Indoor Drytooling Guidelines USA Ice Climbing

Drytooling and mixed climbing are growing sports in the USA. As a natural progression in climbing, these sports are increasingly being brought inside to the climbing gym. With a little bit of effort, most gyms can create an environment safe for both drytoolers and other users. This document is a guide for how gyms can incorporate drytooling, and can aid in the creation of an official policy.

A UMD student competing at a UMD RSOP drytooling competition.

Safety Safety is often one of the major concerns for gyms who are considering offering drytooling. These safety concerns can be mitigated with a few simple policies.

Helmets Helmets should be considered mandatory for all climbers who are drytooling on a rope, whether they are toproping or leading. Helmets are recommended for bouldering but should not be considered mandatory. Helmets are not necessary for belayers when tethers are being utilized

Falling Tools

Tethers Tethers are one of the easiest solutions to prevent the tools from hurting a person or damaging the floor. While it is an easy solution, it can reduce the quality of the experience for a drytooler, as well as, slightly increase the possibility of a drytooler being hit by their own tools. When toproping, it is recommended that the tethers be connected to the climber’s end of the rope rather than directly to the harness. When tethers are connected directly to the harness, a fall when the tools are hooked on a hold can cause the tools to slingshot toward the drytooler. If the tethers are connected to the rope, the drytooler can fall any distance and likely not knock the tools off of the holds they are hooked on. When attaching the tethers to the toprope, make sure that you use a small locking carabiner that will not slide below the tie in knot. When leading, the tethers should be connected directly to the harness.

Nets Nets can be used to stop tools from hitting floors and people below. This solution is most commonly used in a competition setting.

Free falling Tools Allowing tools to drop all the way to the ground can be easily managed by some gyms. It is the safest option for the climber and is often the best option for a competition setting. An area should be cordoned off as an area only for belayers and climbers wearing helmets. This area should include all floor space that is directly below a climbing route. On most climbing gym floors, the tools do not bounce more than a few inches.

Protecting the Climbing Wall

Backer plates are often used to protect the climbing wall. Backer plates are commonly made out of plywood, hardwood, carpet and plastic and are placed between the climbing hold and the climbing wall. A properly placed backer plate will stop the pick and head of the ice climbing tool from touching the climbing wall. A variety of shapes and sizes helps a route setter work with the various shapes and sizes of climbing holds. Volumes designated specifically for drytooling can also be used to stop the tools from touching the climbing wall. When crampons are allowed in gyms volumes are used for kicking into.

4 of 11 © 2017 USA Ice Climbing 11-07-2018 6”x6” squares of plastic or wood with a ⅜ hole in the center work well for the average hold. If the hold is used as a stein or a Yang-Gap a 6”x9” piece of material works with a hole near one end. If using wood, ¼” plywood works well. It is thick enough to last a reasonable amount of time and thin enough to stay out of the way of climbers.

An example of a climbing hold that does not require a backer plate because the geometry of the hold does not allow the ice tool to touch the wall when properly used. A backer plate may still be desired by some gyms.

An example of a plywood backer plate.

Route Setting Considerations Holds A variety of hold styles, from homemade wood holds to manufactured drytooling holds, can be used for drytooling. Normal climbing holds work well, but are often softer than drytooling holds and will fall apart faster than a drytooling hold. Normal climbing holds with harder plastics do last longer than softer holds. It can be effective to drill holes into large or unfeatured holds to create places for the tool picks.

Drytooling specific holds are available from Spire Equipment (US), Atomik (US), Top Point (Russia), Sam Holds (Switzerland) and Discovery (Korea). There is a mixture of materials available including plastic, steel, aluminum, rock and combinations of 2 or more materials.

Many creative holds can add fun and uniqueness to the climbing experience but don’t directly translate to outdoor mixed climbing skills. These types of holds include hockey pucks, Ice Holdz, high-density foam. It can be effective to drill holes into large or unfeatured holds to create places for the tool picks. Moderate to difficult drytooling routes often require an overhanging wall, 10-60 degrees overhanging.

The reach of an intermediate or advanced drytooler is significant, holds should be placed far apart to increase the difficulty. Conversely, for beginner routes, the holds should be close together and have good foot holds, so that beginners can learn to trust the tools and then progress to larger moves.

Bouldering with ice tools.

Alternatives to Drytooling

Rubbering Rubbering is climbing with ice tool picks that incorporate a flat climbing surface covered in sticky rubber. The most common rubbering picks are made by Escape Climbing. Many of the same safety concerns of drytooling are shared by rubbering. Rubbering can allow an individual to acquire some of the strengths needed in ice and mixed climbing, but does little to help develop technique. The body movement and tool placements are significantly different than drytooling and mixed climbing.

A climber using tethers with rubbering picks.

Looping Tools with cord or rubber loops can be used on climbing holds in indoor gyms. Two manufacturers are Alpkit and Furnace Industries. This type of tool does not allow for development of technique and requires a fairly specific hold that the loops can fit over. Often, specific routes need to be set for use with loop tools.

Atomohawk The atomohawk is a new product by Atomik Climbing, that is a wood peg with a handle. There are specifically designed holds that accept the wood peg.

The drytool bouldering area at Délire Escalade where crampons are allowed for kicking into the plywood. Lead climbing with rock shoes is allowed in other parts of the gym. Photo: David Bouffard

Gyms that Offer Indoor Drytooling USA City Rock, Colorado Springs, CO Midwest Mountaineering, Minneapolis, MN

10 of 11 © 2017 USA Ice Climbing 11-07-2018 Petra Cliffs, VT Portland Rock, Gym Portland, OR Roca Climbing & Fitness, Rochester, MN (Special events) Rock Climb Fairfield, CT The Mountaineers, Seattle, WA The Rock Lounge, Durango, CO UMD Sports and Recreation, Duluth, MN Vertical Endeavors, Duluth, MN (special events) Anchorage, Alaska gym

Canada Canmore Bouldering Cave, Canmore, AB Délire Escalade, QC