Asetus goes South bound
Oh boy! The long-awaited Asetus ball has started rolling, and behind us is a true milestone event: our first full-scale project as a route-setting company! Over the past few days, we've been setting some commercial boulders at Helsingin Kiipeilykeskus. Reflecting on the experience, we’re stoked to share some details with you guys!
The journey began with the epic train ride from our hometown, Oulu, to the capital, Helsinki. For us, born in the back of beyond, this 6-hour train ride is actually on the shorter side of our usual traveling. We spent the time working on some upcoming projects and soaking up the vibes for the days ahead. Not gonna lie—there was some excitement in the air. After countless hours of work poured into this idea of ours, it was all coming together.
But enough with the buildup—let’s talk about the setting itself!
Day One: Thursday, October 31, 2024
At 7:50 a.m., we arrived at an empty, pitch-dark climbing hall. Guided by our phone lights, we found our way to the bouldering area, and after a bit of searching, managed to locate the light switch. We took some time looking around, taking it all in. Eelis had some previous experience setting at “Japanila,” having been there for the Youth Nationals back in 2022, as well as another gig the year before. After checking out the walls and scoping the boulders, we headed to the hold storage and got to work.
And work we did. We put the pedal to the metal and stripped the whole thing in about 30 minutes. Our hasty selves even forgot to set up the timelapse we had planned—guess not everything can go your way!
The canvas was ready. Tabula rasa, as they say. The holds were there, and the only thing left to do was put them where they belonged.
One by one, they found their way onto the wall. An organized chaos began to take shape, and with the pressure mounting, the monkey on our backs whispered, "Don’t disappoint, don’t disappoint." But after a couple of misplaced pieces, the puzzle began to look proper. We gained some confidence and started sharing a few laughs. Before we knew it, it was lunchtime.
Number of boulders: 7
Number of starving setters: 2
The local pizzeria blessed us, and we got back to work feeling fueled in every way. With a fresh perspective, we spotted a few tweaks to make to the existing boulders. We adjusted some minor details and moved on to the next ones. The rest of the day was all about efficiency—easy riding until the time was up. To summarize: 14 boulders in total, and we were feeling pretty happy with them.
Day Two: Friday, November 1, 2024
This time, no hesitations. We went straight to the light switch and got to work. Yesterday's session was weighing a bit on the shoulders, but it didn’t bother us—or the boulders. Same routine as before, and soon the wall was so empty it wanted to cry. Lucky for the climbers, we were there to fix it.
Not much else to say about day two—it was all laughs and giggles as the holds flew onto the wall. Another successful day, with 13 boulders set in total. Not too shabby!
The Takeaway: Bringing It All Home
With the work done, the real learning begins. So what do we have to bring back home—aside from the 27 boulders worth of experience?
First off, motivation. It was so nice to be setting somewhere other than our home gym, even just for a short while. When everything is familiar but also new, it gives you a sense of drive like nothing else. Setting up holds knowing you won’t be there next week, or the week after that, adds a special kind of energy. Plus, the fact that our company’s reputation was on the line made us give that extra 10% when it mattered.
And souvenirs? Absolutely. New ideas. The routine of setting at home can feel just that—a routine. Seeing the details and how Helsingin Kiipeilykeskus does things gave us fresh inspiration. Now we’ve got some tricks to shake things up in our day-to-day setting. We hope our customers back home can feel the boost in our creativity!
A huge thank you to Helsingin Kiipeilykeskus for the opportunity and the trust. The hospitality at this place is something special. If you’re ever around Helsinki, definitely give it a visit.
Until next time,
– The Asetus Crew