RRC Archives

Does anyone utilize ball nuts for thin cracks instead of small cams or where cams don't work? Have you ever fallen on one? Are they hard to clean?

Go that way, really fast. If something gets in your way... turn.
-Charles De Mar

I have used Rock-n Rollers for years, I don't know how long they have been out and since discontinued but I have liked the way they place and they have held a few falls, I have seen my friends use ball nuts and they seem adequate in the 00-0 TCU range and smaller. Like the RnR's I find the ball nuts easy to clean, my impression of them is that they were intended as aid pieces predominantly.

ball nuts suck. i've used them a few times, i've fallen or tested them a few times, but they only held once. the one i fell on is still on the learning curve at skybridge.

I have a set of Trango BallNutz that I have used for years. I haven't taken a genuine fall on one yet, and would prefere not to. I have taken a few micro falls on the midsize ones and haven't had too much trouble getting them out. I worry more about the rock coming apart then the unit pulling. They typically won't walk like a cam if you give them a tug to "set them". I use the 2,3,and 4, the 1 scares me a bit in anything but granite, and the 5 is getting on the heavy side. They also far exceed the strenght rating of any cam in its range. FYI, They are made in Korea

I like the lowe balls, they fit where nothing else will. They have helped me get through a runout when no other piece on my rack would fit. I have fallen on the middle sized one and it held just fine. They are usally easy to clean. My partner took a good whipper on the smallest size and broke the weld on it, so it is more of a head trip thing.

Granite = Solid Ball Nut

Softer Sandstone = Busted Nutz

They're fine. There really isn't any other option in that range for tiny parallel cracks. They aren't that hard to get out. I just use the smallest ones since larger sizes overlap with micro cams.

does anyone else think that the name 'ball nutz' is rather suggestive? Climbers sure are a dirty lot, aren't they??

I have an unused Lowe Ball, circa 198-something that I'm afraid as hell to use. I do take it out and fondle it once in a while.

I have a set of prototype ball nuts that was manufactured by CMI. I have only considered and used them as aid pieces or as an oppossition nut for a larger size piece. Sandy's right about the naming. I guess no one can resist. CMI called theirs "Blue Balls"!