RRC Archives

i might have slung a rhodo... yeah... that wasn't sketchy... it was bomber.

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.

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.

JB wrote:i might have slung a rhodo... yeah... that wasn't sketchy... it was bomber.

All rhodo is bomber.

I have used them. Ever try to pull one up? The roots are as knarly as the bush is.

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

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.

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.

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.

hearn wrote:

A cordlette.

I wouldn't bother with one of these. Cordlettes are a pretty poor way to builed an equalized anchor.