Gear Junkie: Hanchor Chalk Bags

"Made in Taiwan" 

It's a label that doesn't normally inspire confidence in a quality product. 

There's a stereotype that products from Taiwan are made on low budgets and that the quality of products is not a concern for the manufacturer's. For me, the label often reminds me of the cheap stuffed toys you see in claw machines and budget windows based laptops. However, a new and innovative bag company called Hanchor has dared to challenge the stereotype! 

Through their Kickstarter campaign in which they aimed to raise $5000 for there initial product run, they smashed their target raising more than $20,000, allowing them to begin production on there two innovative new chalk bag designs. The Kangaroo and the Hula.

KANGAROO

At first glance, the Kangaroo looks like any other chalk bag on the market. It's when you look a little closer you discover there's something special about this bag. Inside, there's an expandable zip pouch that allows the climber a couple of different options. You can either leave the zipper open allowing the bag to be used as a regular chalk bag or alternatively, the zip can be closed forming a built in chalk ball. For me, this is perfect combination as I prefer the thick coverage of loose chalk for bouldering but the thin coating you get with a chalk ball for sport. 

HULA

The aptly named Hula is also innovative in its approach to chalking up. It provides a unique 360° internal chalk ball system that is designed to give the climber full hand coverage with every dip while preventing chalk from spilling. It's two side zips open easily allowing for a quick refill and its ergonomic opening makes dipping for chalk a breeze. 

THE WORD

When I first came across this new bag concept on kick starter, I was instantly curious and wanted to know whether or not they worked in practice as well as theory. When the bags arrived at my door, I couldn't wait to try them out and immediately hopped on the train to my local NY gym. Arriving there, I opened the bags up and unzipped the pockets inside, filling them with loose chalk. Closing the the zip and giving the socks a couple of squeezes, I quickly discovered that these products are like buying a new mattress, it needs "bedding in". When I first filled the pouches, I found it difficult to get adequate coverage until I'd used them a few times. Once the sock material had softened up, It allowed a much better flow of chalk. 

Three gym sessions in from when I first filled the bags and they're now performing just how I had envisioned. I personally prefer the Kangaroo over the Hula because I find its functionality better suited to my climbing styles and its slightly narrower opening easier to use. The Hula seems a little large for a sport bag and a bit small for bouldering bucket. I'd like to see how the ring idea evolves over time.

In terms of price, they're currently a little on the expensive side compared to other bags out there but I foresee that will change as they gain popularity. They could certainly expand their choice of bag colours too.

COST: $$$$

Kangaroo - $34
Hula - $37

FUNCTIONALITY: 

Kangaroo - 8 / 10
This bag is a cool new concept and works well but the bedding in part was a annoying. I would recommend this to be on every sport climbers wish list.

Hula - 7 / 10
I admire the innovative design of this product and I like the theory behind it. However, I don't think it works as well in practice as I expected. I'm psyched to see where this design trend leads.

Yosemite Bouldering: An alternative view of the valley

Entering Yosemite Valley is something you can never forget...

The views are sculptured right out of a dream and as the white granite wall rise up all around, you catch your first glimpse of the iconic Half Dome and El Capitan face in the distance.

John Muir once wrote of Yosemite, saying; 

"None can escape its charms. Its natural beauty cleans and warms like a fire, and you will be willing to stay forever in one place like a tree."
- John of the Mountains: The Unpublished Journals of John Muir, (1938),

Surrounded by this beauty, It's easy to see how many people over look the many boulders that litter the floor below. On a recent trip I took to the valley, I was lucky enough to be with a fantastic group of people that have embraced both the big wall and boulder culture.

Kevin Jorgeson and Carlo Traversi are childhood friends and have been climbing in the valley together since they were young. Kevin in particular, has been here A LOT. Since the age of 16, he has visited every year, repeating many of the hard problems including the notoriously tough problem Dominated, V13.

