Breakdown

Climber: Chris Rivera 5’5”/+0 

Wall Angle: 5° Overhang > Flat

Holds: eGrips Bubble Wrap, Teknik No Shadow Tip Toes

RIC: Risk 2, Intensity 2, Complexity 3

• The goal for this boulder was to set a climb through the volumes that complimented their angles. Body positioning became a theme for this boulder as the holds are scarce, so the climber must make the most out of them. Risk is present due to the technical nature of the footholds. The climber must transition their weight back and forth to gain favorable positioning for their lower body. Intensity comes from the holds being flat edges. There is no lip to grip on the holds so correct body positioning and shoulder engagement are necessary to maintain correct opposition. Complexity is moderate because of the overall body awareness throughout the boulder. The climber must be aware of their center of gravity and how to shift it without losing their bearings.

Influence/Aesthetic:

• The line that this climb took was dictated by the volume placement. We usually tend to cluster volumes or place them along angle changes, but for this set, we decided to play with a more chaotic spacing. It can sometimes be challenging to put holds on a volume in a way that feels meaningful. It can often turn into placing a hold that would otherwise be too bad to place on the wall in a hyper-directional orientation. I wanted to have the holds overlap on the seams of the volumes. This helps to maintain some of their original sloping nature while altering the angle of the wall even further than the volume already does. Aesthetically there is a simple and clean approach, with no footholds or excess intermediates. What you see is what you get.

Hold Selection:

• The bubble wraps are one of my favorite hold sets because of their functionality as clean edges. Holds without a lip place climbers in a position to use an open-hand grip, which can offer a little less confidence than a crimp. This puts more emphasis on the climber’s feet, core, and overall body positioning rather than their hands and arms. Additionally, the bubble wraps being flat makes them a great option to extend the angles of the volumes without any uneven or rough edges along the attachment point.

Overlap 1

The first example of overlap would be the first three handholds and the start foot. The purpose of this placement is to keep Chris’ body farther away from the wall so he can hang low and engage his shoulders. This body positioning improves the positivity of the edges and puts an emphasis on where his hips and feet are shifting. A similar sequence could be achieved by putting the holds on top of the volumes. However, it would put more focus on upper body strength and remove some of the nuances in the lower body movement.

Overlap 2

The second overlap differs from the first as it serves to cover the surface of a volume rather than extend it. The large upside-down bubble wrap pushes Chris farther out from the wall, making the path of least resistance a mantle instead of a pull-through. Manipulating the hips and center of gravity can put climbers in positions where methods other than pulling become viable. Additionally, Chris is unable to step on the area that is blocked by the hold once he stands up.

Overlap 3

The final usage of overlap is the left foot which is utilized for the finish match. The foot essentially extends the usable surface of the volume because it matches the angle. This puts Chris in a position where he can align his weight over his left foot. If this hold was on any of the upper surfaces of the volume Chris’ hips would be too close to the wall to maintain a balanced position.

Final Thoughts

Overlapping is a technique I enjoy using quite often because of its ability to further the dimension that volumes and holds offer. Setting with the same holds can often become stale or predictable. However, volumes provide the opportunity to utilize holds with more nuance. Placing holds along specific angles on volumes can give them new properties that might not have been expected previously. I have set with these bubble wrap holds many times in the past, but have not utilized them with volumes like this before. This offers a new skill to put in my setting kit and gives the climbers a chance to interact with holds they have seen before in a different way.