Routesetting Staff
Andy Nelson
Julia Bakun
# of years setting? About one year.
# of comps set for? None, BUT I washed holds for the youth bouldering divisionals.
Setting exploits? Using power tools, forerunning, getting to be creative and challenged everyday, maintaining a climbing base, ect.
Favorite tape color? Purple is phresh.
Drill of choice? The one the gym provides.
Ideal setting tool quiver (tools of choice)? Lots of medium sized screws, tap, mini traxion, bluetooth headphones, adjustable PAS, and sneakers.
Setting pet peeves? Not using set screws, streaks of holds, same set of holds the entire route, and washing pockets.
Sandbagging or grade coddling? Ideally, neither. If it has to be one of them then grade coddling because less people argue against that.
What are your favorite grips? Teknik BTR slopers and super villains.
Who are your setting heroes? Ross Halverson. And all the extremely patient and talented setters at VW who continually tolerate and teach me.
What inspires your lines? The wall and holds definitely help. I try to put up different styles of climbing in the route. Movement comes first, aesthetics come second.
What makes you take your routesetting seriously? There are huge levels of improvement for me since I am new to setting so every day that I try my hardest I find I am learning something new. I am still working on the efficiency aspect so that means no messing around. I also do not like putting up a product that I am not proud of. Like I said before, the setting crew at VW is really inspiring and I have to work pretty hard to try to keep up.
Favorite climbing style? Hip turns on vert and big commitments on overhang.
Devin Bishop
# of years setting? Over fifteen.
# of comps set for? More than five, less than ten
Setting exploits? Enjoy setting stemming routes with only screw-on foothold jibs.
Favorite tape color? Yellow!
Drill of choice? Makita.
Ideal setting tool quiver (tools of choice)? Love me my mini traxion.
Setting pet peeves? Spinners.
Sandbagging or grade coddling? Nothing like an honest Index or Smith rating (so, I guess sandbagging).
What are your favorite grips? Cracks and chimneys!
Who are your setting heroes? A. Fritz is da bomb.
What inspires your lines? The more natural and techy the climbing, the better.
Favorite climbing style? Off-width cracks – the bigger the better. Slabs are cool too…
David Sumada
Street Cred: Setting for 5ish years, assistant head setter for a year, set for Portland Boulder Rally and Boulder Divisionals
Climbing Experience: Climbing since 2011
Favorite Climbing Area: Squamish, Black Mountain, Bishop (for those tall boulders)
