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The Kreases are going to stand out on your wall, no matter what color you get them in, ours are pink... and it's not the color that makes them stand out, it's the shapes; the holds look like you want to grab them... and you do want to grab them, and then you're going to have to find out where you really want to have your hand, because these holds are hard to read, you think that an area is going to be good until you reach, slap and realize that it's actually not as good as you think :) Sitting somewhere between sharp crimps and gritty slopers the sets offer a fair ammount of variety of hand positions if you use your brain and your body, if you don't you're going to just end up crimping and that's not a bad thing, but as the angle gets steeper the passable edges on the holds start to really bite into your fingers, we know this because after we set some nice travereses on the slight overhang we chucked them onto the 45 to see what would happen!VIDEO
VIDEO END
As you've seen there was a lot of falling going on, with Noodles eventually getting the send! But that send took two weeks of working on and off, the cross into the pinch is hard enough, moving off of it was just totally hit and miss. If you have keen eyes you'll notice that a couple of the holds change towards the end of the video, why? Because some of the holds are just plain unusable on the steep walls. That being said our local gym got the same holds as us and there are some killer routes up on the vertical to slightly overhung walls, given the nature of the holds these do lend themselves to 5.9+ routes, and some pretty hard bouldering. The holds have seen alot of traffic during the comp (which they were brought for) and after, I've been asking people that I've seen climbing them their overall impressions and most people do like the nature of having to feel for the correct slot on the holds. If you're looking for a set to make people think, with their hands and their feet then you can't really go wrong with these, they are sharp in places, but aslong as you're not dynoing to them then you should be fine.
Well the Creases have some good edges and if you're crazy, strong or stupid enough you could get them on a wall as steep as 45 degrees. Despite the look of the hold, they are crimps and they have the creases which give you a veriety of way to grip the hold so you will use your head well and your grip strength. These holds hit our local gym for a comp (in a different color) and the route that was set was super fun to climb on... infact it's still up! These are best suited for vertical to slight overhanging walls, unless you're a mutant, then get them on the steeps and you can sit at the bottom and look at them, because if you're not in shape, or you get a hand / foot placement wrong you're going to be right back on the mats.. we'd suggest keeping these holds to nothing steeper than 30 degrees over!
What was I thinking with these holds over Xmas? Stick them on the 45? I must be crazy... two weeks of trying to complete the route crazy :) My fingers hurt at the end of it all, but I was happy to get those moves done in one go! Even though the route I set maybe a work of genius (or madness) if has had most people struggling for beta, or in Jacky's case; struggling to get off of the floor. When some people came over during Xmas it was plain to see that these holds on the 45 isn't going to work for anyone that is a low end intermediate climber, the moves were just too powerful; so I set an easy sequence for them and they still struggled (I was skipping holds)It just proves that if you're buying these holds you're going to have to set for whom you'd like to get up the route! I almost took down the route a number of times as it just seemed like it was going to be too hard to see a send, but Chris urged me to keep it up, and I'm glad I did, my fingers aren't so happy from all the crimping, but then again I suppose it's my own fault for putting them where they are. If you want some decieving holds that are going to make people have to work (and I do mean that) for the send then these should be on your shopping list, if you're looking for some holds for your home woody then again these "could" be for you, but they're not the most friendly in the World (they're also not the worst)
Our first experience with Project was with the Jugs. While going through the catalog, the Kreases really caught my eye, and I was really happy when Noodles put in an order :) A product of slopers and crimps the holds provide a wide variety of grips so you'll have to use you head. We first set a traverse on the 60 degree wall. After we put up the 45, the route got an extension starting in the 45 and ends on the original route. It took us awhile to get the route because the holds hurt and we could only have a couple of go's a session. Despite the pain the holds are fun and we came up with different sequences before finding the right beta. So ideally these holds should be on slight overhangs to slabs but if you're strong enough you could have fun on steeper terrain; I think I prefer long routes in a gym than bouldering on these holds... but that's just me!
JACKY SAYS
Since I'd just got back from HP40 my fingers are similar to a new born babies! So please remember that when you read below:
These holds are the kind that you love to have on a 45 degree wall, I felt awkward on them, but once the sequence clicks in your head you can get through the kind of problems that Noodles sets. Most holds have enough space for two or three finger tips, like any normal crimp; inside the crack it's slippers, with a good texture on the outside. The sizes of the holds are good when they're used on vertical or positive (slab) walls. Slabs are going to end up being super tech, and probably the way Noodles sets painful :)
Most people will find a place to grab the holds, they maybe sharp in places but you'll be able to balance and pull until you go past 45 degrees.
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