Kevin Jorgeson on the ultra classic, Bachar Cracker

During a rest day, they gave me the "Classics" bouldering tour. After a short time, it became clear that there is an incredible mass of established bouldering here and even more than had yet to be climbed. We visited problems such as the The King, Hexentric, Bachar Cracker, The Force, Thriller,  Dominated and everyones favourite, Midnight Lightning!

Can you guess what it is?

If you've never climbed on Yosemite granite, it's friction and density are amazing! The rock deals out incredibly creative problems, on massive boulders that have just the right amount of holds to make them possible. 

The valley offers a lifetime of boulder problems yet to be sent that are easily accessible, but until recently, it had been suffering from a drought of enthusiasm from climbers. That is until a couple of weeks ago, when Carlo Traversi turned up in his magical land dolphin.

Carlo is quite possibly the strongest muthaf*cka i have ever had the pleasure to climb with. He has an incredible ability to seemingly levitate between big dynamic moves with the precision of a surgeon. I think he may also be the only person that has a chance at beating the impossible Gorilla Grip game that was at fair grounds across the UK in the early 90's.

In his first couple of weeks in here, Carlo has establish a V12 FA and repeated many of the hardest problems including the V11 highball, The Shield. He is now on the hunt to find a boulder where he can establish the next level in yosemite bouldering.

Mary Mecklenburg on incredible "Tendons Give"

Carlo is not the only one in the valley sending hard problems. A new wave of strong young climbers has hit the valley and made this a hot spot for new development. Keep an eye on this place over the coming boulder season. I'm sure we'll see some great updates!

The Dawn Wall: Standing on the shoulders of a giants

Looking up at the Dawn Wall

The Dawn Wall... Situated on the worlds most prolific rock face in Yosemite Valley, its name echos in the in the mind of climbers across the entire globe. Its difficulty is legendary and has thwarted many of the worlds best climbers including Jonathan Siegrest and Chris Sharma. 

This project has been in the limelight of the climbing world for almost five years, making it one of the longest (if not THE longest) climbing projects ever attempted. 

The team heading the siege on this mega route is Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson, both incredibly talented climbers with massive climbing achievements to their name. Together, they have spent an estimated twelve months in the valley on this project alone, over 70% of which Kevin estimates has been spent working up on the wall. 

That works out at to be: 255.5 days, 6132 hours, 367, 920 minutes or...

Kevin Jorgeson jumaring up pitch 4

six times longer than the average person spends brushing their teeth in a lifetime!

Due to Tommy's recent accident in which a haul bag took a 200ft whipper onto his harness, separating his ribs (Article), Kevin contacted me to come out and stand in as his belay for the interim period while Tommy heals up. With such short notice, i wasn't sure whether I could make it happen, but knew I had to find a way. Ever since I first saw a picture of the Captain, I've dreamt of climbing up the wall by any route possible. Helping out on the hardest one was definitely a bonus!

I managed to juggle my commitments and hastily booked my flight out to San Francisco where I met up with Kevin. Together, we embarked on a highly caffeinated journey to Yosemite Valley some three hours away.  Upon arrival, we were joined by legendary camera men Keith Ladzinski and Andy Mann of 3 Strings Productions who planned to film Kevin's progress on the wall.

Andy Mann joining us at base camp around 1000ft up

Keith Ladzinski and Andy Mann in position for the second traverse pitch

The crux of the project is some 1000ft up the wall where the route crosses over the notoriously hard  and impressive aid route, Reticent Wall. (If you've not heard of this route, read Psychovertical by Andy Kirkpatrick). These two pitches are where our efforts are focused as neither have been sent. However, getting to this point on the route requires a jumar "warm up" that feels like the equivalent of sprinting a 5.9 route for an hour and a half.

Gareth Leah (me) working my way up to base camp

This is a small price to pay for the views you receive being up on the wall. Peering out from the portaledge, the midday sun warms your whole body and paints its soft glow across the the valley.

A truly unforgettable moment.

