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feynman
Trad climber
chossberta
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Feb 25, 2015 - 11:16pm PT
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Always take 6,8,9. Much of my local rock is too irregular and molar toothed for cams to be ubiquitously reliable (even a small walk fans them out completely, fully disengages a lobe or two, or puts a lobe on an easily destroyed nipple).
Plus I have lots of slots behind loose blocks or weird funnels that only work for umbrella-ed cams. Umbrella-ed cams don't set and can rotate then pull through (plus I still have to use some of my old rigid friends, and they don't work umbrella-ed).
I also dislike the force multiplication of cams in loose blocks. Since that's often about 1/4 of my pro, I tend to prefer passive gear.
Rapping off a single cam still scares me. A #9 hex - not at all....
I do HATE black diamonds wired hexes (love that hex shape though). The wires are about 3-4" too long. They cowbell something awful. I keep my cords stopper lengths and they are much less noisy and easier to carry.
Normal rack pink, red, brown tri-cam, 6,8,9 hex, 1.5 set stopper, blue & yellow metolius tcu, two to four cams as per features.
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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Feb 25, 2015 - 11:24pm PT
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Good for building bomber top-rope anchors.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Feb 25, 2015 - 11:38pm PT
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There are places where hexes are better than cams, but they are unusual/rare.
Back in the days before cams, only the superstars dared to climb at the Cookie on hexes and stoppers.
Now pretty much anyone can climb there with cams, and not have to do mandatory runouts when the crack is too parallel to take a good hex.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Feb 26, 2015 - 12:09am PT
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I still have a gold-anodized wired BD hex - a #9 I believe - for a specific placement on a particular climb, otherwise that's a big negatory on the hexes for at least the past twenty years or so. I was still using a #8 Titon on a sling I couldn't bear to be without for about five years after I stopped using hexes. Stopped using TriCams about the same time as that Titon.
Rack now is just doubles in Metolius MasterCams, doubles in HB alloy offsets, two of the larger WC Rocks, and #2-4 Lowe/Byrne Ballnuts, I augment that as needed with large Metolius and BD cams, offset Metolius MasterCams, HB Brassies, Crack-N-ups setup for free climbing, and some old Wild Things Air Voyagers.
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Feb 26, 2015 - 12:52am PT
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I don't know if it's still there, or if people still use it, but there used to be a great placement in the Bishop's Balcony horizontal roof crack, a hammered large hex in one of the well-worn pin scars. It looked spooky, but was apparently sound. I suppose it was less of a "hex" placement than a "copperhead", but it was definitely a Chouinard Hexcentric. I solo aided that roof on a rainy day, and that fixed hex was one of best aspects of the experience.
The #8 Hexcentric, to me, was a magical piece of gear, way back then.
Later? Cams were easier to place.
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Feb 26, 2015 - 07:04am PT
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had planed to vist and just Input thru edit but I will not,
I have three or four Racks worth of gear like most I would bet, One just for Work is shiney "new w" you bet!
BUT
then there are the other kind a 'work ' racks, here is my goto
Add old scary strap tri cams i am to embarrassed to show
( 3,straight sided nutz?) a ridged stem Wild country frnd or two,
and old big camalots two green boat anchors, who's up?? take my rack please?. .
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Larry Nelson
Social climber
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Feb 26, 2015 - 08:12am PT
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I use cams and stoppers, but carry the larger hexes to the crag and like to use them occasionally just to keep in practice. As Jaybro said, you have to think about your placement and you learn to recognize good placements.
Moosedrool:
LOL, classic picture
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Tvash
climber
Seattle
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Feb 26, 2015 - 08:54am PT
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If you've got the matching Rubaffat sweater and perm, you're good to go.
Now that cams do passive - it seems you might need the nickers, too.
My pals and I have kind of standardized on a few tiny HB offset brass nuts, BD micro offset nuts and DMM anodized offset stoppers - then a variety of cams. That does the trick.
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Jones in LA
Mountain climber
Tarzana, California
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Feb 26, 2015 - 08:57am PT
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Until very recently I carried my original 1972 Chouinard "lucky #6" on nearly every trad climb I got on. I think it's because I liked the color of the cord more than anything else (purple & gold).
This particular hex also has some dings on it from a few hammer taps: a relic of that awkward time when climbers carried a hammer, pins, and nuts, and when it was considered OK to use the hammer to help "seat" a nut better. In retrospect this seems kind of absurd, but back then...well...it was a transitional period.
When I realized that I never actually placed lucky #6 on any climb, I retired it. I think it was the Totem Cam that finally did it in.
Rich Jones
P.S. -- I still carry a 'lucky' MOAC stopper from that era, and it gets placed frequently.
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Barbarian
climber
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Feb 26, 2015 - 09:07am PT
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There is nothing sweeter than the sound of hex "bells" on the way to the crag.
There is no anchor as satisfying as the prefectly placed nut (Hex or Stopper). Completely bombproof.
Yeah, I'm old. Get over it.
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Lulz
Ice climber
North East
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Feb 26, 2015 - 09:14am PT
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I have a friend that always brings them when doing mixed and alpine routes. He hammers them home and prefers that than relying on cams in icy cracks.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Feb 26, 2015 - 09:17am PT
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Titons are lighter and more useful.
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Feb 26, 2015 - 09:27am PT
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Jones you still got good eyes, NOT HEXS PER SAY at all
just wait till the snow blows through
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BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
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Feb 26, 2015 - 09:29am PT
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I stopped using them when cams came out. Stoppers are still required gear for small placements. Occasionally a route is noted for a specific piece of gear, such as that pitch on the P.O. that needs one of those Lowe cam nuts whose name escapes me. I think a 2 inch bong also fits that placement, but who carries bongs anymore? Even on walls.
Then again, I've been out of the game for ages.
I've noticed that the photos of hexes above shows something: they are barely scratched. Brand new looking after decades of use.
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Roots
Mountain climber
Tustin, CA
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Feb 26, 2015 - 10:36am PT
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I have (4) of the largest sizes...old school from the 70/80's with lightening holes drilled by the previous owner.
As others mentioned they are great for when learning about placing pro and as additional pieces if you don't have enough cams. -I remember bringing a bunch to climb Owl Rock 15 or more years ago when I only had a few cams, etc.
However, I do carry them for alpine stuff. Overall lighter IMO and many placement options for each one.
Dig it!
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Feb 26, 2015 - 11:07am PT
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I still take hexes with me on aid routes to supplement my cams because of the weight and cost factors (I bought first- and second-generation Hexcentrics long before cams were on the market).
I also take single runners with large hexcentrics attached on many easy free climbs, particularly in the high Sierra. Generally, though, cams are so much more versatile that I leave the hexes at home.
John
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Feb 26, 2015 - 01:21pm PT
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You mean there are people that don't use them?
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John Duffield
Mountain climber
New York
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Feb 26, 2015 - 01:31pm PT
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You mean there are people that don't use them?
My takeaway as well. Now,I'm wondering if there would be people who don't know how to Prusik up a rope.
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Highgloss
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 26, 2015 - 04:36pm PT
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Thats a great point, alpine style routes are a perfect place for the hex. Since I am to scared of being frozen to death waiting for a rescue or getting caught in a storm, I don't think I will ever alpine climb.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Feb 26, 2015 - 05:28pm PT
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Freezing to death is way under-rated.
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