Scenarios Read
An awkward clip
The next quickdraw is at full reach from a small crimp. Clip now, move up to a good hold first, or climb past it?
1 min read
3 sections
1 interactive
Play it
Read the situation, pick a choice, and watch the forearm gauge and the clock. Then try the other choices.
What to take away
Clipping from a good hold at waist-to-chest height is quicker, costs less grip and puts less slack out while you clip. Climbing past a clip makes a fall much longer.
Model assumptions
- The route is a 40-hold diagram; the climber's position, forearm oxygen and clock are illustrations, not measurements.
- Forearm changes follow the rules of the forearm model, with the 47 s refill half-time measured in intermediate adult climbers (Fryer et al. 2015).
- Falls and top-outs are chosen to show the typical consequence of each choice. Real outcomes depend on the climber, the route and luck.
- Each reason is labelled: measured (from a cited study), coaching practice (common advice without a study), or model (this site's simplification).