The Homegrown Approach

Follow Friday - Adventure Journal

2012-03-09T09:04:00.000-08:00

As you may or may not know, many people on twitter will tweet out recommendations of who they think others should follow every Friday. (despite me initially thinking #FF meant Foo Fighters). Because Snooki does this, I thought we should too!

The above photo comes from www.adventure-journal.com. The Adventure Journal is one of my favorite places to go and check on awesome products, industry news, great photography, and stories about people pushing the limit. One such story that caught my attention is this story about "dry tooling." This is something I hadn't heard of before, but essentially it is ice climbing without the ice. It looks crazy and is somewhat controversial. Click the photo to check out more.

-Jonathan

Get "it" While it's... cheap?

2012-03-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

As we have written, the inspiration for this blog really stemmed from a desire for cheaper climbing holds. Truth be told, we desire pretty much everything cheaper. That has inspired creating our own products, or searching for bargains. Call us cheap, but honestly I think my forced spending habits from being in college will persist.

In an effort to spend as little as we need to, while enjoying the same hobbies and sports we love, I have put together a list of places I go to in order to find my outdoor gear:

ebay - This is likely no surprise to you. If you've done any amount of online shopping, you've probably run into ebay. I've found some good bargains on ebay over the years. A word to the wise. Be careful with what you buy on ebay. Climbing rope, safety equipment (like helmets and harnesses), and carabiners should never be bought used. There is no telling what kind of life that kind of product has had before getting to you and you don't want to risk your life saving a few bucks!

Steep and Cheap - This is a good one to keep bookmarked. It is a closeout site for backcountry.com. One item at a time is sold until time or stock runs out. There are sister sites as well for more specific sports. Chainlove is one focused on biking. I got my Shimano MTB shoes from here for 60% off. It's great if you don't have a specific product in mind, because there is no telling what will come up. They also have a pretty amusing daily email which hints at some upcoming deals.

The Clymb - This site is relatively new. It is an exclusive site which you need an invite to see the deals (don't worry the link is actually an invite from me). Nice brands have been on the site - Chaco, Solomon, The North Face, etc. Currently (as of 3/8/12) there is a sale on Gibbon Slack lines for up to 50% off. It's worth checking out!

REI Outlet, Department of Goods (another backcountry.com site), Moosejaw Outlet, etc. Basically all of the major online retailers will have some sort of clearance site. They're great if you have something specific in mind but don't mind rocking last years model. I got a discounted year old Camelbak Mule a few years back from the REI outlet I believe.

Promotive is a great option on current products. Unfortunately it's for outdoor industry employees only. So if you can prove you work in the industry in some capacity, you can likely join promotive and get access to pro deals.

I hope this helps! I'll try to keep this list up to date if I find any more sites worth sharing. Where do you get your gear? Is it all online? I know local shops often have clearance or even swap meets to protect your wallet. Let me know in the comments below if your favorite site didn't make my list.

-Jonathan

Incredible Indoor Mountain Biking Gym

2012-03-06T14:43:00.001-08:00

I'm not just a climber. I enjoy many other things like mountain biking, running, hiking, photography, etc. And because I'm sure you are not just a climber as well, I will be writing blog posts on other interests outside of climbing. This blog post is one such occasion.

I recently heard about Rays MTB. It's essentially an indoor mountain biking park. Picture a climbing gym for bikers. Pretty stinking cool huh? Here's the course map:

Here is a video of the park as well:

There are actually two parks. One in Milwaukee and one in Cleveland. They are made inside old warehouses. I think one of the locations was actually an old Menards. I really want to go and check this place out. Luckily we have had pretty good weather here in KC and I've had the opportunity to ride outside this winter. Even still, this looks like a blast.

Have you been to Ray's or any other indoor biking facilities? How have you kept up with your outdoor sports through the winter?

-Jonathan

Check out more on their website www.raysmtb.com/

How to - Create an iPhone Tripod Mount

2012-02-28T12:22:00.001-08:00

Earlier I promised some amateur photography DIY posts, and here ya go. Since I got my iPhone, I wanted to put that sexy camera to use. To do that, I really needed to stabilize the camera on a tripod. This would allow me to get steadier shots, time-lapse videos, etc. It won't get me any where close to Simon Carter's level of photography work, but it's a cheap start.

I found a few commercial mounts like the glif or this universal mount. However, I wasn't satisfied with those options. I didn't like that the glif required a "naked" iPhone, and the universal mount was made of flimsy plastic (which some reviewers say breaks very easily).

So, I decided to create my own tripod mount with some materials I found around my house and a quick trip to Home Depot. I went through a few designs before landing on the one shown in the video above. The most expensive piece was the 1/4" connecting cap nuts at almost 5 dollars for a 4 pack. If you wanted to substitute it for a bolt and some nuts, I think that could work as well, but would require some more work to get it attached as well as the connecting cap nut. I won't do a written DIY on this one because the video should be simple enough to follow. If you have any questions, just ask in the comments below.

