2020 King Kong Date

[Eric Roussin]

While final decisions on the events to be featured in the 2020 International King Kong Grip Challenge will only be made in the new year, we can announce that the main contest date will be October 24th, 2020. individual venue promoters will once again have the option to run the contest up to two weeks earlier.

More details will be shared in a couple of months.

[lone Wolf]

I  hope they keep the 2.5 Crusher & the Flask there the most expensive items I  spent more than $ 400 this year getting everything 

[DAVE101]

3 hours ago, lone Wolf said:

I  hope they keep the 2.5 Crusher & the Flask there the most expensive items I  spent more than $ 400 this year getting everything 

Seems like a sunk cost fallacy. I'm all for aluminum implements, but it's worth nothing that stuff like the Titan Fitness Roller could greatly reduce the barrier to entry.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, DAVE101 said:

Seems like a sunk cost fallacy. I'm all for aluminum implements, but it's worth nothing that stuff like the Titan Fitness Roller could greatly reduce the barrier to entry.

I don’t care what the grip politicians say, Titan fitness grip implements are the BEST option on a budget on the market and are super quality (bulletproof and heavy).  Capitalism is what it’s all about and having options keeps things competitive . If you can afford the real equipment, get it. If you can’t, Titan is on point and harder than a lot of the “real stuff” anyway. Many will hate on this comment, but I do not care.

[Climber028]

1 minute ago, Joseph Sullivan said:

I don’t care what the grip politicians say, Titan fitness grip implements are the BEST option on a budget on the market and are super quality (bulletproof and heavy).  Capitalism is what it’s all about and having options keeps things competitive . If you can afford the real equipment, get it. If you can’t, Titan is on point and harder than a lot of the “real stuff” anyway. Many will hate on this comment, but I do not care.

Manufacturing reasons aside, I wouldn't want them in a multi-venue competition due to the ability of the enamal paint to flake off and greatly change the difficulty. If everybody is in the same spot then no big deal but I have seen some pitted like the moon and others still smooth as glass. Tho I suppose that's a problem with all implements, most don't use enamel style coatings. 

[Guest]

21 minutes ago, Climber028 said:

Manufacturing reasons aside, I wouldn't want them in a multi-venue competition due to the ability of the enamal paint to flake off and greatly change the difficulty. If everybody is in the same spot then no big deal but I have seen some pitted like the moon and others still smooth as glass. Tho I suppose that's a problem with all implements, most don't use enamel style coatings. 

A lot of people have removed the enamel. When the enamel is removed it is smooth steel. I have one with the enamel and without the enamel. My 2 inch has enamel. My 2.5 has no enamel and is the same difficulty as my new 2.5 inch crusher. For training purposes these are great and comparable, so I guess I’m saying you don’t need the actual official equipment to be competitive. But get it if you want it and most importantly get it if you  can afford it. This not so mainstream hobby should not break ones bank account  and one shouldn’t have to refinance there home to do a grip competition. 

Edited December 27, 2019 by Guest

[Climber028]

Sure, do anything for training purposes I'm just thinking of venue promoters. 

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, Climber028 said:

Sure, do anything for training purposes I'm just thinking of venue promoters. 

Yea no, I wouldn’t recommend it for the actual comp.

[DAVE101]

17 hours ago, Climber028 said:

due to the ability of the enamal paint to flake off and greatly change the difficulty.... I have seen some pitted like the moon and others still smooth as glass.

Do you think that one you've seen has been dropped a lot? I use a pair that was hung outside all summer and usually resides inside a chalky climbing gym. The only spots without paint is where the handle's been dropped on the corner of a dumbbell. Those kinds of dents and deformations would be just as pronounced on a crusher or trilobite though.

I think the enamel coating serves the opposite purpose. You don't see the huge variable degrees of corrosion that you see with bare steel implements. All of them have the same finish regardless of environment (even when left outside).

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, DAVE101 said:

Do you think that one you've seen has been dropped a lot? I use a pair that was hung outside all summer and usually resides inside a chalky climbing gym. The only spots without paint is where the handle's been dropped on the corner of a dumbbell. Those kinds of dents and deformations would be just as pronounced on a crusher or trilobite though.

I think the enamel coating serves the opposite purpose. You don't see the huge variable degrees of corrosion that you see with bare steel implements. All of them have the same finish regardless of environment (even when left outside).

That’s the only way the enamel comes off. Being dropped. Otherwise, it is not going anywhere. When doing heavy lifts on it it is impossible not to drop it if you go to failure and the handle spins out of the hand. My 2 inch one has some pits only from that reason. The crusher has not dented from this occurring at all.

Edited December 27, 2019 by Guest

[Climber028]

3 minutes ago, DAVE101 said:

Do you think that one you've seen has been dropped a lot? I use a pair that was hung outside all summer and usually resides inside a chalky climbing gym. The only spots without paint is where the handle's been dropped on the corner of a dumbbell. Those kinds of dents and deformations would be just as pronounced on a crusher or trilobite though.

I think the enamel coating serves the opposite purpose. You don't see the huge variable degrees of corrosion that you see with bare steel implements. All of them have the same finish regardless of environment (even when left outside).

Yea, just from abuse. I treat mine nice so it still looks glossy. The problem is the different between enamel and no enamel is gigantic, the difference that bare weathered still has is a smaller varience so not as large of a problem for competition. 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Climber028 said:

Yea, just from abuse. I treat mine nice so it still looks glossy. The problem is the different between enamel and no enamel is gigantic, the difference that bare weathered still has is a smaller varience so not as large of a problem for competition. 

