Routes Setting for Indoor Drytooling

We get many questions from the climbing community about how to set routes for drytooling. Given there are three methods to train (looping tools, hooking tools, and outdoor tools), there are three approaches to route setting. Route setting for ice climbing and drytooling can be safe and simple for all three by following these basic guidelines.

1 - Route Setting with Drytooling Holds

The pandemic set the home climbing wall world on fire, and if our drytooling hold sales are any indication, it’s burning even brighter A significant portion of the ice climbing community figured out that they can get their ice climbing fix by investing in some drytooling equipment for their home walls. Post pandemic gyms are eager to increase revenue streams by catering to more segments of the climbing community including ice climbers and drytoolers.

Here are basic safety and route setting guidelines for setting drytooling routes for outdoor tools at home and in the gym:

A NOTE ON SAFETY

-Wear a helmet. When your tools pop off a hold, those tools and all their hard pointy bits are coming for your head. Wear a helmet to prevent unwanted head trauma.

-Tethers. If you’re climbing anywhere near other climbers, including your belayer, use tethers (or leashes, whatever). Dropping tools in a recreational gym environment is simply not an option. Tethers mitigate that risk, Use them.

If you’re drytooling on your home wall, well, you can pretty much do what you want, but the consequences (taking a tool to the face when it pops, slicing up your expense padding, worse…) are on you. Think it through, take a breath.

PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS

-Backer Plates. So you spent all that money building your home wall, or you’re setting drytool routes at a million dollar facility, how can you prevent the picks from damaging the wall? Backer plates prevent the picks from contacting the climbing wall surface. These can be as simple as plywood squares cut larger than the hold, or as slick as purpose built aluminum mounting plates. Not all drytooling holds will need a backer plate, but when they do, it’s the obvious solution.

The Full Set of Smarts Stones Drytooling Holds. Backer Plates built in.

-Holds. While this section of the discussion is centered on real, purpose built drytooling holds, some climbers advocate using regular climbing holds. We do not advise this. Regular rock climbing holds are not designed to withstand the immense pressure and forces associated with ice picks on holds. There are exceptions to this, like drilling holes in large slopers for fun and challenging placements, but these are few and rare. If you really want to use plastic, there are some companies producing resin holds designed for drytooling. Use real drytooling holds. You do not want to worry about hold integrity when you find yourself fig-4-ing above your kid’s tricycle in the garage.

-Route Setting. To set easy routes, keep the holds close for easier placement. Set routes on less-than-vertical to vertical terrain. Keep the footholds large and obvious for new climbers to focus on the strange and exciting world of drytooling.

To ratchet up the challenge, set on steeper train. No terrain is too steep, but realize the difficulty will increase dramatically with every degree of steepness. Also remember that the climber’s reach with tools is at least 21” longer on each arm. Set the holds further apart to account for the increase in ape index.

2 - Route setting for DRY ICE Evolutions

Our hook style DRY ICE Evolutions address almost all of the concerns gym owners and home wallers have regarding indoor drytooling. While there’s nothing better than training on shiny drytooling holds with pointy and exciting outdoor tools, sometimes that is just not practical. Evolutions are designed to fill that void, allowing for gym-safe ice climbing and drytooling training by using a climbing hold friendly pick, no sharp points, integrated tether point, and a full-strength, hand-friendly, rounded wood handle that can stein pull.

To set for DRY ICE Evolutions, the approach is very similar to setting with drytooling holds. The difference is only in the manner the Evolution pick engages with regular climbing holds. The pick is 1” wide, with a rubber tip pad and rounded tip. There are few holds the pick won’t engage with, like certain rounded over foot jibs for example, but familiarity with the limits of tools will immediately increase the quality of route setting.

For easy routes, keep the holds close for easier placement. Set routes on less-than-vertical to vertical terrain. Keep the footholds large and obvious for new climbers to focus on the strange and exciting world of drytooling.

To ratchet up the challenge, set on steeper train. There’s no terrain too steep, but realize the difficulty will increase dramatically. Also remember that the reach with tools is at least 21” longer on each arm. Set the holds further apart to account for the increase in ape index.

3 - Route setting for DRY ICE Tools

While loop style DRY ICE Tools were designed to be used on most climbing holds, training benefits increase when specific routes are set for DRY ICE Tools.

Setting DRY ICE routes simply requires attention to how the tools are used.  Route Setters should use the tools so that they can gain a kinesthetic knowledge of DRY ICE.  Below are some helpful guidelines, pointers, and some anecdotal tips for setting satisfying routes for DRY ICE Tools.

General Notes:

A real ice tool pick will blow off of marginal placements if the direction of pull is not consistent.  Careful focus and concentration to maintain the placement is necessary to stay on. This focus is what makes ice and mixed climbing interesting.

-Holds used with DRY ICE Tools must have some positivity.  Incuts, Jugs, Finger Buckets, and Horns all work very well.

-For advanced routes, holds can be set such that the tools must be used in an undercling or sidepull fashion.

-Sidepulling, Gastoning, and Laybacks are super fun with DRY ICE tools.  These moves force climbers to pay special attention to their body positioning, body tension, and footwork.

-Even the smallest nubbin can be used with DRY ICE Tools, so long as there is some positivity on the edge of the nubbin.

-Slopers can in fact be used with DRY ICE Tools.  The strap must be able to fit over the hold, and the rubber will 'grip' the Sloper, creating situations that simulate marginal dry tool placements in the outdoors.  Care must be taken by the climber to make sure that pressure is applied in consistent direction so the tool placement doesn't blow, exactly as in outdoor mixed ice and rock climbing.

Level 1 Movement

-When starting DRY ICE Route setting, the distance between holds should not be more than the length of the tools.  This is because when climbers lock off, they can only reach that far.

-Pay special attention to the footwork.  Just like bouldering, you can set marginal feet which will put the focus on the tools.

Level 2 Movement

-Steep routes (anything more than vertical) will be VERY hard with the tools.  This makes for a spectacular workout and prepares climbers for outdoor climbing.

-It’s easy to slide into simply setting the holds so the tools are used vertically.  But be creative look for creative side pulling moments.  Imagine an increase of 42” to your ape index.

Level 3 Movement

-Remember your reach is now 21” longer on each arm, so getting your feet on the wall above you is very difficult.

-There is a LOT of being upside down, and it looks like this:

And:

-Figure 4’s and Figure 9’s are extremely challenging but successful in extending the climber’s reach through very steep or overhanging sections.

-Setting transitions from fig 4 to 9 is the most important thing here.

Last Thoughts

-Be creative.  There is no limit to how nutty these routes can be.  There are no rules in ice or mixed climbing.

-Be Safe.  Setting routes with placements that are too marginal may compromise the safety and enjoyment of a route. For example, a clipping hold should be a decent hold.  Also, mind the transitions from hold to hold.  If a climber is unable to maintain the direction of pull needed to keep the tool on the hold, the tool may ‘pop’ and may potentially hit the climber in the face.  This is not common, but setters should be mindful to prevent gratuitous falls. 

For more information or if you have any questions, contact Nick Hernandez at Nick@Furnace-Industries.com