Page 2 - 1995 AMA Autumn
P. 2
LjE!Climbing Walls International - Capturing the spirit of the mountains
A contoured-resin climbing wall at Leeds University, designed and built by DR Climbing Walls
Jerry M offatt personalised „ MASTERS
RANGE of Bolt-on Holdz
Increasing demands from climbers are pushing climbing wall man ufacturers to keep breaking new ground in design flair and techni cal skill.
“Climbers are always on the look-out for new challenges, and this applies just as much to the artificial surface as it does to the real thing,” said Don Robinson, chairman of DR Climbing Walls, lead ing installers of climbing walls for the armed forces, and founding chairman of the newly-formed Climbing Wall Manufacturers’ Association.
“With hard rock, the pressure is on the climber to find the new challenge, whereas with man-made walls the pressure is on the designer to meet climbers’ demands and provide the new challenge for them,” he explained. “The climbing wall industry therefore is truly customer driven, and that is why it is so important that peo ple who design and build walls fully understand what climbers want.
“Fortunately the industry has moved on from the early days when some architects, who knew nothing about climbing, thought they could get away with fixing a few random blocks to a well-construct ed wall. We have also moved on from some alarming instances of well-meaning climbers designing superb pitches without recognis ing the importance of structural engineering!
“Climbing walls are becoming more and more innovative as designers strive, not just for technical climbing excellence, but also for aesthetic appeal. Modern techniques of contouring and sculp turing mean that the latest walls seek to capture the spirit of the mountains while providing exciting challenges for the novice and expert climber alike.
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Consultants, designers
fabricators and installers of
climbing walls and bolt-on holds
Send for our brochure
DR Climbing W alls International 39 Steps Leeds Road Old Pool Bank Otley W est Yorkshire LS21 3BR
T: 0113 2842369 F: 0113 2843128
