Bottom line: Amazing. Wonder how many "YouTube" climbers have the endurance to go inverted for 5+ minutes?....I'm willing to bet they couldn't do a 30* wall at their local gym....Anyway, no matter the rate or grade, that was inspiring.
Since the entire grading thing is both arbritary and frankly...fairly contrived...does it actually matter whether it's a route or boulder? Classify it however you like - the grades are only there to give a ball park idea in the first place. There's no objective measure and the grade could technically change just based on size of the person climbing it! I love climbing but dear god get over yourselves with the grading bs. Seriously...just climb. Enjoy.
its abit annoying how like thisclimb can be graded as a route or a boulder problem, like its so long that it shud be graded as a route, but you never go more than 1m off the gorund which i rekon means its a boulder grrrrr so confusing, they need a new universal system, hating how they grade everything differently
@philthe007 Does it actually matter how it's classified? He got on a rock and did something really impressive and outside of his comfort zone. Nothing is gained or taken away by somebody clarifying he just did a route and not boulder except a person's sense of pedantic smugness.
a beautiful natural cave got stained with chalk, then a bunch of conceited idiots on the internet argued over it; climbers claiming connection with nature who bring electric drills and insert permanent stainless steel hardware into pristine rock faces. You guys are all total hypocrites.
@Jack458111 I'm guessing you haven't been around climbing since the 70's or so, permanent bolts have been out of style for decades. as for the chalk - oh no! not chalk! it'll kill off all the limestone! think of the children! ack! gee whiz. i will, however, grant you that people arguing over stuff on the internet is rather annoying.
@cesnapilot so much for leave no trace. climbers continually bolt/rebolt/debolt rock all over the boulder community where I live. I know several individuals who are currently waiting to get bolting permits in the flatirons, some of the last untouched rock around. It is very dissonant, to me anyways, the idea that climbers are these zen yoga masters who respect the environment when they bang pitons and bolts into all the rock they can find. Shall we continue arguing?
@Jack458111 No this argument does not need to go any further. You can go back to your own little world where every climber thinks he's a zen master while bolting and staining every piece of rock he finds.
@Jack458111 well, that is troubling. almost no one i know, and no one i hang out with in the past few years, uses bolts. sad to hear they're still in use in your area. i was under the impression that the overwhelming majority of climbers had stopped. definitely fight those permits if you can. but i still don't think chalk stains are negative to the enjoyment of nature or to nature itself.
Ahh, the good old grading controversial. How about this... only people who can climb the route can rate it. Well that probably eliminates 99% of the people on here, including me.
Ahh, the good old grading controversial. How about this... only people who can climb the route can rate it. Well that probably eliminates 99% of the people on here, including me.
who cares how you grade, all we know is there aren't enough climbed problems that fall into this bracket of difficulty, as things get harder, gradually V16 will be defined
Ovomusic ... What would you grade a V8+V12+V12+V12 All together, back to back to back to back, without coming off the wall? How can you Not call this V16 range? At least Very Solid V15! Closer to V16 than The Game, which was repeated by someone who Never climbed a V15 in his life. Which makes The Game V15 at best. And Carlo did it in 6 days. Hardest piece of climbing My Butt! Watch The Game drop to V14!
However, A sport route Can be short, Action Direct. A Boulder problem Can be long, Wheel of Life. Fred Nicole and Klem Loskot put up those Bouldering Routes. Dai just Linked them together. So cause Dai linked their Boulder routes together, now it's a Sport Route? That makes No Sense to me.
What about Action Direct? It's only 25 feet high and 11 moves long? Should that be sport? Or should it be a Bouldering Highball? I would call it sport. Just like I would call Wheel of Life bouldering. Some climbs run on fine lines when it comes to defining. But Define it we must, though it seems. It's a Super Hard Climb!! We should all leave it at that. Both of 'em!
Since when do sport routes climb side to side? With No bolts? No harness and No rope? No quick draws and No clipping? I think about this climb, I think Bouldering. I just don't think Sport! But then again, I don't see The Crack House (5.13d) as sport really either, but Dean gave it a sport grade. People are just going to see things differently. Awesome watching Chris climb it though.
And Deep Water soloing IS Deep Water Soloing. No bolts, Only because there is Water to protect you. Long routes that go Straight UP a Line, usually get a sport grade, Sure. I don't see what that has to do with Wheel of Life. Deep Water Soloing or The Fly.
Actually, The Fly has Two bolts. But it has been bouldered by a couple people. It's just a question of how you want to go about staying safe and not getting hurt. I would call the Fly a bouldering highball. And Graham was kind of an amateur when he bolted it. He had been climbing for 3 years. Only 2 years of experience climbing 5.14+
Who cares about the grade, whether its a boulder problem, a route, a sport route, or whatever everybody is arguing about it. Chris is displaying some absolutely amazing climbing and pure strength. Everybody get over whether or not its a bouldering problem and just revel in the fact that this is SICK!!
I'd say this would probably be more of a V15-V15+ problem (though this is coming from a VB+ to V0- climber here :P), but this is nothing short of legendary.
I think V16 is a pretty legit grade for this. And as far as giving it a sport grade, there's not a single bolt, on the problem... It's not a route. It's a boulder problem. I hate how Fred Rouhlin'sg Akira is "9b" but, like i said, he there's not a single bolt on that line... so HOW can it even be considered a route? much less a 9b.
@guitarherodw Once again your hovering on a gray area here. The fly was graded as a route but it barely consisted of Ten moves and it only has 1 bolt on it (and has been bouldered). Deep water solo's are graded as routes and they contain no bolts.
@coltleader I think deep water soloing is a completely different aspect of climbing though, and to create another system of grading would be too complicated and confusing.
When someone free solos a route, do you call it a boulder problem? Who cares if there are no bolts! We all know what is a route and what is a boulder problem. Why is everyone getting hung up on semantics??
its a bouldering route.......i always thought of problems as just crux sections of routes, when you have a long boulder problem like this, its actually quite popular to give it a grade because of the length, most traverses have sport grades.
