Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com

Average Customer Rating:

Rock Climbing

Customer Rating:

If ever there was a book that could be classed as the industry standard climbing book, then this is it. The official handbook of the mountaineering instructor and single pitch award schemes this book has pretty much everything you'd need to get started on climbing, and more besides. It covers such areas as environment and history, warming up and injury prevention, movement skills, training, climbing basics (looking at terms and equipment), various types of climbing (bouldering, single pitch, indoor, lead, sport, multi pitch), descending, scrambling, sea level traversing and gorge scrambling and sections covering the law around climbing. As you can see, and this was only a basic list, this book is pretty comprehensive! The text is clear to read and the illustration and photos are both attractive and clarify any confusing points perfectly. As other reviewers have suggested, this book really is the ideal first port of call when learning about climbing and to cover your first forays on the rock or in the climbing gym. Coupled with qualified instruction this book will see you develop in leaps and bounds and it is perfect to return to so you can brush up on rusty knowledge or even just for a bit of inspiration. A great book and highly recommended. If you want more a specific book about training for climbing check out 'Training For Climbing' by Eric J Horst, another clear and inspirational read.

Evocative

Customer Rating:

An excellent 'How To' guide and also very useful for those wanting to improve. The greatest recommendation is that it makes you want to go out and climb - just like my favourite cult classic free climbing book from the 30s - The Night Climbers of Cambridge by Whipplesnaith. It's worth comparing the two - the spirit and urge to abandon regular society's rules and soar above the crowd is the same - and contagious. But back to this one - Get it and Get Out.

Excellent for both beginners and experienced

Customer Rating:

I don't write reviews often but felt compelled to do so with this. It's an excellent book, well written and with beautifully designed diagrams which demonstrate the concepts extremely well. I'm an experienced climber with 20 years under my belt and this has still taught me some new things and reinforced others ("Am I supposed to do it this way just because I always have? Oh yes!"). It doesn't patronise, nor does it take the elitist approach. Just sensible and very readable. I've been reading it cover to cover and enjoyed doing so. Whether you are new to the sport, training as an instructor, or just looking to bolster your knowledge, this is probably the best climbing book available.

Essential!	Customer Rating:
This book is a must have for anyone wanting to start out in climbing or improve their skills. The book also runs alongside the BMC's Single Pitch Award and is an invaluable source of information and instruction.

AWESOME

Customer Rating:

words can't describe this book well enough - its amazing. I am very fond of it and if i was religious, this book would be my bible:) Book details anchors, useful knots, various scenarios likely to be faced on real rock amongst a host of other things -well worth the read before doing any sort of fee paying course - i'm going to work through this book before i splash out on a trad course at plas y brenin.