This came across Twitter: http://alpineinstitute.blogspot.com/2010/11/belay-glove-confessions.html

My first thought: Really? Really. Belay gloves and hand jammies are a pansy-ass thing that will get a big climber boy beat up because he doesn’t want to get his pwueety wittle paws dirty and roughed up? Seriously? Can you smell the testosterone and insecurity reeking from this post?

Second thought: Give me a frackin” break.

Third thought: This is why i prefer climbing with girls and the boys who don’t reek of testosterone at the crag. In fact, a climbing girlfriend just introduced me to the hand jammies the other day at Joshua Tree. I could care less about my hands getting dirty. If they give me more girth on my small hands to make up it up the crack, bring it on.

Fourth thought: I wear gloves.  I wear the gloves b/c I don’t like the rope friction burn feeling. Given most everyone I belay is heavier than me, that tends to be a problem, no matter how slow or fast I lower them. Deal with it. It’s a safety thing.