It's the duration of the climb that Fully Warrants the grade. It's seriously sustained, pure ceiling and traverse climbing for over five minutes! And since he ain't wearing a harness and rope, I'd say he's bouldering. Dai climbed some hard stuff, V15, Action Direct, etc. I'd say the guy knows what he's talking about. If he says its V16 / 5.15a, I'd say it more than likely is. Until you repeat it, you really have NO Say in the grade.
Just to clarify even further all this grading confusion, Dai did give it a route grading as well (It's in the video description). There will always be a gray area in which people will argue over how long a boulder can be before it becomes a route. Recently, I had the opportunity to try Lucid Dreaming (even though I boulder v5 max) and the crux pinch move defines the original grading concept of the single hardest move on the problem.
I'm so glad that Ethan Pringle finally brought some sanity to this issue. This is neither a V16 nor a boulder problem. Can anyone watch this video and honestly say this looks harder than Jade, The Island, Dreamtime, etc? There is not one move on Wheel Of Life that could be called a V15. Stop drinking the Kool-Aid.
@ovomusic Its not a route, therefore you cant give it a route grade. Basicly a stamina link of a stack of other bolder problems in the v7 to v12 range so in regards to sheer difficulty of moves it probably aint harder than v12. But could you really say that v12 + v10 +v8 is still equivalent to v12, no because its significantly harder hence the problem.
How is this not a route? Bouldering has never been graded on stamina. Regardless, this isn't a V16. Watch Daniel Woods on The Game if you want to see the hardest problem in the world.
@ovomusic No one has ever considered routes to be bolder problems And how can you say the game is the hardest bit of climbing in the world, I doubt its harder than the crux of violent new breed to be honest.
He dabbed at 4:49. Doesn't count. ahah I would love to see a handful of other pro climbers get on this to see how they feel about the grade and style.
@davervr6 Ethan Pringle sent it recently and didn't even bother with a bouldering grade. He gave it 5.14d. which, at least in my opinion, makes a lot more sense than v16...
For anyone who is interested, Ethan Pringle just sent this and thought it should be given a route grade because it's more endurance based and said it was around 5.14d.
Hands down an amazing climb, but I'm not sure I believe its a V16, maybe cause of the length of the route, those are some very aggressive holds and many of them, not hating just saying it looks like a V15
He's got obscene reach. No way I could reach some of those without dyno (though I'm not sure how I'd hit most of those from those angles). Damn impressive.
"Does any one really know what time it is? does any one really care"......Holy cow! that was sick! I like the euro trash music to. Rock on you rock climber.
Just watch, enjoy the video and perhaps learn a thing or two from Chris as he graces through this amazing cave.
I don't know why everyone is so worked up about the grade of this problem. I highly doubt the people flaming the grade even have the focus, determination and strength to do the Wheel Of Life - so why does it matter to you?
Wow 60 moves, I think that deserves a whole new climbing term
"Multi-pitch Boldering"
Nice footwork. 6 minutes in inverted positions fantastic endurance.
The V16 rating is gonna be controversial, as all the moves were V15. The length of the route that makes it scream for something more than a V15 rating, but is that V16?
Regardless of the rating this guy is superhuman and my respect and admiration goes to him. Well done dude, you are the man!
this is so long that maybe it should be given a route grade instead or something, kinda like what ali hulk was based off of. the problem was super long and at the ned there was a hard move and the whole think looked pretty taxing, however there were so many rests and even a knee bar, i don't know if i'd call this V16, that's uber high, but i wsn't there, i didn't try it so i can't say for sure
Why is there any debate on it? the grade is given ONLY based on the hardest move on the route. Based on watching the climbers at my gym climb V14. I do not see a single move on this route harder than V13. Its just really long. The climber does have really good form though.
Actually thats completely wrong. Bouldering grades and French sport grades describe the overall difficulty of the route/problem. Not the hardest individual move; you would be thinking of the british technical grade or similar.
Nope, sorry to burst your bubble but the on the Hueco Scale and Yosemite Decimal System the grade is based on the hardest move in the route or problem. Sometimes if it is a string of hard moves in a row they will add "sustained" to the grade.
"The other nice thing with both V grades and Font grades is that they make an overall assessment of the problem and avoid all this nonsense about the hardest single move."
Quote from Neil Gresham, professional climber.
You can find the rest of the article on climber . co . uk
He is wrong. Talked to many pro climbers about this. I have climbed many routes at Horseshoe, Hoeco, The New, and Red River that were graded on the hardest move.
I'm not 100% sure but I've heard its somewhere in the v10/v11 range maybe even v12. Since in comps u gotta flash the problem; flashing v10+ is incredibly difficult =-)
They'd be more likely to need to rest more. They have more muscle, and therefore weigh more. Resting is not a sign of amateurism, it's a sign of experience and discipline. Every great climber does it, and does it well - they cannot progress as a climber without developing good static and resting technique. Dynamic climbing can only go so far - it's why gym rats rarely become truly great climbers.
it does but it does, but i think that the v16 barrier should be broken when they find one move on the climb that is v16. v15 is still so new and the standard is not clear to anyone (not even the people that send that hard) so i think for now people should be conservative. v16 is a far off horizon in my opinion, unless you want to give endurance based climbs without ropes a bouldering grade
Agreed. Like Paul Robinson was quoted saying, pretty much what differentiates ahard v15 and a v16? We are still in uncharted territory and it seems the v15 grade almost got skipped.
bouldering grades are based off of the power/caliber of the moves. sport climbing grades are based off of the endurance. in my opinion, the nature of this climb is endurance based, therefore it should have a sportclimbing grade. this does not have one v16 move in it. there is not a standard v15 to base the claim off of
Unreal video! and if you think it needs to be downgraded go climb it yourself and then tell us how you feel about it! All I know about this route is that it's light years out of my league
People seem to be pretty hung up on the grade or if it is a problem or route but ultimately does it matter? This is a commendable peice of climbing and a grade is both subjective and just a number. Dai chose to rate it and Chris didn't contest that grade. The line between what kind of climb is what is getting blurrier so does the means of protection define the climb? I like to think of it as rockclimbing, not as a number or a label.