We're two days into the filming and have been forced to take a rest day due to bad weather. We're aiming to head back up in a day or two if the weather permits. We may head up today to secure the ledges better after a forecast of 40mph winds...

it's going to be GRIPPING!

A room with a view

I'd like to say a huge thank you to Adidas Outdoor who kindly shipped me out a box of their awesome technical gear to keep me warm while up on the wall. With such last minute notice to leave, I would never have had time to get everything together in time. I'd also like to thank Scarpa for hooking me up with some awesome shoes. You guys ROCK!

Rock Climbing in New York: NYC Bouldering Guide

"New York City is best known for it yellow cabs, retail stores, and phenomenal skyline. It's a city full of coffee culture, alternative fashion and rock climbing... 

This lesser known fact may come as a surprise to most who have yet to explore the hidden landscapes beneath the cities veil of steel and concrete. These unique boulders are steeped in history and offer a climbing experience like nowhere else In the world!" - Gareth Leah

Over the past year I have searched for, climbed, photographed, documented, and climbed again hundreds of boulders in NYC in a quest to create a bouldering guide for arguably the most famous city on the planet. It's taken blood, sweat, flappers and tears to bring about what i believe is one of the most incredible looking guidebooks ever created. It's been an incredible journey, making some incredible friends along the way and nesting into the city that i now call my home.


When i first began this project, I didn't truly appreciate the scope of what i was creating. It was a personal project that i took upon myself to fill time and get to know people. It had a different design, different images and different feel to what it has now become. Below you can see the Final cover (left) and the original (right).

It originally had around 80 pages and was based upon the style and design of the old subway map. The images i took myself while learning the how to use a camera and in all honesty, it was a little mediocre. 

Original designs (below)

This final version of the book comes almost a year after the original was drawn up but still has remenants of the original. The maps have been transplanted from the old version and spruced up with some water color and slight modifications. The line drawings have been adapted to overlay new images and the route colors changed to fit the publisher. 

New Version (below)

The book also gained some media attention from: The New York Times, The New York Daily News, Grimper Magazine, Climberism Magazine, Grimpe Magazine, Gripped magazine, Empire State of Climb and The Vertical amongst many others.


The book is now out and available here: Sharp End Books and at many outdoor retailers worldwide


I hope this book takes you to places you've never been before and gives you a new perspective on NYC.

New York Climbing Gyms

New York City is one of the largest cities on this egg shaped rock we call earth.

It is home to 8.2 million people, 20,000 street venders, 12,700 yellow taxi's, 48 white castles and 5 climbing gyms in or nearby!

Click here to view the interactive map

Whether you're a first timer or a veteran climber, there's a gym in New York (or close by) to suite your needs. Below is a map of all the current and upcoming climbing walls in and around the city so that no matter where you're staying, you can get your climbing fix!

The gyms covered here are: 
Brooklyn Boulders, Chelsea Piers, The Cliffs, MPHC, Reebok and The Rock Club.

1. Brooklyn Boulders
Located within walking distance of the Union St metro station and highly accommodating for cyclists with its large bike rack facility. Brooklyn Boulders is a great wall for locals and commuters alike. It is one of the largest climbing centres on the east coast with over 22,000 sq feet of climbing!

There is a real community atmosphere here and there are always plenty of people willing to help you solve problems you may be struggling with. The instructors here are qualified, experienced climbers and always happy to answer your questions whether its how to become a climber or how to push your limits.

Facilities:
Top ropes
Auto belays
Lead wall with arch and staligtite
Tons of bouldering
Multiple styles of campus board
Systems board
Slack lining

Overall:
The facility really speaks for itself. It offers lessons for everyone of all abilities and at a reasonable price. A standard day pass here will set you back $20 without gear hire which is the average cost here in New York. Instruction is more and needs to be booked. The only down side to here is that it can get pretty crowded during peak times which is generally any day after 4pm.

