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kimmyt
Dec 18, 2003, 3:17 PM
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Hi all.
I've been climbign for a while and have recently started doing more trad. I haven't ever led before and won't for some time (perhaps in the next year or so) but I'm thinking ahead to that time already. For Xmas my dad got me a gift certificate to REI.com, and since I can't think of any non-climibng thing I want, I figured I'd start to build my rack.
I've been going over some of the older threads on a starter rack and pretty much have decided to start with hexes or nuts.
Question is, which do you recommend, and should I get an entire set or just a few select sizes. The sets they have at REI (I know, not good selection, but it's where the gift cert is to...) are BD Wired hexes, Metolius curved hexes, BD wired stoppers, and Metolius curved nuts. So, umm....give me your personal recommendations and help me spend my daddy's money!!
Oh, I live in PA and will climb mostly at the Gunks.
Any Q's, PM me.
K.
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taualum23
Dec 18, 2003, 3:23 PM
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Wired stoppers are a nice way to start a rack. And if you're climbing in the gunks, tri-cams. Love they way they protect those horizontals.
Good luck , and have fun building that rack.
J
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lollipopchic
Dec 18, 2003, 3:54 PM
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I'd go for the BD stoppers... but then I haven't been climbing trad for long, so don't put a lot of weight on my advice! Personally I find I don't use hexes half as much as I use my stoppers so go for the stoppers.
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jammin
Dec 18, 2003, 4:04 PM
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Buy stoppers, preferably the colour coded kind. If you are climbing at the gunks, buy tricams, the pink red and brown sizes as a minimum. Hexes are good, put I only have the three largest sizes of BD. The smaller ones I never use.
Enjoy yourself.
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data118
Dec 18, 2003, 4:06 PM
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I have a full set of BD hexes, but only use #6-#9. Get the full set of BD stoppers. I have both BD and Metolius curve nuts, but I think the anodized stoppers might help beginners. Also get a pink, red, brown tricams. BTW, I climb at the Gunks.
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oldrkr
Dec 18, 2003, 4:06 PM
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I'd start with the BD Stoppers, practise placing them from the ground while you are killing time at the crag. Then you can fill out your rack over time when you've got the big bucks handy. Knowing how to place passive pro will help you understand how/where to place all the other pro you will acquire as you move into trad leading.
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uasunflower
Dec 18, 2003, 4:24 PM
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check out Mass Climbers Thread (partners/US EAST), page 124 http://www.rockclimbing.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=25768&postdays=0&postorder=asc&topic_view=&start=1845 and a bit onwards, we had some good gear discussion that helped me make up my mind.
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robmcc
Dec 18, 2003, 4:44 PM
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I'm going to try a NEW! answer. Do you have a regular trad partner with a rack? Regular enough that you can count on climbing with them until you have a full rack of your own? If so, then buy stuff that complements what they have.
Take me, for example. (Please! Sez the wifey...)
I have BD & Metolius Nuts, full hexes, 7 or so tri cams (assorted red, pink, brown), camalots 0.5-4), TCUs 1-3, and a 3/8 alien. When my partner starts accumulating gear, I'd recommend he start with cams because "we" have more than enough passive pro and "we" would be better off adding to the alien collection or doubling up on cams. If it ever happens that he goes climbing without me and wants to lead, it's a given I'd loan him anything he wanted, so he'd still have access to all the toys. Taking the standard advice of "buy nuts or hexes first" isn't right, IMO, for him, because he has the use of a pile of nuts and hexes just for the asking.
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kimmyt
Dec 18, 2003, 4:46 PM
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Unfortunately, I don't have a 'regular' climbing partner (for trad, anyway). So I'm just looking at getting the basics right now. By the time I do start leading, I should have a fair bit accumulated.
K.
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crazygirl
Dec 18, 2003, 4:56 PM
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I'm going to duck before I say this..
I bought a few hexes when I started leading and I've used them oh maybe 3 times. In fact, I can only think of 2 routes in the gunks off hand that need them. So get a few hexes on sale, they are cheap enough, so you won't feel bad if you don't use them.
I would get a set of nuts, and few cams, either Metolius or BD. BD is my favorite.
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kimmyt
Dec 18, 2003, 5:20 PM
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Ok, you've all convinced me. Went and got a set of nuts. The Huevos. Nice and cheap, and I only had to shell out a few bucks for the shipping. Thanks for your input, everyone, I'm sure you'll be hearing from me when I come across my next gear question.
Yay! I just started a rack...now I'm going to be impatiently waiting for them to come in the mail so I can play with them.
K.
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robmcc
Dec 18, 2003, 5:23 PM
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In reply to: Yay! I just started a rack...now I'm going to be impatiently waiting for them to come in the mail so I can play with them.
