You’ll find this route on the center column facing the lead wall and if you like surprise endings, you’ll dig this route. It has some real fun moves and some fun features. You’ll find a nice mix of pinches and buckets with just enough grit to make a nine.

The route starts off with a small hold start with a long reach to a huge mantle hold. Once you get your hand over it, the mantle is not a bad hold but it is a decent stretch even for me at five eleven. From here it is a straight forward climb to the top with a few shake outs. The last 8 holds from the top out get pinchy but if you move quick, you’ll get there. Set to Don’t Fight it by Gavin Turek.

This route is in the back corner next to the auto-belay and it is a douse. It’s a blue route with some nice corner work in the middle but the top is all tiny holds. This route isn’t rated yet but we have a spoiler for you.

This route starts like many in this corner with some opposing corner holds. About half way up there is a pair of inverted pockets and a weird reach through that hangs you hard right. After that, you clear a series of two finger pockets and some tiny holds and before you know it, you’re at the top. Set to Feel It Still – Portugal. The Man

It has been too long. The last figure8 Podcast episode was published back in January 2017 so I thought a nice easy 5.7 route would be a good warm up for my day and for the Podcast.

This orange route is on the center column near the bouldering wall and is a nice warm up route to start the day. Most of the holds are nice buckets with a few smaller holds to get your hands warm. The great thing I like about this route is that if you’re pushing through it pretty fast you can slow down a bit or skip some holds to get a better burn.
This video is also the first to use some new test graphics. You’ll notice new intro, route card, and bumper images. The bumper images are also the first to include our new @climbfigure8 social accounts. Have a look, check the route, let us know.
 

I have been climbing on the guest pass of a friend at Salt Pump for a while. We have a routine, we climb a few top rope routes, get pumped out and call it a day. I’m lead certified at evo Rock + Fitness but had never bothered to get lead certified elsewhere. Until today, when we decided it was time to take my lead test.

I haven’t been climbing lead in a while so I was a bit nervous that I was not going to finish the test. You see, when you test on lead, they often ask you to climb on a route above a specific grade. Since I’ve been rocking the 5.6 – 5.10 routes lately, I wasn’t too excited to test on a 5.11 lead route. Especially since 5.10 has been the extent of my top rope game so my lead ability has been around a 5.8.
When I asked to certify at the front desk, they said I would need to climb a 5.10a or harder to certify. That did not mean I would need to complete the route but I would need to get at least 3-5 clips in to the route before demonstrating a lead fall. I was not worried about failing the test if I could not finish, I was more worried that I would get 2 clips into a 5.10a and slip off a crimp and embarrass myself.
Lucky for me, they had just done a reset of most lead areas and almost none of the routes were graded. That eliminated a lot of over hanging routes with small holds. We ended up finding this nice green route, that may have been rated 5.8 or 5.9 but looked like a great start with a little over hang so I would have a nice fall. I stuck all the clips, took my fall, and then nailed the lead belay test.
After completing my lead test, I was now free to try any of the lead routes. I tried a 5.8 purple route with no over hang but a lot of corner work. I almost made the top out on the first try but missed it by a few holds. I will have to take my new beta and try again next time. Later we tried a blue route rated 5.8 with a feature that looked like a beach ball sized death star. I made it up to the second clip before I realized I had bit off more than I could chew. I ended up finding a fun yellow route where the main lead wall meets the center pillar. The staff said the yellow routes were ‘warm up’ routes, but that must be for the pro climbers. I made it three or so clips in and couldn’t commit to the next move. I had to leave it and live to climb another day.

You may not have noticed but I haven’t been on a lead route in more than a year. I’ve also never captured a clean climb on a lead route, ever! The sadness ends today with this 5.8 route at evo Rock + Fitness in Portland, aptly named ‘Rub the Belly.’

