Route setter
Encyclopedia
A route setter is a person who designs artificial rock climbing
wall routes. Also known as "setters", these professionals combine technical craft with an artistic representation of real rock climbing moves. They do this with modular resin
holds or "grips" that mimic real rock features. These routes are used by a rock climber to get to the top of a climbing wall.
A “setter” can set routes in many ways. They can set routes for bouldering
, top roping
, lead climbing
or many other types of climbing. The following are just some common methods typically used for setting boulder routes. To qualify for a person to become a route setter, he/she must take a workshop for a specific gym and if he/she wants to set elsewhere, he/she may need to get some certification.
The simplest ways on how to set an indoor
route with is to decide by placement, rocks, and/or themes. Setters tend to stay away from miscellaneous rocks placed randomly on a wall that are not one of the previously mentioned categories. This is because they are difficult to climb, not very enjoyable and is aesthetically unpleasing. Placement is where there is a specific part of the artificial wall the setter wants to work on. This wall could have ‘natural’ features or arêtes that the setter wants to be used when someone works on this route. When the setter chooses by rocks, he/she might have a specific boulder or boulders that he/she wants to base the route on. Occasionally these specific boulders are the crux of the route. Lastly the setter can base a bouldering route on theme. A themed boulder route is when the setter uses only boulders of one type such as crimp, sloper
, jugs, pocket, etc. The setter can also base the theme on one specific coloring or a brand or anything else that can be common among all boulders the setter chooses. When the setter plans a route make sure that it is in his/her skill level otherwise he/she cannot test his/her own route and possibly not be able to finish setting it. In addition, the router setter must make sure to communicate with the gym manager because they often will need more routes of a specific difficulty or type. Route setting can be done solo or in groups of route setters. The advantage of having more setters is that each setter will climb differently, can be used to test the route, have different arm spans, different strengths and weaknesses with climbing. The problem about having more people is there can be a clash of ideas and efficiency can go down because of this.
To mount the boulder into the artificial wall
the setter will simply have to screw it in with a screwdriver. Be careful not to set the screw too shallow because the boulder can be stripped if pulled hard enough. Additionally make sure the screw is not too deep otherwise it cannot be removed and has a chance of stripping the hole. Securing boulders are easy because the walls are built with holes strategically placed for common boulders to be placed. Boulders have different type of screws based on which type of boulder the company was made by. A setter must be sure to use the proper according screw and screwdriver otherwise a boulder may not be stable on the wall. Boulders can eventually be pulled off the wall over many uses and this can result in injury or death. A ladder might be required if the setter cannot reach the next desired place to screw in the boulder. The setter must mark off the area around the route that he/she is setting at because there might be loose boulders that can falls on people passing by or a climber does not accidentally climb into or around the incomplete area and possibly get hurt.
When a setter sets routes for rock climbing, he/she can also use boulders that are already pre-existing on the wall for his/her route and not necessarily have to put new ones up. At the start of the route setting he/she can either set routes by selecting boulder by boulder or by taping up places where he/she wants each boulder to be placed. Boulder by boulder is typically easier to start setting routes with. After each boulder placement, the setter will want to test the route. This will show if he/she will need to make any adjustments to any boulders. Possible adjustments could be to rotate the boulder(s) so they are easier/harder to climb and help the continuity of the route. Also the boulder(s) could be out of reach for climbers or too easy to reach in which the setter would add a smaller foothold for the shorter people or move the boulder so the route is not as easy respectively.
After the route is complete, the route setter will have to grade
to according to the grading standard system that the climbing gym he/she is setting in uses. Bouldering typically uses the Hueco System
from V0, V1, V2... V16. Top-roping typically uses the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS)
. Once the setter decides the grade, he/she will tape up the route to show which boulders are allowed to climb when climbing his/her route. A setter will not have to tape the boulders if he/she has already taped them up before picking boulders. Typically the start and finish of the route is marked with two pieces of tape. There can also be squares, crosses or any other shape to keep the beginning and end distinct. After taping the route and writing down the grade and possibly a name of the route, the route will need to be climbed again to double check if the tape can be seen from each step of the route.