Oh yeah, of course it's a sport route. Just lace that shit with bolts. You'd only have to place them every 18 inches to keep you off of the ground. And if it is 3 V14s linked, well, correct me if I'm wrong, but that's 3 miniature 5.14as in a row. More sustained = more difficult and last I checked V grades were a measure of difficulty. Therefore, it deserves a higher rating.
t work so he did heaps of strength and power training. then he finally started getting closer to the link. the grade of the wheel should definitely be graded as a boulder problem, cause thats what it is, even if its a link up. grading on the hardest move is ridiculous and doesnt occur in the climbing community. look at terremer for example. it links 2 v14s, but is it graded v14? no. fred nicole gave it v16.
...Terremer is officially a V15. And as for this route, how do you link up a bunch of problems, none of which are harder than V12, and get a V16? you dont. you get a 5.14d or 5.15a. Andrada's Ali Hulk is an example. it's even shorter than this, and is considered a sport route. Even if this is a boulder problem, it's not V16. None of the moves are hard enough. bouldering was invented to test the hardest possible SINGLE moves a person could do. Free climbing is for endurance.
i know there are always gonna people who try to put down climbers when they succeed, but ill try and back chris up anyway. he is a mutant from australia, and definitely has other ascents to back this one up, like a quick repeat of Esperanza v14 (in heuco) and other v14s, as well as a bunch of v13 flashes. no other climber has flashed harder than this... now onto the wheel of life. chris trained for months to send this problem and first off tried to climb long routes to get endurance, but it didn
agreed... webby is australias best boulderer. i dont think anyone understands the magnitude of this climb. i would like to see you guys send it... and if you do, dispute the rating
i agree with Namzie, just because he makes it look like a dance doesnt mean you can decifer what it should be graded. Its impossible to judge how hard a climb truly is from video, you cant possible understand the scale of what you see through a video in any situation.
I'm sure this is one of the hardest problems in the world. However, I don't agree w the rating. Look at Dani Andrada's "Ali Hulk". It was given a sport route rating, so I don't think I would give this a V grade. Move for move, this is definatly not one of the hardest problems in the world. Just try to compare them to the first like 3 moves on Jade. There isn't a comparison. It is a fuckin unreal climb though.
Before you judge and say what grade you *think* it should be, perhaps you should venture out to Hollow Mountain cave and try the problem for yourself. This video does not do justice for the sheer size of this cave and you cannot see the how bad alot of the holds are.
This is impressive and I admit that it is a tough problem but it looks to choreographed to make this a v16. He banged through this thing like a dancer would with a dance routine. But then again im a hack.
here is how grading works. The route/problem's grade accommodates either for the crux or the sustained nature. you could be on a 5.9 route with a 5.12d dyno making it 5.12d, or you could be on 50 meters of 5.10c with no distinct crux just continuous 10c and it would be 5.11b as an example. Grading will always be debatable because your attempting to establish a quantitative measure of something that is purely qualitative for each individual. Just climb at your own limit and have fun :)
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way to climb a line of overhanging jugs and overrate the piss out of it 5.15a hah yes this route definatley compares with "realization" and surpases "es pontas" pppffffff oh yea and who the hell is this guy no ones heard of supposidly climbing one of the highest rated problems in the world?...not sayin I could do it but come on
I could see it being around v16....the new stuff of chris webb is insane. He flashed a bunch of v12-v14's in hueco tanks. I bet he is strong enough to pull somethin that hard. He's so smooth in this too!!
i think your a fucking liar there is no way on gods green earth that is a v16 you have no fucking clue then by the way my name is jeff souter call me 316-390-7266 and ill show you a v16
Chris webb is a machine of destruction, that problem is out of control. Ive been there and i cant even hold on at any point and i climb around 5:12. Maybe Koyamada Dai (dreamtime and action direct) is wrong?
This guy is insanely strong and had that problem wired. What makes this a boulder problem rather than a sport route is the height off the ground. If this roof was 100' off the ground then it would definitely be a sport route with bolts and ropes. The length doesn't really make a difference although bouldering is traditionally defined by short, powerful and difficult moves which is why you may sometimes hear the crux of a route described as a boulder problem.
not true! A boulder problem is defined by the crux. The hardest move in a boulder problem is the grade. Distance and fear don't acount in bouldering. In sport climbing sustained effort changes the grade. Bouldering has nothing to do with height.
so if you can climb a V10 for example than i say there is a boulder problem with 9 V10´s in a row it obviously dont remain a V10 its the same here it is not always the crux that counts
that's not realistic at all. However, do 2 pitches of v10 and it's a 5.14 maybe but, v10 is still v10 in bouldering. If it doesn't surpass a v10 it's not v11.
Jack458111, did you ever try to say something like that? You are probably the one that is gay!! Go outdoor and do some sport fat dumbass! You are probably unable to lift from your chair! stop saying that climbing is gay!
Obviously not a V16.. Sorry. Oh and it is a bouldering problem. Even if it is long, it is still a boulder problem. No rope, 5 feet off the ground, hard moves, crash pads, BOULDER PROBLEM. Just because a problem is long doesn't make it not a bouldering problem. Last I checked there isn't a maximum number of moves you can make in bouldering..
Well I'm new to climbing so could you share with us the "official" difference between boulder and route problems. I was told a boulder problem is similar to the crux of a route, this does not seem like a crux, this seems like a route, regardless of the height or lack of.
No one ever denied it being a bouldering problem. That DOESN'T mean it couldn't be rated like a sport climb, since it being a roof is the only distinguishing factor that makes it a bouldering problem. Length often IS the determining factor in sport versus bouldering, as there are many sport climbs with bouldering moves and many bouldering problems that aren't much different than short sport climbs. If this route went 30 feet out and then 30 feet up would it be half a sport climb in your eyes?
As for V16 or not, I have no idea if Chris Webb Parsons rated it, but if not then the only way for you to say otherwise with any meaningful certainty is to climb it yourself. Watching a video of a climb and claiming knowledge on the difficulty is just useless posturing.
