RRC Archives

I am interested in starting to Trad climb at the Red this fall. I realize that there is probably a wide variety of climbs there but if someone was going to get a new rack together is there a size range of cams or nuts that you would more likely need to load up on?

It won't be cheap, but I'd recommend doubling up on everything from a blue Alien to a #3 Camalot (I have blue, green, and yellow Aliens, and then I have Camalots for .5 on up), and carrying around some bigger stuff (3.5, 4, 4.5, 5 Camalot) just in case. I frequently place pieces from the blue Alien up through #2 Camalot.

It's also nice to have nuts and hexes... in case you need to build an anchor. I'm not big into placing passive gear, but that's probably just because Loren was my trad mentor.

'It depends' upon what you want to climb....

Last summer, I was broke: I lead a bunch of 5.7/5.8's and lay-backs with a set of Metolius nuts & a #2 camalot...(avoiding Muscle Beach). The gear was fine. Then, I managed to get some good deals on trad gear--The more gear I get, the more 'different' kinds of climbs I can do.

My Opinion: Think about the kinds of routes you like/want to do. Get gear in that size-range & you will find routes that use it. OR, if you are getting 'started' in trad, you will likely be climbing with someone that has more 'trad experience' than you. Figure out what gear your trad-partner is light on & buy it. Start with a 'complementary' rack & fill in the holes later.

Buy 4, #2 camelots and four #1's. Then work on your microcams. Doubling them. Buy a set of nuts last and don't even fool with hexes. Then fill out the bigger sizes of your rack in singles. That should weigh you down sufficently for your hike to Eagle Point Buttress. After that, abandon your Trad gear for some lightweight "sport" gear and go climbing at Torrent.....Tell Mark I said Hi!

Don't abandon your trad gear. Sell it to me at a greatly reduced price!

Thanks for the advice. I was hoping to climb some easier trad lines so that I could set them up for my seven year old son. He likes to come to the red with me but since he is mostly limited to 5.8 and below there is often not many sport routes in his range. What seems to be the brand of choice for cams down at the Red and does it really matter?

Aliens for smaller sizes, BD for maybe 2" and up. Others will have diferent opinions.

you HAVE to get tri cams! you can not climb anything in the red without tri cams. period.

Absolutely 100% agree with Horatio!

What about the trango flex cams. I dont know much about them, but they have good ratings and are only 40 bucks.