Check out this time-lapse video I did using this mount and my UltraPod II tripod and some magnetic wide-angle iPhone lenses. The video shows Cameron and Phil cutting out an ampersand to be used for engagement photos.

More Videos and DIY to come. Check out our YouTube channel for more content.

-Jonathan

How to - $5 Rock Climbing Holds!

2012-02-23T10:29:00.001-08:00

Have you ever wanted your own bouldering gym? Ever look into buying all of the holds!? Yeah, that can get pricey. We have completed our 3 part series on making your own inexpensive rock climbing holds. They look and feel like the professional ones at a fraction of the cost. We estimate that each hold uses $5 or less in material cost to make! That's awesome. Plus you get to make your own creations. Whatever design, size, or color, you can think of- it's yours. Check out our hold page to see our creations using this technique.

After searching the internet for how-to's and tips on making our own holds, we were left with bits and pieces of the process. We were determined to figure it out anyways. After trial and error, we learned the process and are now successfully climbing on our own holds. We have decided to share our knowledge in one centralized location. With any luck, you can recreate our process and can soon be climbing on your own holds. Don't let the process scare you, it's really not very difficult.

We hope you enjoy and have great success with creating your own holds. If you do make some, please share with us pictures and stories of your adventure. If you have any tips or tricks from making your own holds, share those too. We're no experts and would love to learn anything that makes the process cheaper, easier, or generally better.

Start with Part 1 where you make a foam hold
Then create your silicone mold in Part 2
Finish by casting a resin hold in Part 3
(or you could always try the parts in reverse... I doubt it would work though...)

-Jonathan, Phil, Cameron

Homemade Rock Climbing Holds Part 3- Casting Resin Holds

2012-02-23T10:16:00.004-08:00

Starting supplies for casting a hold

We're so close!

It's time to begin the final stages of creating a homemade climbing hold. In the photo above, you can see the supplies you'll need (minus the sand). You can find the fiberglass resin at any hardware store. It is a liquid that when mixed with the fixer (included with the resin) hardens. It is typically used in boat or car body repair in layers on top of fiberglass sheets. The can above cost us 36 dollars and cast about 30 holds. Of course your mileage will differ based on the size of your holds.

Next to the resin we have acrylic paint. This is one method of adding color to the holds. Another way is by using dyed sand.

Adding about a teaspoon of acrylic paint will give you some pretty good color. We have found that different colors have different drying times. So when using mixed colors- better just leave it to set for extra long to be safe.

For a more vibrant color, you can use dyed sand. This is usually finer and we like the finish of these holds better. It is more costly. A bag of colored sand (found at a hobby store) will be about 5 bucks for a pound. The other fine silica sand we have used on the majority of our holds was 6 bucks for 80 pounds. We have not been able to find white fine grade silica sand locally. This is used in pool filtration systems and may be the best option.

We have also had success adding glitter to make "fancy" holds. Pretty!

Which ever sand you are using get about 2.5oz in a 5oz Dixie cup. You can measure how much sand a hold will need by filling the mold with sand and then pouring it into the cups. If you follow this method you will end up with a little too much (because of the added volume of resin). You can sort of cheat the amount down maybe 20%. None of this is an exact science, so don't sweat over the measurements. We typically have extra small foot holds that we use any left over mixture in so we don't waste it. Hopefully our pictures will help.

Now you can add the resin into the cup. We try to add 50:50 sand and resin. We use the artwork on the cups as measurements to stay consistent from cup to cup.

Note: the sand is actually not giving the hold its texture. It is merely a filler for the resin.This saves on the cost of resin and can give color if dyed.

How to - Climbing Technique

2012-02-22T08:15:00.000-08:00

We're no experts in climbing. I'll be the first to admit that. But we're learning, and we're trying to get better. Even if we were experts, we'd still be trying to get better. In an effort to learn and grow, I found this retro (if 1993 would be considered retro) video explaining some basic technique in climbing. Though outdated in clothing style, I think the content is quite relevant.

Essentially you can throw yourself at a wall, and sometimes you'll stick. But if you want to go from playing vertical twister to doing yoga up a wall, you'll need to understand these concepts.

I particularly think it is important to think of your whole body in every move. How does your body's momentum shift? How do your feet move when you reach? How do your hips twist as you climb? How aware are you of your next hold? Do you need to look down to find your next foot, or does your mind's eye remember? How can you climb so that those watching will think, "that looks easy!"?

Try to make it to the end of the video. I know it's a somewhat lengthy video for YouTube, but the very last segment is my favorite. It's about climbing blind. I'm vary interested in this as an exercise to increase your body's awareness. There are some routes where I have pretty good muscle memory. Maybe I'll give them a shot with my eyes closed and see how it goes!

-Jonathan

I take no credit for this video. If you would like to see more, check out therealudini's YouTube channel.

How to - Climbing Photography

2012-02-15T10:08:00.000-08:00

I came across this video last night despite it being two years old. I have always had a fascination with photography and especially extreme sports photography. Seeing someone skiing backwards down a half pipe during the X Games with a camera strapped to their hand is extreme in its own right.