Bottom line: Amazing. Wonder how many "YouTube" climbers have the endurance to go inverted for 5+ minutes?....I'm willing to bet they couldn't do a 30* wall at their local gym....Anyway, no matter the rate or grade, that was inspiring.
sliqwille 1 week ago
Since the entire grading thing is both arbritary and frankly...fairly contrived...does it actually matter whether it's a route or boulder? Classify it however you like - the grades are only there to give a ball park idea in the first place. There's no objective measure and the grade could technically change just based on size of the person climbing it! I love climbing but dear god get over yourselves with the grading bs. Seriously...just climb. Enjoy.
BeatWrangler 2 months ago
its abit annoying how like thisclimb can be graded as a route or a boulder problem, like its so long that it shud be graded as a route, but you never go more than 1m off the gorund which i rekon means its a boulder grrrrr so confusing, they need a new universal system, hating how they grade everything differently
skimmingskater 2 months ago
Thats clearly a route not a boulder!
philthe007 3 months ago
@philthe007 Does it actually matter how it's classified? He got on a rock and did something really impressive and outside of his comfort zone. Nothing is gained or taken away by somebody clarifying he just did a route and not boulder except a person's sense of pedantic smugness.
alteregoash 2 months ago
You know what the worst thing about bouldering is? telling your parents your gay... Rope up and climb trad and ice ya vaginas...
Dazubersoldat 3 months ago
Vevelshemor! Hats off to you! Finally a possible end to the argument!
brionbee 3 months ago
ugh... the only thing worse than music for outside climbing is dumb club music for outside climbing.
iamjahboo 4 months ago
i'm surprised the music didn't push the guy into jumping to his death
vomitedshit 5 months ago 6
This guy's not strapped in or anything?How the hell's he sticking to this wall like spider-man!?
Suckmygoth 5 months ago
didnt some famous climber say there isnt a single move harder then v13 after that it starts to calculate in endurance?
climbUp21 6 months ago
a beautiful natural cave got stained with chalk, then a bunch of conceited idiots on the internet argued over it; climbers claiming connection with nature who bring electric drills and insert permanent stainless steel hardware into pristine rock faces. You guys are all total hypocrites.
Jack458111 7 months ago
@Jack458111 I'm guessing you haven't been around climbing since the 70's or so, permanent bolts have been out of style for decades. as for the chalk - oh no! not chalk! it'll kill off all the limestone! think of the children! ack! gee whiz. i will, however, grant you that people arguing over stuff on the internet is rather annoying.
cesnapilot 6 months ago
@cesnapilot so much for leave no trace. climbers continually bolt/rebolt/debolt rock all over the boulder community where I live. I know several individuals who are currently waiting to get bolting permits in the flatirons, some of the last untouched rock around. It is very dissonant, to me anyways, the idea that climbers are these zen yoga masters who respect the environment when they bang pitons and bolts into all the rock they can find. Shall we continue arguing?
Jack458111 5 months ago
@Jack458111 No this argument does not need to go any further. You can go back to your own little world where every climber thinks he's a zen master while bolting and staining every piece of rock he finds.
coltleader 5 months ago
@Jack458111 well, that is troubling. almost no one i know, and no one i hang out with in the past few years, uses bolts. sad to hear they're still in use in your area. i was under the impression that the overwhelming majority of climbers had stopped. definitely fight those permits if you can. but i still don't think chalk stains are negative to the enjoyment of nature or to nature itself.
cesnapilot 5 months ago
at first i was looking at the holds, and i said "id say v10... then i read the description. this definetly earned the v16 haha
GuitarRockGod951 9 months ago
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Ahh, the good old grading controversial. How about this... only people who can climb the route can rate it. Well that probably eliminates 99% of the people on here, including me.
Vevelshemor 9 months ago
Ahh, the good old grading controversial. How about this... only people who can climb the route can rate it. Well that probably eliminates 99% of the people on here, including me.
Vevelshemor 9 months ago 21
@Vevelshemor more like 100%
EdMajinLee199999 7 months ago
who cares how you grade, all we know is there aren't enough climbed problems that fall into this bracket of difficulty, as things get harder, gradually V16 will be defined
theultimateshoe 10 months ago
How / where are we suppose to see your videos?? I don't see a link of any kind.
PanDemonIAm777 10 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Hey im just gettting started climbing watch my videos and let me know what you think
johncarllawrence 10 months ago
Ovomusic ... What would you grade a V8+V12+V12+V12 All together, back to back to back to back, without coming off the wall? How can you Not call this V16 range? At least Very Solid V15! Closer to V16 than The Game, which was repeated by someone who Never climbed a V15 in his life. Which makes The Game V15 at best. And Carlo did it in 6 days. Hardest piece of climbing My Butt! Watch The Game drop to V14!
PanDemonIAm777 10 months ago
However, A sport route Can be short, Action Direct. A Boulder problem Can be long, Wheel of Life. Fred Nicole and Klem Loskot put up those Bouldering Routes. Dai just Linked them together. So cause Dai linked their Boulder routes together, now it's a Sport Route? That makes No Sense to me.
PanDemonIAm777 10 months ago
What about Action Direct? It's only 25 feet high and 11 moves long? Should that be sport? Or should it be a Bouldering Highball? I would call it sport. Just like I would call Wheel of Life bouldering. Some climbs run on fine lines when it comes to defining. But Define it we must, though it seems. It's a Super Hard Climb!! We should all leave it at that. Both of 'em!
PanDemonIAm777 10 months ago
Since when do sport routes climb side to side? With No bolts? No harness and No rope? No quick draws and No clipping? I think about this climb, I think Bouldering. I just don't think Sport! But then again, I don't see The Crack House (5.13d) as sport really either, but Dean gave it a sport grade. People are just going to see things differently. Awesome watching Chris climb it though.
PanDemonIAm777 10 months ago
And Deep Water soloing IS Deep Water Soloing. No bolts, Only because there is Water to protect you. Long routes that go Straight UP a Line, usually get a sport grade, Sure. I don't see what that has to do with Wheel of Life. Deep Water Soloing or The Fly.
