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pit
climber
spain
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 22, 2016 - 12:53pm PT
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a few years ago i had some injury on one toe, so i decided to climb without shoes. feet being virgins.
it was .... weird, ....like something was amiss. but little by little the missing part turned into some gift. even so there was stuff i couldnt do anymore without the tool of shoes: there was the exciting (and, yes, at moments also painful) part of discovering new moves, stances, techniques.... (i tell you, climbing at times pretty nasty limestone here in los picos de europe: you figure out rather quickly where and where no to, how and how not to put your feet) : thankyou!
it took me a few months to climb routes i could before - now barefoot. cant remember last time i (ab)used climbing-shoes > climbing-shoes (ab)used me. in general: i just got fed up with having the feet squeezed like in a cider-press & getting los pies de gato fixed && spending $$ on new one. plus one piece of gear less to store and schlepp around. plus no need of putting it on and off and on...
just wanted to throw this here out in the worldwidewahnsinn to see what other critters are out there who like to do it without rubbers.
cheers
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G_Gnome
Trad climber
Cali
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Dec 22, 2016 - 01:10pm PT
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I've climbed entire days without shoes on volcanic tuff. Toes start to get sore after half a dozen routes but that is mostly because I don't do it enough.
Skip Guerrin from Colorado has climbed 5.12 granite thin edging routes without shoes. He was the first I remember seeing regularly climb barefoot.
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Alexey
climber
San Jose, CA
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Dec 22, 2016 - 01:25pm PT
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https://www.mountainproject.com/v/106350956
photo from MP where Skip Guerrin is climbing Alien finish barefoot, but no one can see his toes
Edit: actually later I found his real barefoot photo
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Gunkie
Trad climber
Valles Marineris
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Dec 22, 2016 - 01:36pm PT
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I always thought this was an impressive image...
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ecdh
climber
the east
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Dec 22, 2016 - 02:19pm PT
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For the feet or for the 'harness'?
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steve s
Trad climber
eldo
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Dec 22, 2016 - 02:31pm PT
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Skip was the master at barefoot climbing. He was also one of the most naturally gifted climbers going, shoes or barefoot.
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Dec 22, 2016 - 04:28pm PT
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Ouch.
By buddy, Barefoot Bruce, of course used to climb barefoot. I cringed.
We were doing Cramming. I remember watching him cram his toes in that crack, right at face height. Oh, ouch...
We went to Thailand together, out to Ko Phi Phi. On the plane over I said, "Bruce, did you bring your Ninjas?"
"I could only find one, so no. I don't have any climbing shoes."
One evening, I led the top-out pitch on the tower, the limestone was literally like little razors. I had to carefully put my fingers between the solution pockets, pulling so delicately. I pitied Bruce following. I honestly don't know how he did that pitch without shredding his feet.
"Yeah, that was a little sharp..."
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Dec 22, 2016 - 04:32pm PT
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It was all the rage one season in the early 70's. Henry Barber, Steve Wunsch, John Bragg and Jimmy Dunn were into it......hell, I even tried it a time or two.
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StahlBro
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
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Dec 22, 2016 - 04:44pm PT
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steve s
Trad climber
eldo
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Dec 22, 2016 - 05:32pm PT
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K man, would barefoot Bruce be the same as Bruce Bundy ?
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Mark Force
Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
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Dec 22, 2016 - 08:29pm PT
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Really cool shots. Tried it - sucked at it and never got better.
Really cool to see people do it, though.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Dec 22, 2016 - 08:51pm PT
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Rob Lesher did it for a couple seasons in the valley. He got to where he was leading 11's barefoot.
Not me, no fvking way!
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Dec 22, 2016 - 08:54pm PT
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Notice....quite a few tried it, no one continued to do it.
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7SacredPools
Trad climber
Ontario, Canada
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Dec 22, 2016 - 09:18pm PT
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no one continued to do it.
Maybe no one good, but after more than 30 years of it, I'll still follow a couple or three pitches at a time. Not leading barefoot any more, unless it's super easy. Doesn't take much of a fall to leave you limping the rest of your life.
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Dec 22, 2016 - 10:52pm PT
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K man, would barefoot Bruce be the same as Bruce Bundy ?
The one and same.
Rob Lesher did it for a couple seasons in the valley. He got to where he was leading 11's barefoot.
Bruce told me he lead 'Swiss Orange Chip' in the Meadows (5.11c R) barefoot. Man, those are some thin footholds!
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steve s
Trad climber
eldo
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Dec 22, 2016 - 11:03pm PT
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K man , Climbed with Bruce B a lot bitd here in Eldo. I remember doing the Diving Board with him and of course he did it barefoot. On the way down we did Cinch Crack to warm down. He always had a zen aspect to his barefoot climbing. Great guy to boot. Cheers
Edit: K man, tell Bruce I said hi and if he's ever in Eldo to look me up I live right in town.
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Dec 22, 2016 - 11:06pm PT
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Yeah Steve, Bruce has told me a bunch about being in CO before coming west.
He lives just down the street, we're good friends.
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pit
climber
spain
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 23, 2016 - 12:34am PT
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g gnome: = I don't do it enough =
why?
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