Modular crack climbing systems

Abstract

A pod that enables crack climbing on climbing surfaces of manufactured climbing structures includes a body and face. The body may include two sides with adjacent side walls having opposed interior surfaces that define a crack, which extends to the face of the pod. The crack may resemble a crack in a natural rock climbing formation or even simulate a crack of a natural rock climbing formation. The pod may be part of a crack climbing module that also includes a frame that can be mounted to a climbing surface of a conventional manufactured climbing wall to enable crack climbing on such a wall. The pod may also be used with manufactured climbing structures (e.g., climbing walls, climbing towers, artificial boulders, etc.) that include pod-receiving channels. Pods with cracks of different shapes may interchanged to provide varied crack climbing experiences.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A modular pod for enabling crack climbing on a manufactured climbing wall, comprising:
 a body including a first side and a second side with opposed interior surfaces that define a crack simulating a portion of a crack in a natural rock formation, extending along an entire length of the body, and opening to opposite first and second ends of the body; and   coupling wings that extend outwardly from sides of the body and that include couplers that enable the crack to be mounted to a climbing surface of the manufactured climbing wall.   
     
     
         2 . The modular pod of  claim 1 , wherein the couplers comprise apertures that enable the crack to be mounted to the climbing surface by way of climbing hold bolts. 
     
     
         3 . The modular pod of  claim 1 , wherein the first side and the second side move relative to one another to enable adjustment of a distance the opposed interior sides are spaced apart from one another and a width of the crack. 
     
     
         4 . The modular pod of  claim 1 , wherein at least a first end of the crack aligns with an end of a crack in a body of another modular pod positioned adjacent to the first end of the body of the modular pod. 
     
     
         5 . The modular pod of  claim 1 , outer surfaces of the coupling wings include a texture or a contour that simulates features of the face of the natural rock climbing formation. 
     
     
         6 . The modular pod of  claim 1 , wherein the opposed interior surfaces and the crack have depths of at least about 6 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The modular pod of  claim 1 , wherein the opposed interior surfaces and the crack have depths of at least about 10 inches. 
     
     
         8 . The modular pod of  claim 1 , wherein the body and the mounting wings comprise a polymer. 
     
     
         9 . The modular pod of  claim 8 , wherein the body and the mounting wings comprise a fiber-reinforced polymer. 
     
     
         10 . A crack climbing module, comprising:
 a frame including:
 a base with a plurality of mounts; 
 side walls extending from the base; 
 a receptacle defined by the base and the side walls; 
 coupling decks extending outwardly in opposite directions from the side walls, each coupling deck including a series of couplers; and 
 transitions extending outwardly from the coupling decks, the transitions extending toward a plane in which the base is located; and 
   at least one pod including:
 a body including a first side and a second side with opposed interior surfaces that define a crack, the body insertable into the receptacle of the frame; and 
 coupling wings that extend outwardly from sides of the body, positionable over the coupling decks of the frame upon introduction of the body of the at least one pod into the receptacle of the frame, and including couplers that are arranged to align with corresponding couplers of the coupling decks. 
   
     
     
         11 . The crack climbing module of  claim 10 , comprising a plurality of interchangeable pods that define cracks with different shapes. 
     
     
         12 . The crack climbing module of  claim 11 , wherein each pod of the plurality of interchangeable pods includes a crack that simulates a crack of a natural rock climbing formation. 
     
     
         13 . The crack climbing module of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of mounts of the base of the frame enable the frame to be mounted to the climbing surface of the manufactured climbing wall with climbing hold bolts. 
     
     
         14 . The crack climbing module of  claim 10 , wherein the couplers of the coupling decks of the frame and the couplers of the at least one pod enable the at least one pod to be secured to the frame with climbing hold bolts. 
     
     
         15 . The crack climbing module of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the at least one pod is adjustable to a plurality of widths, each width of the plurality of widths imparting the crack with a different width than every other width of the plurality of widths.   
     
     
         16 . The crack climbing module of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a plurality of spacers positionable on the coupling decks of the frame, between outer edges of the coupling wings of the at least one pod and inner edges of the transitions of the frame.   
     
     
         17 . The crack climbing module of  claim 15 , wherein the receptacle and the coupling decks receive the at least one pod in the plurality of widths. 
     
     
         18 . A method for manufacturing a modular pod that enables crack climbing on a manufactured climbing wall, comprising:
 defining a mold that comprises a negative of a crack in a natural rock formation; and   molding at least a portion of a body of at least one modular pod, including a replica of the crack, with the mold.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein defining the mold comprises defining a mold based on dimensional data obtained from a crack in a natural rock climbing formation. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein defining the mold comprises defining a sequence of molds that together comprise a negative of the crack in the natural rock formation and molding at least the portion of the at least one modular pod comprises molding at least portions of a plurality of modular pods, including the replica of the crack, with the sequence of molds.