The X-Files

As part of our ongoing effort to bring our customers useful articles, reviews and general interest content we have instigated a new feature which we will be developing and expanding over the coming weeks and months – The X-Files.

These mini articles will centre on giving you valuable information on climbing (Alpine, Bouldering, Ice, Sport and Trad) destinations worldwide. They will give a concentrated document, based on a specific formula, eventually offering an easily comparable database to destinations across the globe.

The formula of each X-File will consist of the following invaluable information for when planning a trip:

* Area & Style of Climbing
* Location
* Best Time To Go & Conditions
* Getting There
* Accessibility
* Accommodation & Provisions
* Guide Book/s
* Grade Spread & Recommended Routes
* General Tips
* Useful Links

For an idea of what this will offer you feel free to check out our pilot file:
X-File #1: Kjugekull Bouldering


Obviously these bullet point style mini articles do not offer quite the same depth as a full blown article and the “X-Files” are in no way intended to replace our more in-depth offerings, but are foreseen as a concise, useful and more easily comparable addition to our ever increasing content.

X-File #1: Kjugekull Bouldering

Area & Style of Climbing
Kjugekull - Bouldering

Location
Sweden, South East (Europe)



Overview
A superbly picturesque granite bouldering area, featuring many fantastic fontainebleau-esque blocs and traverses (over 800 problems) on often huge glacially worn granite boulders. The area is situated in a deciduous wood, and in some parts overflows in to meadows and some hillside settings.

Best Time To Go & Conditions
The best conditions generally occur from late October through to March. It is possible to climb throughout the year, although the Spring, Summer and even Autumn can be pretty warm. The maximum rainfall occurs in late summer, and the minimum in early spring. The boulders dry quickly after rain, especially those in the meadows.


Getting There
The cheapest option is to fly from Stanstead to Copenhagen via easyjet.com, prices range from £50 return upwards. The nearest airport to the climbing is actually Malmo (Sweden), although, at the time of writing, none of the low budget airlines flies here.

Accessibility
The climbing is situated approximately 2.5 hours (by car) from Copenhagen (Denmark) airport so you will need a vehicle. Once at the campsite the majority of the climbing is only a 10 minute drive away.

Accommodation & Provisions
Ivö Camping is located on Ivön island, a few miles northeast of Kjugekull in the Ivösjön. The camping is roughly 100Skr per night (£8.50), alternatively you can rent a 4 bed cabin for 295Skr per night (£25). The main office opens from 10am-6pm all year round, and has a small shop containing a basic range of food and drinks. For a greater selection of products there are a number of larger supermarkets on the outskirts of Kristianstad, around 20km (15mins) away. As the camping is on an island there is a small car ferry to access it, this is free and operates pretty much 24:7.


Guide Book/s
Title: Kjugekull Med Mera / Price: €44.50 (Currently unavailable in the UK)

Grade Spread
Over 800 problems from Font3 to Font8a+, with best problems being in the mid-grades. A few of my favorite problems included, Moby Dick 7b+ (see image below), Sonic (7b+), Survivaldildo (6a+), Coluseeum (6c+), Mojo (7a+), and Monolith (7a+).


Useful Tips
The area is located on the edge of a Lakeland province of Sweden; as such summertime can bring an unwanted selection of flies, mosquitoes and other irritating insects.

If you’re partial to a tipple of higher strength alcohol (above 3.5%!) then it may be worth purchasing a bottle on the plane during your outward journey, as higher strength alcohol is much harder to obtain in Sweden than mainland Europe.

The area is also featured in a two decent DVD's. These give a good opportunity to see the area in all is glory and eye up the best lines before your visit. The DVD's are - Tjugo Pa Kjuge and Swedish Meatballs.

Relevant Links
Flights: Easyjet.com
Car Hire: CarRentals.co.uk
Guide Book Purchase: Piz Buch & Berg Online Shop
Guide Book Affiliated Website: www.kjuge.nu
Campsite: Ivö Camping

Review: Five Ten Camp 4

In recent times the approach shoe has broken free from its esoteric climbers-specific categorization and, for many, has taken the place of the lightweight fabric boot – offering instant comfort, better sensitivity and breathability, whilst giving a more street friendly look and still providing a good level of technical performance.

