From Rock to Resin: A New Way to Set the Scene
Hang's latest event reveals the story behind the stone—and sets it on the wall.
On a crisp March evening in West London, climbers gathered not just to pull hard on plastic, but to connect with something deeper. Set in Stone, a first-of-its-kind event at Hang, offered a refreshing take on a familiar trend: recreating outdoor boulders indoors. What made this evening different was its storytelling. By pairing climbing films with physical replicas of the featured climbs, the event brought the soul of outdoor bouldering into the gym.
The evening was the brainchild of Fred High—a routesetter with a side career as a jetsuit pilot—and Toby HP, seasoned videographer of Incut Media. Together, they curated an experience that was part climbing session, part film screening, part cultural intervention—and, as it turned out, also a fundraiser. Proceeds from a well-supported raffle went to Climbers Against Cancer, lending the event a philanthropic thread that tied the climbing community to a cause many hold dear.
Three short films formed the backbone of the evening, each centring on a British routesetter and a boulder problem that mattered to them. Zoe Wood captured a heartfelt day out with her parents on the legendary 'Jerry’s Roof' in North Wales—a scene as much about shared history as about holds. Mikey Cleverdon’s segment, filmed in the rugged landscapes of Cornwall, delved deeper still: as well as documenting an ascent, it told the story of his return to hard climbing after a stroke—a personal challenge that gave new weight to each move. Jake Mason, pursuing the iconic 'Careless Torque' in the Peak District, ran into a more familiar adversary: the British weather, which kept his attempt tantalisingly out of reach. Yet even in its absence, the problem loomed large, evoking the unpredictability that defines real rock.
The films were not mere preambles. Each narrative fed into a physical expression—routesetters translated the essence of those outdoor climbs into plastic and plywood, crafting accessible versions of the featured blocs (and others) throughout the gym. For participants, many of whom had never climbed outside, it was a glimpse into a different world of movement. Outdoor bouldering can feel strange at first: holds aren’t always obvious, and the most intuitive path may not be the one that works. By layering film with movement, the event fostered an understanding that climbing is as much about feeling as it is about doing.
Adding to the experience was a touch of nostalgia, courtesy of Southampton-based analogue photo lab The Film Safe, which supplied disposable film cameras for climbers to use throughout the evening. The cameras were collected at the end, and the images—imperfect, candid, and full of charm—will be compiled into an online album, serving as a visual echo of the night’s atmosphere.
Images courtesy of Set In Stone
Set in Stone offered a glimpse of what gyms can do to further nurture their communities: not just be places to train, but spaces for storytelling, creativity, and cultural connection. With countless classic boulders around the world—each with its own history and emotional texture—this format begs for international iteration. Told well, these stories can spark curiosity, deepen appreciation, and bring climbers one step closer to the rock itself.
