Review > Synrock > Side Pods

Ahh, it seems that Routesetter have beaten us to the punch on this one (last time I post what we're reviewing :P) but to offset our review you can read there's here:

http://www.routesetter.com

Onwards, and at times upwards...These are the holds in question, how can something like this cause so much controversy? Well I bolted the holds up and made sure Chris came in the back door (so he'd not see the wall, he has a keen nose for new holds) and then handed him the biggest hold of the lot... here's his face..Yup that about says it all! That's pretty much my face when I unpacked them the other day, I stood, I scratched my head, and then I grabbed a wrench, bolted them on and had a climb.













These holds are ugly as sin to look at, really ugly. The finishing is so-so, the colors are awful and the see through ones should just be banned! Some of the holds have glue on them, some have pit marks on the polycrete so it means you can see the end of the nails that are inside, they're just plain and simply ugly. One thing we did find endearing about the look of the holds is the fact that the name of the holds and pat pend is obviously inscribed by hand, so every time you get one of these through the post you know that its hand made, be it a little sloppy, but hand made none the less!

Once you get over the fact that they look awful, you can get to climbing on them. Now, its a well documented fact that I hate really small single pad holds, if I want to give myself an injury i'll get a fingerboard, strap on some weight and i'll knacker my hands. But in the interest (and there was a ton) of the holds I taped up, chalked up and had a bash...
Brutal on vertical, use them on a slightly overhung wall (15 over) and its brutal yet delicate climbing. I can see where these holds are going to be a dream.. when you want to force moves because with the polycrete and the rock on top you have no choice but to hold the hold the way it was set and therefore intended by the setter. That's where, for me anyway, these holds come into their own!

But wait! There's more! Let's talk about texture, these holds have it in spades, buckets of it, AND you can sand them down if you want... lets face it they're rock, so they clean up well and whats more they grip like nothing else out there on the market. That's what really surprised us, the look like they're going to be horrible and then they're not that bad to climb on, whether or not they're the best thing to pull on for hours on end is a different matter, because I can see tweaked joints and people ripping off happening alot. Also one thing you'll notice is that the holds feel cooler than your normal run 'o' the mill bolt ons, this is the rock talking to your finger tips. I even chucked the heat on in the wall for a few hours and where other holds were getting a little slippery the pods just went "yeah, whatever... you can still pull on us cos we're coooool"

Opinions are divided, really divided on these holds. I can see the benefits of what they are and what they do, but I think that with some time and a little more TLC when they're being made these holds will become a staple of any wall, if you see them at a commercial gym is another case. Well you will see them at my local wall because they're getting bolted up and we're asking anyone that has something to say about them to post a comment on here so we can see what the people have to say...

RATING
NOODLES SAYS
These holds are a love hate thing. They have screw holes so you can use them as screw ons, they have bolt holds, so you can use them as bolt ons, therefore they can be placed pretty much anywhere, so that's cool. When you use just the bolt you're thinking that the hold could spin, but they don't, which was an eyeopener, and my wall is varnished. The texture is amazing, the colors are baaaaaaaaaad, the finishing is not up-to par but (and this is a big but) if you close your eyes half way and bear down you could almost think that you're outside.

For me holds need to look pleasing to the eye, that's what makes people want to reach up and grab and to pull. These holds, thou semi pleasing to pull on are not pleasing to the eye and therefore don't really make you want to pull on them. Jim over at Synrock has more holds to offer and I shall be buying more, but I will be getting the bigger holds, these for me are too small for my pulling enjoymentCHRIS' LAST WORD
Hmm tricky. I like these holds, but I do like pulling on small things... they do look horrid, but they pull like rock. They have a unique texture, but they are rock. They do force the climber to climb a route the way its set, but you can't really use them for anything else.

Tricky...

There are many holds with rock like texture out there that aren't made from rock, there are many dual texture holds out there on the market as well. These are the only holds that I'm aware of that are made from rock, and therefore in my eyes are worth a look at from anyone. If they looked a little nicer, and the finishing was a little bit cleaner then you'd see these holds everywhere.... EVERYWHERE. For now they're a little bit niche, and therefore aren't going to be seen that much... but if you have a nice slab of vertical in your house, or a wall that's not too overhung then you can set some amazing (probably) stopper routes with these