Info:
www.brooklynboulders.com
Tel: (347) 834-9066

2. Chelsea Piers
Out on the west side of Manhattan, Chelsea Piers is one of the most difficult walls to commute to and one of the more expensive one too. However, It has a very impressive 46' high by 100' wide main wall, the 14' high by 70' wide bouldering wall and the adjacent 16' high by 18' wide bouldering cave which combined offer over 11,000 square feet of sculpted, three-dimensional climbing surface that will challenge novice and expert climbers alike. In addition, a radically designed, overhanging competition roof provides experienced sport climbers with the ultimate challenge and stamina fest!

Facilities:

Huge lead wall with overhang
Bouldering wall
Bouldering cave

Overall:
The facilities are very impressive and if you're already a climber and are serious about improving then this is a place that you must visit! It is much more expensive here than other facilities around New York and is better suited to those who have plenty of extra cash and climbing experience. A day pass here will set you back $50!

Info:
www.chelseapiers.com
Tel:  (212) 336-6083



3. The Cliffs Long Island City 
Opening early Spring 2013, this is set to be one of the biggest climbing facilities in the entire US! It will be easily accessible by public transport, car and bike with its roadside parking and easy bicycle store. Combined with its huge 30,000 sq feet of climbing, multi-gym, fitness bathrooms (showers) and a retail store. This could be New York's one stop shop for climbers. 

Let's see what happens!

Facilities:
Massive top out bouldering
Crack climbing
60 ft lead wall with a 35 ft overhang
Cutting edge new wall designed by Walltopia
Fitness area including bathrooms and showers
Retail store

Overall:
It's currently still under construction but their will be a review as soon as i get a glimpse at the new place.

Info:
www.thecliffsclimbing.com
Tel: (914) 328-ROCK



4. Manhattan Plaza Health Club 
A community driven climbing wall in the heart of the city. It is the smallest climbing facility in the city but what it lacks in size it makes up for with goings on. There are always creative and fun events happening here from glow stick climbing to film festivals. This is a great place to take beginner lessons if you prefer not having a large number of people watching you as its never too crowded.

Facilities:
Overhanging lead wall
Short top ropes
Small bouldering wall
Campus board and fingerboard

Overall:
Small and friendly but could invest in some new climbing holds to make climbing a little more enjoyable. A standard day pass will set you back $20 which is the average rate in the city and overall its a nice place to climb!

Info:
www.mphc.com
Tel: (212) 563-7001



5. Reebok Sports Gym
Sports club is not the right word to describe this facility. It's more of a country club and it's members only! I never actually got to go here as there is no day pass. To visit you must go with another member and pay a $35 entrance fee to climb. There are no lessons here and a yearly pass is upwards of $2,200!

Facilities:
40 ft by 18 ft wall with 4 lines

Overall:
Not worth the effort unless you really have money to burn and even then you could spend the same money going to any of the other gyms and getting a better facility and experience.

Info:
www.sportsclubla.com
Tel: (212) 355-5100




6. The Rock Club

The Rock Club is the dubbed "New York area’s premier indoor climbing center". featuring a 40 foot high main wall with terrain ranging from easy to radically extreme. With around 80 climbing stations with over 200 individual routes.

Whatever your climbing interest, ability or age, you'll enjoy your time at The Rock Club. The walls were designed, engineered and built by RockWerx, the leader in indoor climbing walls and the staff are pros with a passion for climbing and commitment to customer service. Their enthusiasm will rub off on you!

Facilities:
Boulder wall, cave and VOLCANO
Multiple overhangs, slabs, dihedrals, arches and more angles than Mt. Rushmore
Full cardio training area
Beginner and group area
Function rooms
Childrens Nursery

Full retail store


Overall:
A truly incredible climbing gym with staff that care a lot about the sport. It has everything you could possibly need to become a climber and improve. A day pass is just $15 to boulder which is by far the best price of any gym! The only downside would be travelling from the city as it would take some time and be difficult without a car. If you can go, do it!

Info:
www.climbrockclub.com
Tel: (914) 633-ROCK



All this information and more can also be found in the upcoming climbing book NYC Bouldering Guide.