(05-03-2012, 02:39 AM)Mid Life Crisis Man Wrote: Hang on though - surely "hefty chaps" get greater purchase? I avoid slippery surfaces (especially downhill ones) because my lighter frame doesn't get purchase and I end up arse-over in a most un-dancer like fashion.
Possibly, but the trouble is when you're heavy once you start to go - wallop! You go down in a heap. Treading lightly is the best way forward, both in terms of preservation of joints and avoiding distasters over rough terrain. I never heard of anyone trying to 'run heavy' to get better purchase.
When I take on the flint run, especially in the wet, I think 'hot coals'. I use this when ascending the North Face too - that and 'quick feet'. I keep my feet moving as fast as possible, no matter how tiny the steps are (when running up a steep incline). Minimal contact with the ground on each step is my aim. A heavy tread, especially in mud, leads to slips and inevitable muscle tears, groin strains and all sorts of horror.
