unless you insist on jamming its steep start (layback to jams is way easier) . Not done RW. Chris Craggs - on 17 Aug 2014 - chriscraggs.blogspot.comIn reply to Offwidth: > I'd say the File is noticeably harder than The Crank unless you insist on jamming its steep start (layback to jams is way easier) . Not done RW.I'd say the very opposite, The File is steady 4c jamming all the way, The Crank is hard to start (5a),Nike Free 4.0 V3 UK, awkward to finish and not many footholds along the way. Horses for courses I guess,Chris Jimbo C - on 17 Aug 2014In reply to SCrossley: If you've onsighted The Crank, you should have no problems with The File. Regarding the rash, are you always drawing blood or just getting a bit of red skin? The latter happens often and isn't IMO a sign of poor technique. Are you getting your thumbs locked down? Offwidth - on 17 Aug 2014In reply to Chris Craggs: Your hands are so big and you climb that much harder that you need to be careful with your views on the normal experience of VS jamming climbs. Despite all the talk of steady 4c, The File is mainly 4b and quite cruxy for the VS leaders I've seen on the 4c moves getting over the bulge and where it jags left and widens to fist. The Crank has a 5a start if you jam or layback and most VS leaders will prefer layback. Chris Craggs - on 17 Aug 2014 - chriscraggs.blogspot.comIn reply to Offwidth: > Your hands are so big and you climb that much harder that you need to be careful with your views on the normal experience of VS jamming climbs. Despite all the talk of steady 4c, The File is mainly 4b and quite cruxy for the VS leaders I've seen on the 4c moves getting over the bulge and where it jags left and widens to fist. The Crank has a 5a start if you jam or layback and most VS leaders will prefer layback.And you need to be careful too,Nike Free 6.0 UK, one day you may find I post something that you don't feel the need to comment negatively on,Nike Free Run 3.0 V2 Wine Red,Chris Jimbo C - on 17 Aug 2014In reply to Offwidth: No fist jams on The File for me, but I did use one at the top of the jamming crack on The Crank. There's not much between them in difficulty so arguments over which is harder will be specific to a few morphological variables (mainly hand size). The Crank felt harder over all for me but not as pumpy as The File. Offwidth - on 18 Aug 2014In reply to Jimbo C: Sorry, to be clear, I meant the crack widens to fist width...there are ways to avoid the dreaded fist-jam in this case (on that subject.. hoping Chris realises this is more constructive feedback than attack ... the following is the text for the Rats Tail: "The hand crack in a shallow groove gives good jamming. The least brutal pitch on this part of the cliff but still a battle."...is it just me and the few commenting on the logbooks or is this easish VS to a heinous fist jam exit?).Post edited at 09:56 GrahamD - on 18 Aug 2014In reply to SCrossley: I suppose it depends what you mean by 'trashed hands' - a degree of 'rash' is pretty normal IMO and clears up pretty quickly. wilkie14c - on 18 Aug 2014In reply to SCrossley: It sounds like you are putting too much weight on your hands/arms, the file is mainly 'climbed with your feet' with the hand jams used to stop you tipping off backwards. We all get grit rash and I used to get it really bad with my soft office boy hands but better use of feet and learning not to twist the hands/wrists when jamming has helped. Grit rash is an abrasion after all and to get it means the skin has been abraded against the rock, if you twist your hands/wrists while the jam is in place you'll abrade the skin. Once you get a solid jam, try and keep that hand in position while you move up rather than twisting and turning it for want of security. Saying all this is easy though, the file is a stinker in the wet yet beautifully easy in good conditions when you're moving well! Jimbo C - on 18 Aug 2014In reply to Offwidth: He he,The finish of Rat's Tail was harder than anything on The File for me. Consecuti