PanDemonIAm777 10 months ago
Actually, The Fly has Two bolts. But it has been bouldered by a couple people. It's just a question of how you want to go about staying safe and not getting hurt. I would call the Fly a bouldering highball. And Graham was kind of an amateur when he bolted it. He had been climbing for 3 years. Only 2 years of experience climbing 5.14+
PanDemonIAm777 10 months ago
damn this is a long boulder problem
ryanwsu4 10 months ago
Who cares about the grade, whether its a boulder problem, a route, a sport route, or whatever everybody is arguing about it. Chris is displaying some absolutely amazing climbing and pure strength. Everybody get over whether or not its a bouldering problem and just revel in the fact that this is SICK!!
2000LRDisco 10 months ago
I'd say this would probably be more of a V15-V15+ problem (though this is coming from a VB+ to V0- climber here :P), but this is nothing short of legendary.
Feebas321 11 months ago
I think V16 is a pretty legit grade for this. And as far as giving it a sport grade, there's not a single bolt, on the problem... It's not a route. It's a boulder problem. I hate how Fred Rouhlin'sg Akira is "9b" but, like i said, he there's not a single bolt on that line... so HOW can it even be considered a route? much less a 9b.
guitarherodw 11 months ago
@guitarherodw Once again your hovering on a gray area here. The fly was graded as a route but it barely consisted of Ten moves and it only has 1 bolt on it (and has been bouldered). Deep water solo's are graded as routes and they contain no bolts.
coltleader 11 months ago
@coltleader I think deep water soloing is a completely different aspect of climbing though, and to create another system of grading would be too complicated and confusing.
guitarherodw 11 months ago
@guitarherodw
When someone free solos a route, do you call it a boulder problem? Who cares if there are no bolts! We all know what is a route and what is a boulder problem. Why is everyone getting hung up on semantics??
ovomusic 11 months ago
its a bouldering route.......i always thought of problems as just crux sections of routes, when you have a long boulder problem like this, its actually quite popular to give it a grade because of the length, most traverses have sport grades.
metalfire55 2 months ago in playlist climbing
It's the duration of the climb that Fully Warrants the grade. It's seriously sustained, pure ceiling and traverse climbing for over five minutes! And since he ain't wearing a harness and rope, I'd say he's bouldering. Dai climbed some hard stuff, V15, Action Direct, etc. I'd say the guy knows what he's talking about. If he says its V16 / 5.15a, I'd say it more than likely is. Until you repeat it, you really have NO Say in the grade.
PanDemonIAm777 11 months ago
Spiderman.
vladolenin 11 months ago
The climb is so long it shouldn't even have a boulder grade. Strong and good climbing though! :D
MrOdinsan 11 months ago
Just to clarify even further all this grading confusion, Dai did give it a route grading as well (It's in the video description). There will always be a gray area in which people will argue over how long a boulder can be before it becomes a route. Recently, I had the opportunity to try Lucid Dreaming (even though I boulder v5 max) and the crux pinch move defines the original grading concept of the single hardest move on the problem.
coltleader 11 months ago 2
I'm so glad that Ethan Pringle finally brought some sanity to this issue. This is neither a V16 nor a boulder problem. Can anyone watch this video and honestly say this looks harder than Jade, The Island, Dreamtime, etc? There is not one move on Wheel Of Life that could be called a V15. Stop drinking the Kool-Aid.
ovomusic 11 months ago
@ovomusic Its not a route, therefore you cant give it a route grade. Basicly a stamina link of a stack of other bolder problems in the v7 to v12 range so in regards to sheer difficulty of moves it probably aint harder than v12. But could you really say that v12 + v10 +v8 is still equivalent to v12, no because its significantly harder hence the problem.
N3rd133t 11 months ago
@N3rd133t
How is this not a route? Bouldering has never been graded on stamina. Regardless, this isn't a V16. Watch Daniel Woods on The Game if you want to see the hardest problem in the world.
ovomusic 11 months ago
@ovomusic No one has ever considered routes to be bolder problems And how can you say the game is the hardest bit of climbing in the world, I doubt its harder than the crux of violent new breed to be honest.
N3rd133t 11 months ago
his arms must be like hydraulic pistons to be able to do that for so long
martinmedeski 1 year ago
how do 5 ppl dislike this. wtf is wrong w u. this is absolutely unbelievable.
Pimpinpoloplayer 1 year ago
got to watch him climb in dallas so amazing, really nice guy
WeBeChillin420 1 year ago
Daniel Woods recently sent "The Game" and graded it V16. Paul Robinson also recently sent his own project "Lucid Dreaming" and graded it V16.
ixGeminixi 1 year ago
@ixGeminixi in 2008
WeBeChillin420 1 year ago
He dabbed at 4:49. Doesn't count. ahah I would love to see a handful of other pro climbers get on this to see how they feel about the grade and style.
davervr6 1 year ago
@davervr6 Ethan Pringle sent it recently and didn't even bother with a bouldering grade. He gave it 5.14d. which, at least in my opinion, makes a lot more sense than v16...
fackinjacksack 1 year ago
Unbelievable!! What a amazing climb! As mentioned by another, the footwork was amazing!
RoC1909 1 year ago 2
excuse me for a second, i have to climb the roof of this cave real quick
FlashingFountain 1 year ago 3
Comment removed
y4tricky4 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
at finish did clap in front of pc.
moyashi1221 1 year ago
Comment removed
moyashi1221 1 year ago
its still a tour not a boulder itself!?
liveisfiction 1 year ago
Spiderman eat your heart out, wow thats something, well done.
babalizzard 1 year ago
This is one of the coolest problems I have ever seen! I hope I can climb stuff that awesome one day!
liukuihan 1 year ago
2 things
-seriously long problem!!
- I don't think i've ever seen someone so immense technically, his footwork madethis look effortless
theultimateshoe 1 year ago
dude whatever salvadoddali3 i call bs on that !
Phluf1 1 year ago
I finished my v17 project, yesterday, but I'm so modest, I won't ever show it to anyone,.
