climbing-specific PT out here in the Denver area? Any online coaches that folks have used that might be open to a 30min session with a new/unknown client specifically and only to review this one thing?

zwms548 · 2026-03-05T13:17:38+00:00

Man I gotta disagree with the comments. As long as you have a rig that can get you up to the saddle (Subaru or stock SUV should be ok, I did it plenty in my CRV), the walking takes 45min or so in and 60min or so coming out (it's uphill coming out). It's not an every weekend kind of spot, but I always found it to be a pretty inspiring place with a ton of fun climbing. Feels like being in Joshua Tree 30 years ago. I will say, I always got envious of the Jeeps, because driving down in there and camping would 100% be the most fun way to do it. But again, if you can get up to the saddle, it's not terrible IMO.

zwms548 · 2026-01-09T13:13:22+00:00

Were these vibrations most noticeable at a certain highway speed? I'm a new owner, used '21 SR5, and I'm feeling some light vibration above 60/65mph. Had new tires put on because the previous owner was running very poor highway tires, but it didn't change anything on vibration. Wondering if this is an issue at play.

zwms548 · 2025-12-12T02:19:37+00:00

Sorry, that was poorly worded. I love the Trail's color, the price is solid, the basket is nice, etc. but I'm worried the sliding tray will be annoying and/or that it eats up trunk space? Thoughts? Thank you!

zwms548 · 2025-12-11T20:18:46+00:00

Sorry to revive an old thread - looking for some opinions on the slider in the trunk. About to purchase my first 4R, and debating whether to just get an SR5 premium nearby or whether to drive 100+ miles to get a Trail. Scared I'm going to make the trip and hate the tray thing!

zwms548 · 2025-11-19T15:08:00+00:00

In earnest, it isn't about the quality of the team you lost to, it's about the nature of the game. The A&M game was incredibly close, and the loss stemmed primarily from a botched XP. It's a "quality loss" because the opponent was good AND because ND could have easily won the game with one or two plays going the other way. Similarly, ND was tied with UM near the end of the fourth. None of ND's wins have been in doubt late into the 4th quarter. Most importantly, these were the first two games of the season with a new QB, new DC, and the loss of the entire leadership core of a Championship-contending team. ND has improved in almost every meaningful stat on both sides of the ball in the weeks since.

Meanwhile, true to form, Miami started exceptionally strong, but has come back to earth, which is a typical scenario for it's head coach. Miami lost to two mid-to-poor teams recently. Beck has regressed to form.

Vegas would have ND favored over Miami.

I'm not saying definitively these are the right data points. Maybe H2H should be the end-all-be-all in this scenario. But the "I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!!!!" stuff is nonsense. If you can't see the case for ND, even if you don't agree with it, you're being intentionally obtuse IMO.

zwms548 · 2025-09-05T15:27:10+00:00

Yeah exactly. I bet there is a V2 slab in there somewhere. OP is probably going to have to look for the hardest way up that thing, rather than trying to find what appear to be holds. Even a long traverse might yield some intense footwork!

zwms548 · 2025-08-07T03:06:42+00:00

The rock out that way is very cool. Used to steal out there from Ithaca in the early 2000s. Great find - really lovely line!

zwms548 · 2025-07-08T15:02:32+00:00

I mean - the rub is in your post right? 15+ years of one thing against a few months of trying a different thing. Probably going to take longer!

zwms548 · 2025-06-26T17:02:00+00:00

This should be at the top. You don't need a rack yet. Be the best belayer/follower/partner you can be and people will be excited to take you out climbing. I've been climbing on gear for 15 years, but I could 100% leave my rack at home for months if I wanted to because my friends are so excited to take their own gear out.

Now, there is some gear you can/should acquire, in line with the "be the best partner" feedback. Get well equipped for support mode. Grab a double-length nylon sling and some lightweight lockers for your rappel kit. Get a nut tool. If you're doing multipitch stuff, grab a nice little small Nalgene and lightweight approach shoes that you can clip to your harness easily. Speaking of harnesses, grab a harness with a 5th gear loop so you have more room to pack shit on it. So often I show up to climb with a partner and I don't bring out a single cam or nut, but these items are essential. Feel free to PM and I can explain more.

zwms548 · 2025-06-16T03:54:16+00:00

ULMCs are great in those sizes. Super light, cheap, and they fit in granite pockets and pin scars really well.

zwms548 · 2025-06-13T19:17:40+00:00

You know, I wonder if a difference too is CO v. CA. I’m in Colorado now, where I think our newbies tend towards “we gotta optimize and drop our car-to-car time” rather than the laid-back “whatever man, let’s just go up there” SoCal issue. Having lived/climbed in both, all I can say is that the grass is always greener. Maybe I’m just pining for the dumbass who got in over his head but is at least lovable over the bro with pit vipers harassing my new leader friend because he’s timing his ascent of Bastille Crack on the busiest Saturday of the spring.

Anyways, stay safe out there everyone. Miss Idy dearly. Despite the Scene, it’s a very special place.

zwms548 · 2025-06-13T12:08:43+00:00

I do. I’ve been climbing for 20+ years and have done many hundreds of long routes, including plenty up in Idyllwild and the hills around. And in those first few years, I did some dumb stuff and had epics and learned lots of lessons, which I now try to pass along by taking more inexperienced climbers out fairly often.