Of course the term “approach shoe” covers a massive spectrum of product, from mass produced generic £20 affairs, to the more technical multi-tasking end market, which range from £65 upwards. Even within the top end bracket there are many sub-categories, with shoe models being specifically tailored to suit differing needs, from warm dry weather to colder wet weather, long walk-ins to scrambling and so on.

Due to our heritage Rock + Run tends to stick to the more technical or climbing applicable approach shoes, that is we generally offer a range of shoes which will get you to the crag but also offer a decent level of performance on the rock. Whether it be jugging up El Cap, scrambling in the Lakes or incorporating a days walking with a few easy solos we like to think we’ll have something to suit.

The Five Ten approach shoe range has always fitted well with our ethos and in the long standing Guide Tennie we have one our best selling footwear models. Over the last couple of years the Five Ten range has seen somewhat of an overhaul and the Guide Tennie is now the sole survivor of the original “sticky rubber” approach shoes that defined a genre.

Of the newer models (Prodigy, Insight, Savant and Camp 4) I have personally hammered a pair of the excellent Prodigy’s into submission and due to their recent demise have moved on to test out the newest edition to the range, the Camp 4. I’ve had my Camp 4’s for around two months and after using them in the UK and Switzerland for walk-in’s, easy climbing (i.e. warming up) and generally hangin’ out, I can honestly say they’re probably the best pair of approach shoes I have ever owned!

Despite the massive popularity of the Guide Tennie it doesn’t really suit my needs. I tend to do a fair bit of walking to get to crags/areas, and as we all know walking any distance in a Britain can involve quite a lot of bog dodging and negotiating wet slippery surfaces. Thus the low profile and dotted tread of the Tennie doesn’t really offer enough beef in the sole or support in the upper.

The Camp 4 is equally suited to standard British walk-in conditions as it is on arid rocky terrains.


Having used the Prodigy on varying terrains (high Sierras, Texan desert, Alpine foothills, Lakeland fells and the Yorkshire moors) and in varying conditions I feel I have a pretty rounded view on what it was suited too and for me, in spite of generally ticking all the boxes of what is a good approach shoe, it had one irritating failing – stability. I found the thickness of the EVA and narrowness of the sole at the rear of the shoe conspired to make for the odd hairy moment on uneven ground, although (having heard reports to the contrary) I am prepared to accept this may have been down a slight incompatibility between myself and the model. In any case there were defiantly at least a few areas in which the shoe could have been improved, step forward the Camp 4…

Fit
Whilst looking quite similar to the Prodigy the Camp 4 purveys a massively superior fit, with instant out-of-the-box comfort and stability. The last seems pretty average in width and volume and should suit most foot types. The heel incorporates Five Ten’s new proprietary technology, a molded PU external heel cage that adds rear-foot support and stability, allowing you to lug heavy loads for long distances, without the need for a regular high-top ankle supporting boot. I found this new feature to be stable and secure, and whilst I’m not convinced this negates the need for high-top boots altogether, it certainly helps in supporting and hold in the foot in place.

Sole/Midsole Unit
The outer sole is the sticky co-molded Stealth C4/S1 with internal shank, similar (but wider) to that used on the Prodigy. This uses an oval plug configuration/pattern on the tread which I found to be equally at home on both boggy and rocky terrain. One of the big concerns often voiced when it comes to sticky rubber sole units is the durability. Interestingly, on my Prodigy’s (which have the same configuration tread and thickness of rubber as the Camp 4) the upper wore out well before the sole was anywhere near wearing smooth. The midsole is a compression molded EVA which gives a good balance between support when walking and sensitivity when climbing/scrambling, although due to the chunkier feel this shoe it is not as suited to actual rock climbing as it’s sleeker cousin, the Guide Tennie.

Construction
The build quality of all the new Five Ten approach shoes seems very good - we haven’t had any returns to date - and a marked improvement from the old days of rapidly delaminating Mountain Masters. The uppers are constructed from good quality Nubuck leather, which offers burley durability and breathability, whilst also being pretty weather resistant. The lacing is a traditional riveted hole set-up which gives longevity, is easily adjustable and offers minimum faf.