I don't know whether to tease you about wanting to play with your rack or wanting to play with your nuts.
Uh, YOU wanting to, that is. :shock: I'll play with my own. 8)
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kimmyt
Dec 18, 2003, 5:34 PM
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In reply to: I don't know whether to tease you about wanting to play with your rack or wanting to play with your nuts. Uh, YOU wanting to, that is. :shock: I'll play with my own. 8)
Heh. How...generic.
So, how do you think my dad will react when I tell him that I used his gift certificate to buy myself a new rack??
K.
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robmcc
Dec 18, 2003, 5:37 PM
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Can't answer that. I wouldn't want to be generic again. :(
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cracklover
Dec 18, 2003, 6:23 PM
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In reply to: So, how do you think my dad will react when I tell him that I used his gift certificate to buy myself a new rack?? K.
Don't want generic, eh?
Well don't forget to add that you got a variety of color codes sizes for your new rack, 'cause you never know what you and your various partners will want on a given day!
At worst, this will just make him nauseous. If you want to actually make him pass out, tell him you can't wait for the hardware you bought with his money to arrive. As soon as it does you plan to start practicing placing it in your cracks, so you can show off for your more experienced partners next time you see them. If he's a nice shade of green, but hasn't actually fallen over yet, tell him that you can easily hang your entire body-weight on a well placed medium to large piece, and even bounce on it a little. Ask him if he'd like to see! (*Disclaimer* - May be unwise if he has a heart condition.)
GO
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j_magnuson
Dec 18, 2003, 6:29 PM
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Check out the "Smiley's Wedgies" at REI-outlet.com and you can make the gift certificate go a bit farther. They are exact knock-offs of BD Stoppers/ABC Huevos (Anodized color scheme is the same as Huevos) and were made by Omega Pacific. They are currently selling for $3.93 for the small sizes and $4.93 for the larger.
Josh
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alpinerocket
Dec 18, 2003, 7:22 PM
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if your new to trad climbing and dont have a partner that climbs trad. I would recomend buying this book CLIMBING ANCHORS by John Long. Once you have read it practise placing gear on the ground before taking the sharp end
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charley
Dec 18, 2003, 9:14 PM
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You can also tell dad you bought a set of nuts to play with.
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kimmyt
Dec 18, 2003, 9:23 PM
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Got the Smiley's Wedgies (all except sizes 4 and 6 which they didn't have), and am probably getting that book Climbing Anchors for Xmas. Mmmm reading material.
K.
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j_magnuson
Dec 19, 2003, 7:40 PM
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Kimmyt,
Check back periodically, I think the #4,5,6 wedgies have been reappearing every once in a while. I bought a second set but couldn't get the #4 and #5, but lo and behold, they were there last week. Hope you enjoy them, and I second (third?) the reccomendation on Long's book "Climbing Anchors".
Josh
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charley
Dec 19, 2003, 8:28 PM
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When you get done with climbing anchors, check out More Climbing Anchors. I thought it was much more detailed and informative. Then get out on some rock and practice, practice, practice.
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timstich
Dec 20, 2003, 3:32 AM
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OK Kimmy, so you have some nuts. That's one of the first things I bought as well. Now go get yourself a variety of slings and either D or oval carabiners, whichever you prefer. Get some long ones. You'll want enough to make trad draws out of them - a sling looped 2 or three times on two biners. Or you can put one biner on a sling and one on each nut, thus easily combining the two into pro. I rack half my nuts on one biner and half on another and keep a few free biners available.
After that look into getting some CCH Aliens and either flexible Friends or some Camelots. You might like Metolius cams, but some of my friends claim they walk more. I have both and don't have an opinion yet about that. I bought a lot of used cams to make my rack as well. Many will disuade you from doing this. Use your own judgement. But when you are on a budget, used gear is better than no gear on a pitch hanging it out in the breeze, no?
And yeah, I sure fondled the gear for a long time before it got used.
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caughtinside
Dec 20, 2003, 3:38 AM
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Yeah, get biners and slings next. Get 20 biners at least!
Also, I'd ditch the hexes. Cheaper, but nowhere near as useful as cams.
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one900johnnyk
Dec 20, 2003, 3:55 AM
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wired bd stoppers and metolius curved hexes 7 and up.. all my bd hexes are hanging from my fan as we speak, without a scratch on them. shit!
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charley
Dec 20, 2003, 11:35 AM
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In reply to: Yeah, get biners and slings next. Get 20 biners at least! Also, I'd ditch the hexes. Cheaper, but nowhere near as useful as cams.
This has been discussed in here alot. I believe it's personal preference. I think cams may be prefered because of their versatility. I prefer hexes. Hexes are also versatile and they are much cheaper. I would much rather fall on a well placed hex than a cam. I just trust it more.
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