RRC Archives

abock33 wrote:
I'm new to trad and I don't want to fork out the money on cams. My rack includes a set of BD Stoppers (4-13) , Ste of Tri cams (2,3,3.5 and 4-7) and a set of Curved Hexes (1-7) plus a bunch of biners, slings, quickdraws ect.

I love passive gear, but for the most part you have to mix your rack. So many more options means better outcomes, unless you don't know what you are doing. On some climbs of a low grade or that I have done before I will go full passive, for the purity enjoyment. (loved it on Bedtime for Bonzo), But I was glad I had my TCU's on Were Lizards Dare.

By the way, the $ you dropped on those big tricams is about equal to cam pricing. I only own up to a 3 tri cam. Do you place the number 7 often, or even carry it, I could always imagine that spike ending up in my leg.

yea, the #7 tri cam came in the set. I think my gym was just trying to get rid of it. I keep both the 6 & 7 in my pack. I was thinking about getting a few cams like a 2 and 3 BD C4.

Get the two smallest tricams -- those are really the only ones you'll use regularly. As said, you're going to want to start filling in the rack with some cams.

all passive rack is like having a vcr and no TV

what do you do with vcr? do they still make those?

L K Day wrote:Sorry, but an all passive rack is almost as stupid as an all cams rack. I used only passive gear before cams existed, then jumped all over cams when they came out. Be smart and carry a mixed rack, it's much lighter (and cheaper) than all cams, and much more versatile than all passive.

I will say one positive thing about climbing without cams on trad routes. It kind of forces you to learn the art of protection. Sadly, it's a lost art for many.

Only a luddite or a pauper would climb on all passive gear these days.
That being said once upon a time after selling my rack so that I could continue to dwell in the valley, my partners and I made a game of doing routes all nuts. Lunatic Fringe was pretty wicked all nuts!

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passive, active, its all good, just make sure you use protection with your partners.

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try finding a passive-agressive rack. or better yet a passive-aggressive partner