On my 2 inch Titan I can do very close to what I can do on the 2 inch crusher. 225 is my max I have done the one time I used the 2 inch crusher. This crusher was shiny.  

[Climber028]

5 minutes ago, Joseph Sullivan said:

On my 2 inch Titan I can do very close to what I can do on the 2 inch crusher. 225 is my max I have done the one time I used the 2 inch crusher. This crusher was shiny.  

Crazy, my crusher and Titan numbers are almost 10% apart for the 2.5 inch. 

[FrankSobotka]

20 hours ago, Joseph Sullivan said:

I don’t care what the grip politicians say, Titan fitness grip implements are the BEST option on a budget on the market and are super quality (bulletproof and heavy).  Capitalism is what it’s all about and having options keeps things competitive . If you can afford the real equipment, get it. If you can’t, Titan is on point and harder than a lot of the “real stuff” anyway. Many will hate on this comment, but I do not care.

Just opened my Titan 5” pull-up spheres for my power rack. These things are huge and well manufactured and only cost about $25. Still have no idea how they make money. 

[Guest]

5 hours ago, FrankSobotka said:

Just opened my Titan 5” pull-up spheres for my power rack. These things are huge and well manufactured and only cost about $25. Still have no idea how they make money. 

I agree. I have all their spinners handles and 3 inch axle. I got Their 3 inch Saxon but wish I hadn’t. It is 3x3. I wish I would have known that. My fingers hook the edge defeating the purpose. Solid bar no doubt but not the right dimensions for a pinch bar unless you have muppet hands.

[lone Wolf]

Time to wait and see for the powers that be come up with?

[corefire]

as promoter i don't care for the costs of a comp, don't care about the little money for 4 new implements (here in europe we have also to pay shipping and taxes to increase the cost for about 32%)

but i care about the spirit of grip!

using painted/enamel implements is nuts, it's turns grip into a friction fortune wheel and loosing lot's of time in a comp for chalking up and down

[Guest]

2 hours ago, corefire said:

as promoter i don't care for the costs of a comp, don't care about the little money for 4 new implements (here in europe we have also to pay shipping and taxes to increase the cost for about 32%)

but i care about the spirit of grip!

using painted/enamel implements is nuts, it's turns grip into a friction fortune wheel and loosing lot's of time in a comp for chalking up and down

YES!!!

[lone Wolf]

That's what I'm talking about the spirit of the sport. The average person buying $400 to $500 in equipment each year  how feasible is that . As you say your a promoter probably a gym owner and you can write all this off as a part of doing business. As a former promoter I used equipment that was commonly used at the time and held the contest at my home. 

[2sweetdadstrength]

Any word on what the events will be?

[Tom Flesher]

8 hours ago, 2sweetdadstrength said:

Any word on what the events will be?

Every year so far It’s been four one handed events with a pinch (flask at least the last 3 years), a thick rolling handle (2.5 crusher the last 3 years), a variable event (stub in 2017, moontop in 2018, shallow dubhub in 2019) and a vertical bar (FBBC Jug and Little Big Horn recently). It would be a big surprise if they change the format significantly.

I wouldn’t be shocked if they ran one side of the DubeCube or possibly Arm Assassin’s version of the Finnish Ball this year as the third event. It wouldn’t be out of the question to run the David Horne gold bar or John Oka’s quite similar Payne device. But if you’re trying to train for King Kong you won’t go wrong this early on working Flask or pinch block, whatever thick rolling handle you have, and whatever vertical implement you have. 

Edited January 17, 2020 by Tom Flesher
Clarified - Arm Assassin didn't create the Finnish Ball. Luke isn't even Scandinavian as far as I know.

[Eric Roussin]

We’re getting close to making final decisions. But for those who already want to start training with King Kong in mind, I would echo Tom’s suggestions - particularly his last sentence.

[Vinnie]

2 hours ago, Tom Flesher said:

Every year so far It’s been four one handed events with a pinch (flask at least the last 3 years), a thick rolling handle (2.5 crusher the last 3 years), a variable event (stub in 2017, moontop in 2018, shallow dubhub in 2019) and a vertical bar (FBBC Jug and Little Big Horn recently). It would be a big surprise if they change the format significantly.

I wouldn’t be shocked if they ran one side of the DubeCube or possibly Arm Assassin’s Finnish Ball this year as the third event. It wouldn’t be out of the question to run the David Horne gold bar or John Oka’s quite similar Payne device. But if you’re trying to train for King Kong you won’t go wrong this early on working Flask or pinch block, whatever thick rolling handle you have, and whatever vertical implement you have. 

Tom, for a guy who gave up grip for bending, you are one wise and helpful apathetic mofo.  Come pinch with us sometime.

[Tom Flesher]

5 minutes ago, Vinnie said:

Tom, for a guy who gave up grip for bending, you are one wise and helpful apathetic mofo.  Come pinch with us sometime.

Hey, ONE of us did King Kong this year while the other one sat at home working on a dry publication that only four people would read.

(Appellate panels are three judges, right?)

[Vinnie]

4 minutes ago, Tom Flesher said:

Hey, ONE of us did King Kong this year while the other one sat at home working on a dry publication that only four people would read.

(Appellate panels are three judges, right?)

Four judges.  And all their law clerks have to read it, too.  But point taken.  I won't choose employment over enjoyment ever again, promise.

Edited January 17, 2020 by Vinnie