Today marks a milestone in the history of the figure8 Podcast because I have now climbed the first ever lead route clean (not to mention on sight) but more importantly it was climbed ‘squeaky clean’ which means there were no breaks and no hanging on the rope.
I really like this orange route for those making the transition from top rope or mock lead to full lead climbing because it is really approachable.
The first hold gives this route its name, Rub the Belly. The first hold looks a lot like a Buddha belly and the best start is to put two hands around the top of the belly.
Every clip has solid holds so you know your not going to take an embarrassing fall but it is also still challenging enough to make the top out feel like a victory. There is a small overhanging roof that is totally possible for most people but not so easy that you feel like your in the kids section on lead.
If you’re looking for some more lead practice, there are a few other routes set up at evo right now that are slightly out of range for an on sight lead but could be climbed on mock lead for some beta before attempting a lead climb. The clips for a mock lead are only ideal for adjacent routes so be mindful when you are on lead. If you are brave, just nail it first try or take the whipper, but if you are like me… maybe down climb a few holds to avoid a big swing.
In any case, if you want to get on the sharp end of a lead route, I would strongly recommend Rub the Belly to build up some confidence.
(Update: 04/10/2017 Rub the Belly is still set up but its days are numbered!)

This green route faces the benches on the center pillar and was a fun one with some nice features.

This route has some nice features and even though its a 5.8 it is still a great climb with lots of nice angles. You’ll even notice the light heel hock around the feature for balance. There is a great mix of small holds broken up with some buckets to shake out the pump.

If you scroll down a few you’ll see that this route below but the previous climb was done on top rope. This time around I sent it on mock lead.

In lead climbing you have the added difficulty of clipping your rope, managing a rope from below and not above, and the potential for more fall energy. To help transition from top rope climbing to lead climbing you can use a technique called mock lead. You tie in to the top rope as usual but you also tie in a lead rope. As you climbing under top rope protection of the top rope, you climb as though you’re on lead.
This practice helps build stamina and planning strategies so you can lessen the learning curve of transitioning to lead climbing. Be advised however that you should always do a safety check with your partner and take note of the knots for each rope and the protection and the practice.

The last time I climbed this route, I was winding down and wasn’t able to climb it clean. This time around, I made it clean, but also realized again at top out that I was not only on the wrong rope, but the rope was also twisted.

This route is pretty fun and was a great warm up. It snakes from left to right a few times rather than some other routes that shoot pretty straight up. This is also what has caused us to not notice the right rope twice now. The base starts to the left, but the top is more to the right. It’s a great route, not just because orange is my favorite color, so check it out.

This is the same route from below climbed a while ago but this time around I’m climbing for a lead test.

When you take a lead test you usually have to perform a few basic parts. Demonstrating back clipping, z-clipping, are common requirements. Once you demonstrate some clipping knowledge, you’re asked to demonstrate lead climbing and belaying a lead climber. In my experience taking two lead tests at Maine Rock Gym and now evo Portland, it’s a 5.9 or harder. In the lead climb portion, once you’re at least higher than the second or third clip, you’re asked to take an unannounced lead fall. While belaying a lead, you’ll need to demonstrate catching an unannounced lead fall.
On this day, one of my climbing partners was thinking of taking her belay test. This was my chance to take a nice lead fall tied into someone half my weight. It turned out to be a soft catch. Now that I’ve got a lead partner, you should be seeing more lead beta.

Even though this route is rated a 5.9, it climbs more like a 5.8 so it’s what I call an ego climb.
Overall it is pretty straight forward. There are only a few moments where you feel a bit awkward and off-balance but switching feet or matching hands means you get some advantage back. Some of the holds have become pretty slippery and there is one move toward the top that is a bit tricky compared to the rest of the route but just push through it and you’ll be fine. The last two holds are solid buckets.

Here is another fun warm up because it seems like lately, warm ups are the only climbs I can finish. This is a straight route with one small catch.
About half way up on the second feature bolted to the wall there is a real lousy under hang followed by a long but thin chip on top of the feature. Catches most people off guard that we’ve seen climb it, including myself. There are plenty of buckets on this route to rest and shake out the pump (if you start to pump on 5.7’s like I do). It’s just hard enough to keep it interesting but easy enough to know you can get it. Try it out.