But just so you know, this v16 stuff is old news!
salvadordali3 1 year ago
it looks like he almost has the holds memorized, or is there a pattern since there is so much chalk on the rock already?
rico
rico300zx 1 year ago
@rico300zx he worked this route for a long time! :P
takemasu45 1 year ago
@rico300zx Ya think?
ricknet57 1 year ago
Why cant i make it look that easy?
matchstick121 1 year ago
chalk bag dab! ha!
switchkrukz 1 year ago
For anyone who is interested, Ethan Pringle just sent this and thought it should be given a route grade because it's more endurance based and said it was around 5.14d.
pdxmirage 1 year ago
Hands down an amazing climb, but I'm not sure I believe its a V16, maybe cause of the length of the route, those are some very aggressive holds and many of them, not hating just saying it looks like a V15
Eastern117 1 year ago
Does anybody know the song in the background?
howardc66 1 year ago
@howardc66 The song is "hypnotized" by sebastien leger, steve mac remix
HHSFHarry 1 year ago
Looks realy easy for him. Not even one move looks hard.
Realy strong man ;)
xtonyx76 1 year ago
I can't believe how good his footwork is, how long this route is, how strong he is, and that this is the only video available of this.
hanserclimbs 1 year ago
i would hate to project this....
climberkidXxX 1 year ago
increible,como un puto animal
IndikoRRo 1 year ago
He's got obscene reach. No way I could reach some of those without dyno (though I'm not sure how I'd hit most of those from those angles). Damn impressive.
VelveetaBoy 1 year ago
V15, until further notice-
What is the name of this song? Please.
portzblitz 1 year ago
I think someone needs to check out some of these "V15" and "V16" problems.
1694kyle 1 year ago
olee
SuperJimi72 1 year ago
"Does any one really know what time it is? does any one really care"......Holy cow! that was sick! I like the euro trash music to. Rock on you rock climber.
ClimberArF 1 year ago
If I could do anything close to what he just did, I imagine that my heart would explode and my fingers fall off at the end of it all
Elementecho 1 year ago
Just watch, enjoy the video and perhaps learn a thing or two from Chris as he graces through this amazing cave.
I don't know why everyone is so worked up about the grade of this problem. I highly doubt the people flaming the grade even have the focus, determination and strength to do the Wheel Of Life - so why does it matter to you?
Namzie 1 year ago
Wow 60 moves, I think that deserves a whole new climbing term
"Multi-pitch Boldering"
Nice footwork. 6 minutes in inverted positions fantastic endurance.
The V16 rating is gonna be controversial, as all the moves were V15. The length of the route that makes it scream for something more than a V15 rating, but is that V16?
Regardless of the rating this guy is superhuman and my respect and admiration goes to him. Well done dude, you are the man!
MrSydneguy 1 year ago 15
@MrSydneguy
There is not ONE move on this problem that you would call V15. Every move looks to be in the V8-V12 range.
ovomusic 11 months ago
Defiantly more of a route than a problem imo.... He's just climbing with no pro.
Monsterbike01 1 year ago
this is so long that maybe it should be given a route grade instead or something, kinda like what ali hulk was based off of. the problem was super long and at the ned there was a hard move and the whole think looked pretty taxing, however there were so many rests and even a knee bar, i don't know if i'd call this V16, that's uber high, but i wsn't there, i didn't try it so i can't say for sure
clipmedia1 1 year ago
@clipmedia1
I hear that man. At 60+ moves it seems a little weird. But what do i know?
stanante 1 year ago
freakishly long arms....i wish my arms were longer :(
clayounderwood 1 year ago
In my opinion, I believe that "The Game" FA done by Daniel Woods, is the worlds first true V16.
khoyboyz 1 year ago
thats just public opinion not yours tool
hatedrivesus 1 year ago
Hot damn, that looks like a fucking fun climb, probably take ages to learn and execute that route.
starian1234 1 year ago
Why is there any debate on it? the grade is given ONLY based on the hardest move on the route. Based on watching the climbers at my gym climb V14. I do not see a single move on this route harder than V13. Its just really long. The climber does have really good form though.
dkholliday 1 year ago
Actually thats completely wrong. Bouldering grades and French sport grades describe the overall difficulty of the route/problem. Not the hardest individual move; you would be thinking of the british technical grade or similar.
alfonz1986 1 year ago
Nope, sorry to burst your bubble but the on the Hueco Scale and Yosemite Decimal System the grade is based on the hardest move in the route or problem. Sometimes if it is a string of hard moves in a row they will add "sustained" to the grade.
dkholliday 1 year ago
"The other nice thing with both V grades and Font grades is that they make an overall assessment of the problem and avoid all this nonsense about the hardest single move."
Quote from Neil Gresham, professional climber.
You can find the rest of the article on climber . co . uk
alfonz1986 1 year ago
He is wrong. Talked to many pro climbers about this. I have climbed many routes at Horseshoe, Hoeco, The New, and Red River that were graded on the hardest move.
dkholliday 1 year ago
Sure, I'll believe u over a pro that climbs V14...
Read wikipedia or any site. They say the same.
Many people get confused by the grading systems, so some pros such as neil publish articles to clarify it.
alfonz1986 1 year ago
What sort of level of boulder do they use in championships x-games etc?
Arjaayy 1 year ago
I'm not 100% sure but I've heard its somewhere in the v10/v11 range maybe even v12. Since in comps u gotta flash the problem; flashing v10+ is incredibly difficult =-)
alfonz1986 1 year ago
there is no v14 in your gym faggot
hatedrivesus 1 year ago
Incredible.
wondersoxx 1 year ago
grades.... grades......
jkdizza 2 years ago
i'd like to see sharma or andrada climb this i don't think they would need to rest as much as this guy
bizzle1783 2 years ago
I'd like to see you try it and make it past the first move.
scuddy10195 2 years ago
@scuddy10195 Hey skidmark so what if i said sharma and andrada are better than this guy ..big whoop wanna fight about it
bizzle1783 2 years ago
what do you climb dude? V8?? LOL. What IF you said that Andrada and Sharma are better? They've all done V15 or 16.
