ROUTESETTING
OUR PHILOSOPHY
We strive to create interesting and challenging routes in all grades by setting with creativity and empathy and a deep knowledge of movement and the abilities of our customers. Routesetting is a team effort, involving the setters, coaches, instructors and members alike. Moving up a boulder or a wall should always be an exciting and lasting experience, leaving enthusiasm and smiles on the faces of our climbers.
Patrick Andrey - Director of Routesetting
MEET THE SETTERS
A diverse team of rock climbers, plastic climbers, coaches, instructors, guides, parents plus many more positive attributes that influence the creative flow of movement at Camp5.
Patrick
“Good routesetting is like a deep and meaningful conversation with the climber. Small talk won’t get you anywhere.”
Alex
“Setting routes for everyone is my top priority. Much like a Michelin starred dish, the holds on the wall have to be visually appealing and satisfying to finish.”
Taqi Zulkifli
“Route setting is like writing a poem on the wall and climber will decide on how to read it. In between those lines, there are always something for the climber to learn.”
Add
“Like all forms of art, routes tell a story. I imagine setting to be like making a movie. I want to take the climber on a journey, with twists and turns, and maybe a dramatic finish.”
Koh Wei Yan
“Setting is a composition of movement, technique and satisfaction. I am dedicated to compose that form of art equally for everyone.”
Syed Aiman
“I like to think of the wall as my canvas. Like artists, I try to communicate with others through my routes, which in this case are the colorful yet slippery pinches and slopers.”
Teng
“Climbing is like solving a puzzle. As a Routesetter I am the game designer. I like to create puzzles where the solution isn’t immediately obvious and maybe you face a deadend before you solvesend it”
Azim
“The pleasure of route setting is too see climbers psyched, have fun and improve their body movements. As an instructor, this is what I’d emphasize, techniques over strength in problem solving.”
Aqil
“Route setters are to a climbing wall what coders are to video game, the geeks who keep you up all night obsessing over that winning sequence.”
Wan Aiman
“The art in climbing can’t be seen without good setting. The route is a reflection of our self/our soul. Conquer them feels like conquer our own fears and insecurities.”
Faiz Berg
“The joy with routesetting for me is when climbers communicate among themselves on finding the beta to solve it.”
Justin
“My goal is to challenge both mind and body. Finding a perfect balance of difficulty and aesthetic flow. Getting inspiration from the great outdoors.”
Hafez
“Routesetter is so much more than holds on a wall. We pour our soul and effort into each hold placement in the aim to make each route a pure joy to climb and hard to forget.”
Faris
“Nothing beats the satisfaction of seeing climbers showing some love towards your routes, your hard work, your art.
‘In throes of rage, I shall hone my craft.’ – D.o.WIII”
Idham
“Push yourself to finish the routes. Honor your path. Trust your journey. Learn, grow, evolve, become. You don’t find happiness at the end of the routes. You find it along the way.“
Adri
“A route setter is like a choreographer. With route setting we create movement for the climber. If we do it well, the climber will flow on the wall like a dancer on a stage.”
“As an athlete and a route setter, I would love to give all my knowledge and experience through the route that I’ve created. Making climbers experience and learn something.”
Francis
“Setting is an art that requires imagination and critical thinking. I enjoy setting routes that sequence movement in a flow while keeping climbers challenged, motivated and having fun!”
Kevin
“Keep your eyes on the problem, not the distraction. If one has done it, so can you. If none has done it, so be the first.”
Izzat
“Every movement in climbing has a purpose. With a bit of philosophy, creativity, method, and a lot of forerunning, we aim to give something new for climber to learn.“
Giak
” I love creating interesting, sometimes impossible-looking, beautiful and inviting problems. A problem is addictive, even as I sleep my mind returns to the problem, over and over again.”
GRADING
Roped Grading
For lead and top-roped routes, we use the French Sport Grade System.
The grading scale (quirkily) starts at 4, and increases in numerical order as the difficulty of the climb increases. Each number is also assigned one of three letters, a, b, or c, which indicates increasing difficulty within the numerical value. You may even see a + sign on the grades. For example 6b+. This indicates that the climb is a little harder than 6b but not quite 6c!
Boulder Grading
For Boulder problems, we use the Verme Grade System or V-grade for short. The scale is similar in that it increases in numerical value as the movements on the climb get harder. But, in comparison to the French Sport Grade System, it does not have letters assigned to each number. Each grade begins with a “V”, then a number. For Example, V0, V1, V2, etc.
Grades are Subjective
To add to the confusion grading is largely subjective as the difficulty will change depending on people’s body type, experience, strengths, and weaknesses! It’s for this reason we created the color grading system. Each climb on the wall is ‘tagged’ with a color. This color corresponds with a range of grades as indicated by the charts. If you want to know the specific grade of a climb simply scan the QR code on the wall to view facilities full routelist.
If you have any questions regarding grading, feel free to ask a member of our team!
BOULDER GRADES COLOR TAG CHART
Use this boulder grade color tag chart as a guide to choose a boulder problem in your range.
ROUTE GRADES COLOR TAG CHART
Use this boulder grade color tag chart as a guide to choose route in your range.
HOLDS, HOLDS and MORE HOLDS
Camp5 has over 50,000 holds in circulation between all Camp5 outlets. No matter which Camp5 you climb, you'll get your hands (and feet) on the latest innovative shapes from the top global hold brands.
We source the very best holds in the industry, imported from the USA and Europe. We thank our partners for providing great shapes to work with.
