The most hotly debated topic among new climbers – is climbing easier if you are tall? A lot of factors come into play in this debate, it’s not just about reaching the holds. Shorter climbers might have a greater strength:weight ratio, the holds will be relatively bigger for finger length, tight positions will be more comfortable. Taller climbers may make big distances with greater ease, bigger hands can gain more purchase on wide slopers and pinches, longer legs can reach further foot options. Rather than get into that, we simply put it to the test with good old fashioned competition. The winner will settle the debate once and for all, right?
The Great Tall vs. Short Boulder Problem Competition
It’s been a little while since we came to the depot and had a bit of fun, and today we’ve decided to do a tall vs. short competition. Tea is going to pick three boulder problems that she thinks will suit her but be difficult for me, and I’ll do the same. I’m 5’1″ and I’m usually pretty good at crimpy holds and steep climbing, while Tea is 5’11” and excels at slopers and compression. However, I’m flexible and good at heel hooks, while Tea is strong at toe hooks.
To start things off, Tea has picked a purple boulder problem for me to try. She knows I’m not the best at pinches, and this problem looks pretty hard, but she’s hoping that my core strength and power will help me get through it before she does. However, I think Tea has sandbagged me on this one because pinches are definitely my weakness.
Despite my best efforts, I didn’t even make it past the pinches on the purple problem, earning zero points. Tea, on the other hand, cruised through it with ease. For my next pick, I choose the yellow problem because it has a jump start, which I know Tea is good at. However, it also has a big pinch move that might be trickier for her small hands. In the end, Tea manages to top out on the yellow problem with just seconds to spare, while I fall short.
Next up, Tea picks a blue problem that looks like it has small holds and a powerful finish. I’m hopeful that my height will give me an advantage on the small holds, but we’ll have to see. In the end, I manage to top out on the blue problem, while Tea falls just short.
For the final problem, I choose a green one that looks like it has a lot of big moves and slopers. I know this will suit Tea’s strengths, but I’m hoping to catch her off guard with a quick and efficient ascent. However, Tea manages to top out on the green problem, securing the win for the tall team.
In the end, it was a close competition, with the tall team edging out the short team by just one point. It just goes to show that height isn’t everything in climbing, and that it’s important to work on your weaknesses as well as your strengths. Thanks for joining us for the tall vs. short boulder problem competition, and we’ll see you at the depot for more climbing fun soon.