Digdigs2 2 years ago
They'd be more likely to need to rest more. They have more muscle, and therefore weigh more. Resting is not a sign of amateurism, it's a sign of experience and discipline. Every great climber does it, and does it well - they cannot progress as a climber without developing good static and resting technique. Dynamic climbing can only go so far - it's why gym rats rarely become truly great climbers.
lightthatblinds 2 years ago 2
best footwork and teqnique i've everseen.
gcgamer14 2 years ago
it does but it does, but i think that the v16 barrier should be broken when they find one move on the climb that is v16. v15 is still so new and the standard is not clear to anyone (not even the people that send that hard) so i think for now people should be conservative. v16 is a far off horizon in my opinion, unless you want to give endurance based climbs without ropes a bouldering grade
602keta 2 years ago 29
Agreed. Like Paul Robinson was quoted saying, pretty much what differentiates ahard v15 and a v16? We are still in uncharted territory and it seems the v15 grade almost got skipped.
ewokscanclimb2 1 year ago
bouldering grades are based off of the power/caliber of the moves. sport climbing grades are based off of the endurance. in my opinion, the nature of this climb is endurance based, therefore it should have a sportclimbing grade. this does not have one v16 move in it. there is not a standard v15 to base the claim off of
602keta 2 years ago 4
I'm with you on that. Yet (this is a question) if you take 2 independent V15 lines and link them together doesn't the grade increase in difficulty?
r1skate 2 years ago
Unreal video! and if you think it needs to be downgraded go climb it yourself and then tell us how you feel about it! All I know about this route is that it's light years out of my league
xfootballer81 2 years ago 3
This comment has received too many negative votes show
He cheated... his chalk bag touched the ground during one of the rests.
danballarin 2 years ago
People seem to be pretty hung up on the grade or if it is a problem or route but ultimately does it matter? This is a commendable peice of climbing and a grade is both subjective and just a number. Dai chose to rate it and Chris didn't contest that grade. The line between what kind of climb is what is getting blurrier so does the means of protection define the climb? I like to think of it as rockclimbing, not as a number or a label.
stradus11 2 years ago
well u r a smart person who realizes its not about whos the best, its about having fun.
ADKYS5555 2 years ago
Oh yeah, of course it's a sport route. Just lace that shit with bolts. You'd only have to place them every 18 inches to keep you off of the ground. And if it is 3 V14s linked, well, correct me if I'm wrong, but that's 3 miniature 5.14as in a row. More sustained = more difficult and last I checked V grades were a measure of difficulty. Therefore, it deserves a higher rating.
JayT017 2 years ago
seis minutos en desplome... ole sus pelotas
bEnyDlaOldRIP 2 years ago
He makes the Dynos at 2:03 and 3:02 look effortless. I have seen guys go home proudly after getting that first part done. Webb is very good.
ClayMoreVen 2 years ago
Those are not dynos!!!!
Response to "ClayMoreVen"
projectleake101 2 years ago 2
@ClayMoreVen ya...their not dynos...sometimes you gotta let your feet chop and move them somewhere else.
lostsin645 2 years ago
cut feet
ADKYS5555 2 years ago
t work so he did heaps of strength and power training. then he finally started getting closer to the link. the grade of the wheel should definitely be graded as a boulder problem, cause thats what it is, even if its a link up. grading on the hardest move is ridiculous and doesnt occur in the climbing community. look at terremer for example. it links 2 v14s, but is it graded v14? no. fred nicole gave it v16.
12345climber 2 years ago
...Terremer is officially a V15. And as for this route, how do you link up a bunch of problems, none of which are harder than V12, and get a V16? you dont. you get a 5.14d or 5.15a. Andrada's Ali Hulk is an example. it's even shorter than this, and is considered a sport route. Even if this is a boulder problem, it's not V16. None of the moves are hard enough. bouldering was invented to test the hardest possible SINGLE moves a person could do. Free climbing is for endurance.
fackinjacksack 2 years ago
John Gill would totally agree with you.
JacktheDaniels 2 years ago
Umm you have to remember this is inverted...
Lxan96dr 2 years ago
i know there are always gonna people who try to put down climbers when they succeed, but ill try and back chris up anyway. he is a mutant from australia, and definitely has other ascents to back this one up, like a quick repeat of Esperanza v14 (in heuco) and other v14s, as well as a bunch of v13 flashes. no other climber has flashed harder than this... now onto the wheel of life. chris trained for months to send this problem and first off tried to climb long routes to get endurance, but it didn
12345climber 2 years ago
agreed... webby is australias best boulderer. i dont think anyone understands the magnitude of this climb. i would like to see you guys send it... and if you do, dispute the rating
philll128 2 years ago 3
lmao that was unreal! nice work = understatement
cruzio32 2 years ago 2
Beautiful. I can believe the grade. It so damn long and technique driven. Cheers
ewokscanclimb2 2 years ago
totally unreal climb, amazing
davidwhitlam 2 years ago 2
i agree with Namzie, just because he makes it look like a dance doesnt mean you can decifer what it should be graded. Its impossible to judge how hard a climb truly is from video, you cant possible understand the scale of what you see through a video in any situation.
TaylorJohnPritchard 2 years ago 2
I'm sure this is one of the hardest problems in the world. However, I don't agree w the rating. Look at Dani Andrada's "Ali Hulk". It was given a sport route rating, so I don't think I would give this a V grade. Move for move, this is definatly not one of the hardest problems in the world. Just try to compare them to the first like 3 moves on Jade. There isn't a comparison. It is a fuckin unreal climb though.
leelid1 2 years ago
Before you judge and say what grade you *think* it should be, perhaps you should venture out to Hollow Mountain cave and try the problem for yourself. This video does not do justice for the sheer size of this cave and you cannot see the how bad alot of the holds are.
Namzie 2 years ago
This is impressive and I admit that it is a tough problem but it looks to choreographed to make this a v16. He banged through this thing like a dancer would with a dance routine. But then again im a hack.
CriticalHammer007 2 years ago
Hardest move on this prob is V11 and is more like a hard sport route. This is what Im told.
masonic3rd 2 years ago
4:53 his chalk bag touched the ground. NO SEND. ( just kidding for all you uptight youtubers )
Roflwahflez 2 years ago 5
lol, picky picky.
dday1304 2 years ago
I dont think Sharma could do this! This requires too much amazing feet work!
projectleake101 2 years ago
Who gives a shit about the rating? This guy has great technique.