After everything is complete, it is best to get another climber or climbers to test the setter’s route to see if the other climbers agree with the setter’s marked grade. The climber(s) should be able to climb the difficulty of the marked route before asking him/her to test it. There will always be climbers who climb the route differently from how the setter has planned climb it when he/she set it. This is not wrong and setter should not be bias or judge the climber for it. After a few climbers test it, the setter may want to modify the route. Routes are never permanent and always receive changes. Exception is if the route is made for a competition then it will not be altered until the competition is over. Routes will be removed whenever the climbing gym staff decides to change routes or add more routers or strip the wall and clean it for climbing competitions. At a climbing competition there will be designed route settings who will set from all grade levels and these new routes will typically stay up for a while.
When a setter is creating routes for top-roping or lead-climbing, it is very similar except that he/she will have more vertical space to build on versus horizontal space unlike bouldering. He/she will need a ladder and/or self-belaying device. When the setter is self-belaying he/she can attach a bucket or two onto his/her harness for stripping then wall of old boulders and/or adding new boulders onto the wall. Route setting for top-roping/lead-climbing can follow the similar techniques listed above except it is more common to add tape before boulder in this case.
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
wall routes. Also known as "setters", these professionals combine technical craft with an artistic representation of real rock climbing moves. They do this with modular resin
Resin
Resin in the most specific use of the term is a hydrocarbon secretion of many plants, particularly coniferous trees. Resins are valued for their chemical properties and associated uses, such as the production of varnishes, adhesives, and food glazing agents; as an important source of raw materials...
holds or "grips" that mimic real rock features. These routes are used by a rock climber to get to the top of a climbing wall.
A “setter” can set routes in many ways. They can set routes for bouldering
Bouldering
Bouldering is a style of rock climbing undertaken without a rope and normally limited to very short climbs over a crash pad so that a fall will not result in serious injury. It is typically practiced on large natural boulders or artificial boulders in gyms and outdoor urban areas...
, top roping
Top roping
Top-rope climbing is a style in climbing in which a rope, used for the climber's safety, runs from a belayer at the foot of a route through one or more carabiners connected to an anchor system at the top of the route and back down to the climber, usually attaching to the climber by means of a...
, lead climbing
Lead climbing
Lead climbing is a climbing technique used to ascend a route. This technique is predominantly used in rock climbing and involves a lead climber attaching themselves to a length of dynamic climbing rope and ascending a route while periodically attaching protection to the face of the route and...
or many other types of climbing. The following are just some common methods typically used for setting boulder routes. To qualify for a person to become a route setter, he/she must take a workshop for a specific gym and if he/she wants to set elsewhere, he/she may need to get some certification.
The simplest ways on how to set an indoor
Indoor climbing
Indoor Climbing is an increasingly popular form of rock climbing performed on artificial structures that attempt to mimic the experience of outdoor rock.Competetive indoor climbing is also called sport climbing....
route with is to decide by placement, rocks, and/or themes. Setters tend to stay away from miscellaneous rocks placed randomly on a wall that are not one of the previously mentioned categories. This is because they are difficult to climb, not very enjoyable and is aesthetically unpleasing. Placement is where there is a specific part of the artificial wall the setter wants to work on. This wall could have ‘natural’ features or arêtes that the setter wants to be used when someone works on this route. When the setter chooses by rocks, he/she might have a specific boulder or boulders that he/she wants to base the route on. Occasionally these specific boulders are the crux of the route. Lastly the setter can base a bouldering route on theme. A themed boulder route is when the setter uses only boulders of one type such as crimp, sloper
Glossary of climbing terms
This page describes terms and jargon related to climbing and mountaineering.-A:American death triangle : An anchor which is created by connecting a closed loop of cord or webbing between two points of protection, and then suspending the rope from a carabiner clipped to only one strand of said anchor...
, jugs, pocket, etc. The setter can also base the theme on one specific coloring or a brand or anything else that can be common among all boulders the setter chooses. When the setter plans a route make sure that it is in his/her skill level otherwise he/she cannot test his/her own route and possibly not be able to finish setting it. In addition, the router setter must make sure to communicate with the gym manager because they often will need more routes of a specific difficulty or type. Route setting can be done solo or in groups of route setters. The advantage of having more setters is that each setter will climb differently, can be used to test the route, have different arm spans, different strengths and weaknesses with climbing. The problem about having more people is there can be a clash of ideas and efficiency can go down because of this.