The Camp 4 making light work of straightforward scrambles.

Summary
In condensing the above blurb I would conclude by saying that the Camp 4 is an awesomely fitting, keenly priced and well constructed approach shoe. It offers a excellent balance between a walking and climbing/scrambling shoe, but if you’re after something for predominantly the latter activity the more sensitive Guide Tennie may be a better option. If I had to offer one point that could be conceived as a negative it would be the weight (940g-UK9), however, for me personally, this was not an issue.

Read another independent Camp4 review (August 07) on the at Alpinist.com here.
Read another independent Camp4 review (November 07) on the at Alpinist.com here.
Read another independent Camp4 review on the at RockandIce.com here.

Purchase the Five Ten Camp 4 (£68) from Rock + Run here.

Gripmaster Training Tips

The exercises provided below have been chosen from a vast array of numerous routines available as those most specific to rock climbing. They are designed to enhance and maintain the physical attributes and strength of both your hands and fingers as well as the general health and athleticism of your mits.

Begin all exercises slowly and use low resistance and few repetitions. Hold each position 3-5 seconds and relax - repeat 5 to 10 times. Little by little increase to 3 sets of 10 (30 reps). When graduating to a higher resistance begin again with 5 to 10 reps and build slowly.

If you experience pain or fatigue – stop immediately. As with any exercise, excessive or incorrect use can lead to pain or injury. Therefore progress slowly and increase reps and resistance very cautious.

Hook Grasp
What it does:
Strengthens the only muscles that bend the fingertips. Especially helpful when the hand is open and you need to hold an object or support your weight with a fingertip hold. Also strengthens longer muscles in the forearm and wrist while stretching smaller muscles in hand for greater motion and endurance.

How to do it:
Place fingertips on individual buttons and position ergonomic palm bar in the palm with the hook over the web space between the thumb and index finger. Keeping fingertips slightly bent, flex all fingers toward the centre of the unit.





Thumb Pinch
What it does:
Provides isolated strength to the thumb and the side of the index finger for a strong lateral hold. Strengthens thumb and index finger for greater stability and coordination.

How to do it:
Place the hook of the ergonomic palm bar on the inside of the bent index finger. With the tip of the thumb slightly bent, flex the thumb on the first button. Note: for increased resistance, flex the thumb tip on the first two buttons at the same time.






Tripod Pinch
What it does:
Assists in holding awkward small pinches.

How to do it:
Place the thumb tip in the centre of the ergonomic base with the index and long fingertips resting on the two centre buttons. Keeping the fingertips bent, flex the thumb and fingers toward the centre of the unit at the same time. Be sure to keep the ring and small fingers bent into the palm during this exercise.








Power Pinch
What it does:
Provides extra power to the small muscles at the base of the thumb and pinky finger to enhance your grasping ability.

How to execute:
Place the hook of the ergonomic base between the ring & pinky fingers and across the base of the pinky finger. Reach across the palm with the thumb to press the button closest to the fingers.

Fingertip Pinch
What it does:
Isolates finger tip motion for the finer movements involving coordination and dexterity of the hand. The quality of finger tip movement allows the climber reach a good level of general pinching strength and dexterity.

How to do it:
Place all finger tips on their own button with the tip of the thumb on the centre of the ergonomic base. Keeping all finger tips bent, flex the thumb and all the fingers toward the centre of the unit at the same time. If you experience pain or fatigue – stop immediately.







Finger Play
What it does:
Allows the fingers to press individually or in various combinations to help improve finger coordination, dexterity and strength to aid in all sports play and object manipulation.

How to do it:
Position Gripmaster in the hand similarly to the hook grasp exercise. Place finger tips on individual buttons, and ergonomic bar in the palm with the hook over the web space between the index finger and thumb. Keeping fingers slightly bent, flex 1-4 digits in varying combinations toward the centre of the unit as if playing an instrument.

Purchase Gripmaster Heavy (£10) here.
Purchase Gripmaster Pro(£15) here.