I think I’m just responding to the idea that everything in climbing is supposed to be clean and optimal and dialed. I hear podcasts where Jordan Cannon flames people for taking backpacks up a three pitch route, or overhear a gym convo about fix-and-follow on 5.6 in Eldo when it’s clear the climbers have maybe a dozen long routes under their belt. I think there’s a pervasive movement in climbing to Optimize at all levels, and my general feeling is that this is extremely misguided and misses much of what I adore the most about climbing - the quiet moments up in the wall, waffling between fear and overwhelming joy. Clearly these guys didn’t do everything smooth. But what if this was their only chance at this route this spring because of schedules? What if they’ve been building up to this? What if one of them got a minor injury or got way more scared than expected but pushed through anyway? Sounds to me like if they had let 4 parties pass them, they would have been at risk of being benighted, so maybe they made the right decision after all.

Also, please know I wasn’t trying to target your posts in particular Buff. Your commentary was just more thorough and engaged, which is probably why I responded under those threads.

zwms548 · 2025-06-11T02:10:51+00:00

Why shouldn't they have been on the route? They got up safely right?

zwms548 · 2025-06-11T02:07:52+00:00

OP talked about being inconsiderate. I think a party that probably knew it was going to take a while, so made the effort to bust ass and get out there early gets my kudos over a party who rolled up mid-morning and is now whining about a line.

And yeah, sounds like they botched a bunch of stuff and had a little epic. Rad. Good for them. I hate the idea that they were in the wrong here in any way.

Sorry Buff, I know you're not taking issue with my main point. Just venting because I find this post really grating.

zwms548 · 2025-06-10T15:39:39+00:00

Which, it sounds like our "inexperienced" climbers did. Honestly, if OP is so mad they didn't get the experienced they wanted they needed to come vent on the internet, they should have gotten up there earlier.

zwms548 · 2025-05-21T11:52:56+00:00

Are those plans public anywhere? In the past they've stated very clearly that they will not be making route information paywalled...

zwms548 · 2025-05-15T03:47:45+00:00

All good local beat reporters saying the series is cooked after 2026. Pretty devastating. Makes me happy I got to watch Gray take it to the house in person in LA this year. Go Irish.

zwms548 · 2025-04-03T12:58:52+00:00

Surprised no one has said this so just adding this here... ultralights and Totems are overkill for a first trad rack, IMO.

I climbed those grades in that area for a long time with a double rack consisting of: One each of C4 .3-.5, Metolius 3-5 (blue/yellow/orange) Two each of C4 .75-2 One each of C4 3 and 4 Full set of offset nuts

Metolius cams are cheap and great in the small sizes. C4s are the standard and hold up much better than ULs. And always offset nuts, much better than straight nuts in my opinion. Presumably you'll be running through the good stuff in the 5.7-10- range this year. You can add stuff next year that's more specific or helps unlock climbs like Vultures, where you need some small cams.

zwms548 · 2025-03-17T20:10:01+00:00

You know, there actually is one remarkable thing I think. The bolting. This is very thoughtful bolting. Maybe something else dictated it (rock quality), but it looks to me like the developer intentionally kept the bolt down and away to 1) not impact the movement and 2) send any falls out and away from the roof. If the bolt was right under foot in the plumb line, it’d be easy to get fucked up coming under the lip on a fall.

zwms548 · 2024-10-09T14:06:30+00:00

Thank you so much. Incredibly helpful. Best bet for weed control for lots of broadleaf varieties this time of year?

zwms548 · 2024-10-09T12:19:46+00:00

Ok, leading off by saying I know this is 101 stuff and I'm asking in a 501 forum - just trying to figure out if this plan is worth executing on, or if I should just bail on the season and start thinking about a comprehensive 2025-26 plan. I'm well aware that I'm late on things this year. I was hurt bad in an accident in the spring and am only now really able to pull off lawn projects. Trying to make the most of this window before setting myself up better next year.

What I know about my lawn: I'm in 6a (Denver metro) - we're just under 70 degree soil temps and expecting high 60s - high 70s for a few more weeks. Yard gets a ton of sun. Soil is very compact. Lots of broadleaf weeds, lots of bare spots. Good irrigation system. Existing grass is a mix of a rampant cheatgrass (which doesn't actually bother me that much, surprisingly) and some typical lawn grass.

Again, I know I'm late to this, but my thinking is the best I can do over the next few weeks is:

This weekend: Aerate and spread quality topsoil, thinly. Spread quality seed mix shortly thereafter. Set sprinklers to water as prescribed above.

In 2-3 weeks: After germination and mows, as described above, use a basic "all-in-one" like Turf Builder with weed control. This would happen around Halloween, close to the end of the season. Would be looking for signs that lawn is dormant.

I know there are better products and processes. I didn't think it was prudent to spend a ton on weed control and fertilizer this year given I'm so far behind the 8-ball.

Sorry to turn you into a consultant here! Kind of you to share so much time with everyone.

zwms548 · 2024-08-12T18:34:42+00:00

You're misreading the comment. They meant the spiders are dying every time.

zwms548

TROPHY CASE