To mount the boulder into the artificial wall
Climbing wall
A climbing wall is an artificially constructed wall with grips for hands and feet, usually used for indoor climbing, but sometimes located outdoors as well. Some are brick or wooden constructions, but on most modern walls, the material most often used is a thick multiplex board with holes drilled...
the setter will simply have to screw it in with a screwdriver. Be careful not to set the screw too shallow because the boulder can be stripped if pulled hard enough. Additionally make sure the screw is not too deep otherwise it cannot be removed and has a chance of stripping the hole. Securing boulders are easy because the walls are built with holes strategically placed for common boulders to be placed. Boulders have different type of screws based on which type of boulder the company was made by. A setter must be sure to use the proper according screw and screwdriver otherwise a boulder may not be stable on the wall. Boulders can eventually be pulled off the wall over many uses and this can result in injury or death. A ladder might be required if the setter cannot reach the next desired place to screw in the boulder. The setter must mark off the area around the route that he/she is setting at because there might be loose boulders that can falls on people passing by or a climber does not accidentally climb into or around the incomplete area and possibly get hurt.
When a setter sets routes for rock climbing, he/she can also use boulders that are already pre-existing on the wall for his/her route and not necessarily have to put new ones up. At the start of the route setting he/she can either set routes by selecting boulder by boulder or by taping up places where he/she wants each boulder to be placed. Boulder by boulder is typically easier to start setting routes with. After each boulder placement, the setter will want to test the route. This will show if he/she will need to make any adjustments to any boulders. Possible adjustments could be to rotate the boulder(s) so they are easier/harder to climb and help the continuity of the route. Also the boulder(s) could be out of reach for climbers or too easy to reach in which the setter would add a smaller foothold for the shorter people or move the boulder so the route is not as easy respectively.
After the route is complete, the route setter will have to grade
Grade (climbing)
In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
to according to the grading standard system that the climbing gym he/she is setting in uses. Bouldering typically uses the Hueco System
Grade (bouldering)
In the sport of bouldering, problems are assigned technical grades according to several established systems, which are often distinct from those used in roped climbing. Bouldering grade systems in wide use include the Hueco "V" grades , Fontainebleau technical grades, route colors, Peak District...
from V0, V1, V2... V16. Top-roping typically uses the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS)
Yosemite Decimal System
The Yosemite Decimal System is a three-part system used for rating the difficulty of walks, hikes, and climbs. It is primarily used by mountaineers in the United States and Canada. The Class 5 portion of the Class scale is primarily a rock climbing classification system. Originally the system was...
. Once the setter decides the grade, he/she will tape up the route to show which boulders are allowed to climb when climbing his/her route. A setter will not have to tape the boulders if he/she has already taped them up before picking boulders. Typically the start and finish of the route is marked with two pieces of tape. There can also be squares, crosses or any other shape to keep the beginning and end distinct. After taping the route and writing down the grade and possibly a name of the route, the route will need to be climbed again to double check if the tape can be seen from each step of the route.
After everything is complete, it is best to get another climber or climbers to test the setter’s route to see if the other climbers agree with the setter’s marked grade. The climber(s) should be able to climb the difficulty of the marked route before asking him/her to test it. There will always be climbers who climb the route differently from how the setter has planned climb it when he/she set it. This is not wrong and setter should not be bias or judge the climber for it. After a few climbers test it, the setter may want to modify the route. Routes are never permanent and always receive changes. Exception is if the route is made for a competition then it will not be altered until the competition is over. Routes will be removed whenever the climbing gym staff decides to change routes or add more routers or strip the wall and clean it for climbing competitions. At a climbing competition there will be designed route settings who will set from all grade levels and these new routes will typically stay up for a while.
When a setter is creating routes for top-roping or lead-climbing, it is very similar except that he/she will have more vertical space to build on versus horizontal space unlike bouldering. He/she will need a ladder and/or self-belaying device. When the setter is self-belaying he/she can attach a bucket or two onto his/her harness for stripping then wall of old boulders and/or adding new boulders onto the wall. Route setting for top-roping/lead-climbing can follow the similar techniques listed above except it is more common to add tape before boulder in this case.