This video provides a little insight into how a photographer sets up and shoots on a big wall climb. The rigging, the preparation, and the equipment, certainly seems more complex and difficult than that of the actual climber! For once I'm glad the camera was turned around, so we have a glimpse into the work that goes into these amazing climbing videos. If you would like to see the result of the photographer's (Simon Carter) work, see the video below.

I myself enjoy photography, and plan to write about some amateur photo DIY projects in the future. However, I can assure you they won't be half as extreme as this. Let us know in the comments if you have any experience shooting good climbing photography. Have you tried using a GoPro or Contour camera? What about photography would you like to learn more about?

-Jonathan

I don't take any credit for either video. Check out nikonaustralia on YouTube for more.

Homemade Rock Climbing Holds Part 2- Creating the Silicone Mold

2012-02-14T14:02:00.000-08:00

A completed tub of silicone climbing hold molds

Now to create a silicone mold out of your foam hold.

Note: Some terminology I may use:

-your foam mold is considered a "positive" which will be used to make a "negative"

-a "flange" refers to the excess silicone that comes around the base of the mold

You will need to secure your foam mold onto some foam board. This foam board can be found at any craft store or super center for about 3 bucks a sheet. Cut a section of foam board that is at least 1/2" larger on all sides than your foam mold. This will leave enough room for a suitable flange.

To secure the foam hold to the foam board, you can use a few different methods. One way is by punching toothpicks through both the foam board and foam hold. Or, you could use glue to secure the hold. We have found that a combination of toothpicks and glue gives a solid bond that won't come apart as you are applying silicone.

The stickers were an attempt to create a raised spot with no texture on the finished hold

It worked. Now we need to find dinosaur stickers!

After you have secured the foam holds to the foam board, you are ready to begin mixing your silicone.

Remember in part 1 where we said to wear a respirator and gloves? Yeah still do that...

See more after the jump...

Homemade Rock Climbing Holds Part 1- Shaping the foam

2012-02-03T08:06:00.000-08:00

Above: All items necessary to make silicone climbing hold molds

Lets begin!

Wait! A caution before we begin: Molding a hold can be very messy and rewarding. The foam is very nasty and wants to be in your lungs. Wear a respirator or at least a mask to keep from breathing it. Eye protection is also encouraged cause it is quite a trick to get foam particles out of your eye.

Okay lets begin! After purchasing all of the items in the above picture, find yourself a well ventilated room or work outside through the whole process if possible.

Start with a foam block. The ones we are able to get at Michael's come in roughly 9" x 4" x 3" blocks. A pack of 6 will cost you $4.50 and you can find various quantities at Walmart or any craft store.

Note: You are looking for "Dry Foam" meant for artificial flowers, not "Wet Foam" meant for real flowers. There are various textures of foam (white tends to be rougher). We prefer the green shown above because it gives a nice finished texture without being painful. It also gives the closest feel to professional holds.

If you would like to make a hold that is larger than a single block, there are various spray adhesives you can buy to stick multiple blocks together. We have used Elmer's Spray Adhesive with some pretty good success. An 11oz bottle will cost about $6 at Walmart or any craft store.

Fair warning: the seams may leave lines in your finished hold.

Tools! Because we have an art teacher among us, we used many tools meant for molding clay. They worked awesomely for creating textures, smoothing lines and the like. DO NOT feel like you need to go buy a bunch of specialty tools to cut and shape the foam. Look around you, I'm sure whatever you have within arms reach will work just fine. A paper clip, a pen, a pocket knife, a guitar pick, your finger will work just fine.

Now's the fun part. Just start cutting. If you have a shape in mind, or if you're going to decide as you go, just begin. Think of holds you have used in a gym, or features you've enjoyed on real rock and mimic those shapes. I have enjoyed making holds that mimic body parts: a tongue, a hand, a toe, teeth.

General rules: Any given piece of the foam should be about 1/4" thick for strength. Your back edges (the ones that are up against the wall) should be pretty sharp. Leave a solid flat back to the hold so it has a good amount of surface area in contact with the wall. Make sure you leave enough space for a bolt and washer, or for screws to mount your hold. Negative space (like you would have with a pocket hold) is fine and should mold with little issue.

See more after the jump...

The Homegrown Beta

2012-01-30T12:46:00.000-08:00

When we first began, out backyard gym was nothing more than an old woodworking shed and some excess plywood from an eagle scout project. As we began to build, we decided to invest more time, effort and money to make a more functioning bouldering gym. It will also serve as a proving grounds for our homemade climbing holds. As we worked, we looked online for inspiration and guidance. Through many disjointed articles, videos, and some trail and error, we have built a pretty fun and functioning bouldering wall as well as some surprisingly good homemade holds. Now that we have something to show for our work, we are creating this blog as a place for DIY rock climbers like ourselves to learn from our experience. We plan to walk you through our gym construction, creating your own holds and other related information with enough detail to recreate what we have created. Hopefully this will become a destination for others hoping to learn and share the homegrown approach.

-Jonathan, Phil, and Cameron