At one point or another we’ve all had a climber come up to us while we’re setting and complain that we just took down the project they were sure to send that very day. “Well you should’ve sent it yesterday”, I usually say, or “It’s just plastic, I’ll have some mega classics up in a moment.” But really, is this fair?

No. We owe it to our climbers to give them the courtesy and opportunity to send their projects. As setters it is our responsibility to make climbers as happy as we can when it comes to the routes they climb, and that means giving them sufficient notice about turnover.

Is this still good?

It’s standard practice for setters to put the date they set the route or boulder problem on each starting tag. But this ’set date’ only tells setters and the climbers the birth date of the route, not when the route will be coming down.

For example: Do you care when a loaf of bread was made or when it’s going to go bad?

One way to keep routes fresh and everybody happy is to have a ‘Best if climbed by’ date instead of the vague ’set date’. With a ‘Best if climbed by’ date, climbers will know when a route is to come down so they can work themselves silly trying to send it before this D-day.

A future date

Another perk of the ‘best if climbed by’ date is that it’s much better marketing for your routes.

I don’t think I’m in the minority when I say I’m a “new route snob”. Like many people the first thing I look for when I go in to a gym is the date on the routes. When I come across routes that are more than a couple weeks old I am instinctively turned off and search out something more recent.

However, if I were to come across a route that is ‘best before’ a few days in the future, then I know I only have a few more days to send it. So instead of turning away in disgust, I’ll jump on the problem and fight through any greasy, chalk manked holds to beat that looming deadline.

Be prepared

One thing to keep in mind when starting this new labeling method is to make sure your routesetting management program is solid, and you’re ready to turnover routes on a regular and monitored basis. By monitored I mean by the customers; they will undoubtedly let you know when a route or problem has become old, ‘moldy’ and stale.

Yet managers don’t need to use complicated databases, spreadsheets, dioramas and flow charts to keep track of route turnover. All they need to stay on their toes is the, ‘best if climbed by’ date. Simply walk around the gym and find the routes that are ready to expire.

Simple, easy, fresh.

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