To Plunge or Not to Plunge...

Placing a cam? Slotting a nut? Slinging a tree?
JB
Posts: 1228
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2003 8:36 pm

Post by JB »

i might have slung a rhodo... yeah... that wasn't sketchy... it was bomber.
[size=75]i may be weak, but i have bad technique[/size]
tomdarch
Posts: 2407
Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2002 9:22 pm

Post by tomdarch »

The pink tricam - never leave the ground without it! Seriously - it gets used more than any other tricam, and maybe more than any other trad piece on my rack.

Overall, for trad at the Red, a few smaller tricams, a set or two of nuts and some BD camalots from #3 down represents the core of what I use. I've used hexes a lot in other types of rock, but I just don't see/find the placements for them in the rock at the Red. Also, getting started and doing mostly straightforward, easy-for-you trad routes, you don't need very many cams.
Bacon is meat candy.
Huggybone
Posts: 976
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2002 12:08 am

Post by Huggybone »

Here's the deal- start with
One rack of Cams, .5 size to size 4. Black diamond. All other cams are more difficult to use. Though, to tell you the truth, I like the older ones, they are a little easier to handle (when you are climbing, not at the store). They do weigh a little more.

Nuts: One set. Black diamond, DMM, Wild Country, or, Metolious, All good. I like Metolious curve nuts the best.

Tri cams- Optional but nice to have the smallest three.
Hexes- nice if you plan on bailing.

2' slings- a half dozen or more.
A cordlette.

Unless your QD's are beat to hell (on the bolt end), you can use them.
An ATC is really nice, better than a GriGri unless your partner is super slow.

You can get up most sub 5.10 routes with the above rack.
"Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water."
Steve
Posts: 1745
Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2002 1:34 am

Post by Steve »

JB wrote:i might have slung a rhodo... yeah... that wasn't sketchy... it was bomber.
All rhodo is bomber.
I see they are still lopping off mountains in Eastern Kentucky. Electricity isn't cheap.
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ynot
Posts: 6432
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 1:02 am

Post by ynot »

I have used them. Ever try to pull one up? The roots are as knarly as the bush is.
"Everyone should have a plan for the zombie apocolipse" Courtney
tonybubb
Posts: 26
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2003 8:01 pm

Post by tonybubb »

Personally I find cheap cams to be a pain in the butt and clean more abandoned cheap cams than good cams. Rock Empitre cams are NOT on the top of my list for quality or untility. If you have or will have the money to do so, my advice would be to buy a better product and save for more when needed. It sin't a good deal, it's just cheap.
BD cams are nice, but the smallest ones are too wide for shallow placements or flares. Aliens are nice in the small sizes, but the trigger is funky. HB TCU's were great, but they quit making them (out of business in the US). That said, I'd still rate those 3 as top of the line.
Also be aware that the Aliens have a batch related manufacturing problem to avoid, so check the lot number on the shelf before you purchase. www.moutain project.com and www.supertopo.com have details. CCH has a recall out.

Metolious are second tier in utility and quality due to teh trigger design and how it can get stuck on the thinner units back into the crack and be hard to retrieve. The trigger is also too close to the cam heads. They are bomber, but get sticky and hard to clean too easily for my taste. Flex friends are similar in my overall opinion of them.

Go into a shop and feel/touch before you buy. Imagine unracking them and placing them while runout and pumped, with a single tired hand. Then buy what feels right.
Happy shopping
I'd like to call myself a "has-been" but I never climbed that hard, so I guess I'm just a washed up "never-was."
RRO
Posts: 1949
Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2005 4:18 am

Post by RRO »

Look at DMM for good cheaper cams. I started building my rack with them and still take them on every pitch. Smiley nuts are good for cheaper nuts.
http://www.redriveroutdoors.com

If you need to contact me , email me. Less Internet, less stress
lordjim_2001
Posts: 1764
Joined: Fri May 30, 2003 5:07 pm

Post by lordjim_2001 »

I think that Smiley doesn't exist anymore. ABC Huevo's are identical to the Smiley Wedges, which are damn near the exact same as BD Stoppers and cheaper when I bought them a while back.

FYI Hudson trail may still be having a sale: http://www.hudsontrail.com/subcat/40/253/0/ lots of gear cheaper than normal.
Screw you guys. I'm going bowling.
hearn
Posts: 66
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:32 pm

Post by hearn »

A cordlette.
I wouldn't bother with one of these. Cordlettes are a pretty poor way to builed an equalized anchor. Get a few extra shoulder length slings and a couple of long ones instead.
Don McGlone
Posts: 567
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2002 11:16 pm

Post by Don McGlone »

hearn wrote:
A cordlette.
I wouldn't bother with one of these. Cordlettes are a pretty poor way to builed an equalized anchor.
:?:
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