Okay, so I have to be honest, I may have cheated a bit here. You might not see it but let me explain.

I’ve totally climbed this route clean before. I actually climbed it clean the first attempt. This time around was a different story. Some days I feel like a boss at the gym, others not so much. This was a not so much day. I attempted two routes before the half so by the time I was on this route, wasn’t feeling too strong. About half way up, I fell off the route. After about a minute of hanging, I finished it. Rather than bore you with the hang time, I edited it out. See if you can spot the splice. This is a pretty fun 5.8 otherwise and it just went up about a week ago so it should stick around for a while.

This route is yellow but it was proving to be a white whale. I had tried and failed but this time was different.

I am not a member at Salt Pump, I climb on the guest pass generously donated by Scott. The first few times on this route I wasn’t able to get past the overhang. The one time I did get over I was so pumped out by the time I made it that I couldn’t top out. Well, this time I was able to plow through the edge with enough reserve to send clean.

Lately I’ve been pulling out footage from the vault of unedited clips. Well here is one from the present.
This is a new route currently up at evo Portland on the auto belay near the bouldering area. It hasn’t been rated or named yet but it climbs like a 5.8. All of the routes on this auto were recently changed out and they swapped out the 5.7 and if I remember a few 5.10’s for this one and a new pair of 5.10s. This one starts a bit rough with the inverted two finger hold but it gets pretty straight after that.

The first time I got on this route, I nailed it. Fast forward a few days and you would think with some rest and a GoPro I would be aces. Not so fast Arthur.

As you can see, I make it right to the edge and pump out. From the video it looks like I had my right leg under the edge on a hold when it really needed to hang for balance. That might have given me the edge to get off the over hang. A real bummer because the route was taken down shortly after. Special thanks to Brandon for the lead belay. No small feat!

Still working through the backlog of unedited clips and I found this route.

This is another clip from March of 2015 climbing at EVO with Brandon and crushing routes. I remember this one well, it was a pretty straight forward path right up. No real hard moves but the holds were all of the small but sharp non-crimps variety. This happens to be my favorite. I will take these over big smooth features any day.

Dug up another gem from the archive. This one is a 5.10 from March of 2015 at the newly minted evo ROCK + FITNESS in Portland, Maine.

What a fun looking route that I nearly forgot about. This one has me pining for my glory days. I may have cheated on the start but it looks pretty clean from there on up. Set to Fancy Feet by Chromeo.

I just started climbing with a new friend that is a few inches shorter than me.
This route was proving to be quite a jerk for her but my extra height gave me an advantage to reach up and grab a nice hold right after coming left foot over the edge on the triangle looking piece. Goes to show you how having a route setter that is taller than you can really put you at a disadvantage. She has to heal hook and grab a tiny left hand and then go for the juggy hold.

Contrary to the name of the route. This route was totally for us. I’ve climbed it a few times but the great thing that I like about this route is that I almost always forget the ideal path and have to figure out the middle fresh. I think it keeps it interesting. Most other people don’t spin around like I do, but I think it makes it easier and more fun.

You may remember two videos made some time ago on the pier at Mackworth Island. Well I decided since I missed going last summer that I would get out this year. My excitement was hit head on with disappointment. Let me tell you why.

The first time I decided to take on this fun project I decided to attempt a traverse the whole way around above the water in one go. My first try, I made it all the way. I took a breather and jumped on the back side and came back around again. What an easy way to get my hands on some rock.
Well this time around, I didn’t make it to the first corner before my hands started to pump up. Then my arms. Before I knew it, I was starting to picture myself on YouTube as the dummy that fell into 18 inches of ocean on his head trying to be a cool climber.
Needless to say I panicked and mantled the top early. I guess I still have a way to go before I get built back up to my former climbing glory.