YummyBulgogi 2 years ago 3
footwork is unbelievable
jaguar1712 2 years ago 40
here is how grading works. The route/problem's grade accommodates either for the crux or the sustained nature. you could be on a 5.9 route with a 5.12d dyno making it 5.12d, or you could be on 50 meters of 5.10c with no distinct crux just continuous 10c and it would be 5.11b as an example. Grading will always be debatable because your attempting to establish a quantitative measure of something that is purely qualitative for each individual. Just climb at your own limit and have fun :)
davervr6 2 years ago 3
This comment has received too many negative votes show
way to climb a line of overhanging jugs and overrate the piss out of it 5.15a hah yes this route definatley compares with "realization" and surpases "es pontas" pppffffff oh yea and who the hell is this guy no ones heard of supposidly climbing one of the highest rated problems in the world?...not sayin I could do it but come on
Dynosaur85 2 years ago
I could see it being around v16....the new stuff of chris webb is insane. He flashed a bunch of v12-v14's in hueco tanks. I bet he is strong enough to pull somethin that hard. He's so smooth in this too!!
norcaliskierman 2 years ago
dab
kgressel 2 years ago
Absolutely unbelievable route. That was some serious stamina
WTP2k 2 years ago
i think your a fucking liar there is no way on gods green earth that is a v16 you have no fucking clue then by the way my name is jeff souter call me 316-390-7266 and ill show you a v16
novsnip99 2 years ago
cry more loser, yes im sure u can climb a v16 haha
CDPuffer 2 years ago
if you can do a V16 you would be sponsored and among one of the best climbers in the world and i would have found your name on the internet
climberevolve 2 years ago
Chris webb is a machine of destruction, that problem is out of control. Ive been there and i cant even hold on at any point and i climb around 5:12. Maybe Koyamada Dai (dreamtime and action direct) is wrong?
jtdono2534 2 years ago
Excellent Footwork. I'm impressed. I don't think it's a V16 though but it's still an amazing route. Bravo
sk8boarder976498 2 years ago
Incredible Footwork. I am impressed. I don't think it's a V16 though but still Bravo
sk8boarder976498 2 years ago
I've heard its 3 V14s in a row
ADKYS5555 2 years ago
awesome, I don't care about the grade.
boxsterwelby 2 years ago
Lindo!...(...)Viva,Viva,Viva Irmãããããããão...!(...)Até Abraço!...
Monteoliveira 2 years ago
The footwork is nothing special. He's clearly wearing anti-gravity boots. =)
Dubhuir 2 years ago
Evolv Talons;)
Anti-gravity indeed.
kcirtapegur 2 years ago
scarpa styx
papertigers142 2 years ago
his footwork is amazing. And he's got immense strength too.
Hmmm, i need to do more campusing :P
qix1t 2 years ago 3
This guy is insanely strong and had that problem wired. What makes this a boulder problem rather than a sport route is the height off the ground. If this roof was 100' off the ground then it would definitely be a sport route with bolts and ropes. The length doesn't really make a difference although bouldering is traditionally defined by short, powerful and difficult moves which is why you may sometimes hear the crux of a route described as a boulder problem.
climbmt 2 years ago
not true! A boulder problem is defined by the crux. The hardest move in a boulder problem is the grade. Distance and fear don't acount in bouldering. In sport climbing sustained effort changes the grade. Bouldering has nothing to do with height.
boxsterwelby 2 years ago
so if you can climb a V10 for example than i say there is a boulder problem with 9 V10´s in a row it obviously dont remain a V10 its the same here it is not always the crux that counts
gerardo231 2 years ago
in bouldering it is supposed to be the crux that counts. Length does not change the grade of a boulder problem.
boxsterwelby 2 years ago
your "rule" i dont think it applies in grades like V15, V16 i say the same do 20 V10´s in a row and im sure it is not V10 anymore
gerardo231 2 years ago 2
that's not realistic at all. However, do 2 pitches of v10 and it's a 5.14 maybe but, v10 is still v10 in bouldering. If it doesn't surpass a v10 it's not v11.
boxsterwelby 2 years ago
What are all these grades for climbs?
severmine 2 years ago
That guy is awesome
kilgour22 2 years ago
Jack458111, did you ever try to say something like that? You are probably the one that is gay!! Go outdoor and do some sport fat dumbass! You are probably unable to lift from your chair! stop saying that climbing is gay!
Simongelinas88 2 years ago
Dude, lol, you started with dude.
Zgenator 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
climbing is gay.
Jack458111 2 years ago
Does his body NOT produce lactic acid? What the hell! The guys a freakin spider monkey! Awesome climb. Now excuse me, I have to go top rope a 5.8 :)
gabrielemt1971 2 years ago
Obviously not a V16.. Sorry. Oh and it is a bouldering problem. Even if it is long, it is still a boulder problem. No rope, 5 feet off the ground, hard moves, crash pads, BOULDER PROBLEM. Just because a problem is long doesn't make it not a bouldering problem. Last I checked there isn't a maximum number of moves you can make in bouldering..
krispycreme8 2 years ago
Well I'm new to climbing so could you share with us the "official" difference between boulder and route problems. I was told a boulder problem is similar to the crux of a route, this does not seem like a crux, this seems like a route, regardless of the height or lack of.
mar504 2 years ago
yo... V16 is not the same as 5.16.
the V grade is for bouldering not roped climbs.
I don't think anyone said this wasn't a boulder problem.
sepe00 2 years ago
No one ever denied it being a bouldering problem. That DOESN'T mean it couldn't be rated like a sport climb, since it being a roof is the only distinguishing factor that makes it a bouldering problem. Length often IS the determining factor in sport versus bouldering, as there are many sport climbs with bouldering moves and many bouldering problems that aren't much different than short sport climbs. If this route went 30 feet out and then 30 feet up would it be half a sport climb in your eyes?
kruks 2 years ago
As for V16 or not, I have no idea if Chris Webb Parsons rated it, but if not then the only way for you to say otherwise with any meaningful certainty is to climb it yourself. Watching a video of a climb and claiming knowledge on the difficulty is just useless posturing.
kruks 2 years ago