Slab

I hate slabs! Any technique tips?

Slab climbing is a type of rock climbing where the rock face is at an angle of less steep than vertical.[1] It is characterized by balance- and friction-dependent moves on very small holds.

Technique is for the weak. Or so seems when you see the footloose climbing in the gym. Unfortunately, big muscles and an ability to campus do little on harder routes.

Climbers typically fall into two camps when it comes to slabs. Some gag at the connotation of meat-grating, nipple-raking falls. But others say friction climbing is our most elegant discipline, a communion of mental grit and technical grace that rewards brains and finesse, not mindless brawn.

In an odd way, friction slabs are like wide cracks: Hate ’em all you want, but you can’t climb some of the most classic trad routes without working through them. It’s common to find slab sections leading into and out of perfect cracks in places like Yosemite and Lumpy Ridge, Colorado. They’re characterized by a low angle (between roughly 65° and 80°) and a dearth of holds (think: micro-divots, bumps, edges, dishes, and nubbins ). There’s nothing to pull down on, so you must employ a set of techniques unique to these features (or lack thereof).

Today I share some rock climbing tips and slab climbing techniques when it comes to balancing on the wall and how I managed to send this particular boulderin...

Today we’ve got the second in our series about undercover crushers, climbers who are quietly pushing the limits but don’t always get the press attention thei...

Learn about different types of climbing techniques and moves, and get tips on how to do them.

Today we’ve got the second in our series about undercover crushers, climbers who are quietly pushing the limits but don’t always get the press attention their efforts deserve. Last time it was Brit Jacob Cook but on this week’s show we’re off to Spain to check in with slab climber extraordinaire Talo Martin. He’s based in La Pedriza in Spain and as well as establishing climbs up to 8b+ locally, he’s completed hard slab climbs around the World, including in Madagascar. We grabbed a word to find out why, when everyone else is focusing on the steep stuff, what keeps him coming back to slabs. Talo is sponsored by Wild Country and Red Chili. If you’d like to see more of him padding up desperate slabs, you can check out his vimeo by going to vimeo.com and searching for Talo Martin or go to: http://vimeo.com/user2562567 If Anyone Can Get You Excited For Slab Climbing, It's Talo Martin | EpicTV Climbing Daily, Ep. 396

Rock climbers call any climbing route ascending less-than-vertical rock a slab climb However, a route requiring true slab climbing technique... Read more.

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Features on climbing slabs

slab fall techniques - SuperTopo's climbing discussion forum is the world's most popular community discussion forum for people who actively climb outdoors.

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I love slab climbing. I feel like I’m in an anonymous group, and that I should have said that in a hushed voice. But, it’s true. I’m one of the few people left in this world who actually loves slab climbing.