Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
DanaB
climber
CO
|
|
|
Jul 19, 2018 - 08:00pm PT
|
Hexecentrics.
I had some the firs few years when I started, but in the last 45 years, climbing in seven countries and can't remember how many states, east west, south and so on, I never once said - if only I had hex. right now. Never.
|
|
Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
|
|
|
Jul 19, 2018 - 08:19pm PT
|
X, As you pointed out - my mid-evil looking Tri-cams useful life expired before the recall for me,
but
I used them, and any thing that I could get my hands on; railroad spikes, "Carriage Bolts" & my favorite, flat iron(?) hooks, originally used in opposed pairs, to hang lights off I-beams over the school stage.(1975-9)
theses blunt "J" shaped hooks had a series of holes in the flat 4inch -upper part, that allowed cord to be tied thru - the hook & 1st inch were burly.
I banged them in, placed them, in all manner of cracks & in their original paired configuration acting like opposed, or scissored sides that when pulled down on, drawing the 2 together, closing the hooks by the weight applied in a downward direction. (I'll look for pix...I am not going "bin diving", when I do, I'll take some pictures)
|
|
Da-Veed
Big Wall climber
Bigfork
|
|
|
Jul 20, 2018 - 07:34am PT
|
Even though I posted the Yellow Tricam as a useless piece of gear, I do love them through blue! They just get clunky and hard to place in the bigger sizes.
My first lead fall was on Gandalf's Grip up at Broughton Bluffs in the Portland area, just before the mantle I placed a red tricam in a diagonal crack, got onto the mantle and took a swan dive backwards, the old reliable red held the fall and since then they have a place on my rack.
That wide little bit under his cam holds a blue Tricam perfectly! Thats Moonshine Dihedral at Smith Rock.
|
|
Trashman
Trad climber
SLC
|
|
|
Jul 20, 2018 - 09:34am PT
|
^ classic example of what drives me nuts about the tricams proselytizers. You know what else fits perfectly there? An slcd that isn’t fiddley, takes less time to place and clean, and is less likely to get stuck.
I get it, sometimes unique climbs take unique pro. I’ve been tempted grab a tube chock or the smallest bro for climbs like Flying Buttress at vedauwoo, much less likely to get pushed into the crack at the lip than an slcd. Doesn’t mean either are a better choice on the rack than a #4 C4, just that I can think of a rare example where they would be desirable, kinda like most tricam justifications.
Edit to add, no specific knock on Da Veed intended, just a convenient example of the “conventional wisdom” re tricams that drives me nuts.
|
|
Cragar
climber
MSLA - MT
|
|
|
Jul 20, 2018 - 10:04am PT
|
I made fun of tri-cams until that pink placement getting to the Kor roof and even after that I took 'em off my rack for the Sierra. After climbing in Blodgett I realized a pink and red were quite handy and I ate crow again but this time with a side of choss and bottomed out horizontals.
|
|
bchains
Trad climber
Bay Area, CA
|
|
|
Jul 20, 2018 - 10:23am PT
|
Tricams ---- when you need one it's already there waiting for you.
|
|
Cragar
climber
MSLA - MT
|
|
|
Jul 20, 2018 - 10:30am PT
|
^^^^^hehehe one of the more popular fixed pieces out there, at least in the 90's...
|
|
Da-Veed
Big Wall climber
Bigfork
|
|
|
Jul 20, 2018 - 10:45am PT
|
Yeah I get it, its more of a novelty placement. I would place them when I had a chance. Although I remember a solid placement on Skull Queen in that upper crux pitch that took the red perfectly, better than a cam. Its one of those things that if your are hauling around with you, you might as well use them!
|
|
klaus
Ice climber
6th and Mission
|
|
|
Jul 20, 2018 - 02:17pm PT
|
Silent Partner
|
|
Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
|
|
|
Jul 20, 2018 - 02:46pm PT
|
ok, went to the bins, it had been a few years. Its 90 degrees out, in the attic? who knows, I wasn't staying long. . . .
I could lay a hand on a single SMC Cam Lock, where would I have left those??
So many real good pieces of gear were made obsolete by the mid-90s.
But I never bought into kirks cams? those round wired nuts?
and while I had the 1st sliders nuts that ran in a fixed groove, they were no match for Quikies? then, rock n rollers & eventually ball nuts, when you needed that thin gear, mostly, you were not falling!
A string of springs and things,after a pitch was sent, looked good, seemed like it might have held a fall, not many folks I know tried to find out.
Tri-cams are good for what they are good for,1st, particularly speaking form my experience in the Gunks, horizontal placements, They worked great in vertical pods for sure & between ice & rock. I fixed them on routes next to tatt and rust on purpose, my wifes key fob is a .5
The #7 is not that big. & the#5, which is not big at all, the same size as an #11 hex,got used a lot. I had 2 or 3 #11s,And 14 pieces on the rack, kinda still do. I had 4 racks good to go if you include the bigger tri cams. If you led 10s in the 70s, the big stuff would stay on the ground.
but The sound of COW BELL, replaced the pure ring of hammer & pin.
it is clear from the wear I used the #7 Tri-cam , the #6? looks fresh.
|
|
healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
|
|
|
Jul 20, 2018 - 03:28pm PT
|
Well, I can't say anything bad about Peck Crackers because a #2 saved my life in Eldo one time.
I carried an #7 Titon sewn on a shoulder sling and used it all the time, but really ever carried any of the other sizes.
Only cared for Tricams back East and then only modded to stiffen the sling.
SMC Camlocks - worse than worthless.
Kirk's Kams on a swivel - we called them "Swivel 'O Death"
Possibly the very worst however were Trinuts - utterly and hopelessly useless.
|
|
justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
|
|
|
Jul 21, 2018 - 07:50am PT
|
Concerened Citizen: I wish to defend Tricams...
OK.. I'll admit I have a weird fondness for them too. One of my mentors swore by them. I actually found them pretty useful climbing back east where there are horizontals and pods with mini- pods inside. They work well at J-Tree in those weird cracks that sort of have "lips" on the front. I've used (some East-coaster's) titons with that style of crack as well.
Somewhere around here I have pics of Mr.E and I doing all-tricam ascents of the cracks at Dairy Queen just for shit's and giggles one day.
Living here on the Eastside they just don't work for this type of climbing... (full set of every size over the pink is up for sale if anyone needs any of them) - and now there's a new set of Totems in the house... so pretty much every piece of gear we own feels useless by comparison.
Ode to a Pink Tricam
Oh Pink's the one I love to place
when I'm alone way up in space
on some exposed and airy face.
They sink where other gear won't go.
When all you've got is manky pro,
This tricam saves your butt from woe.
But it's often hard to get them out;
They make your second moan and shout
And wave his nut tool 'round about
But that's why you're the one on lead
Your problems are a different breed
As long as someone does the deed...
"Oh quit your whimpering," you rumble,
"And get it out or there'll be trouble"
"Get to work now, on the double!"
Although it sometimes takes a while,
They do come out with vim and guile,
(or chiselling and curses vile.)
Pink will do what all the rest.
Won't do when they're put to the test.
Oh pink tricams are just the best!
 Charles "Pinky" Danforth
Edit @ Dingus... Damn....
|
|
Ashrogers
Gym climber
Arizona
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 16, 2018 - 12:43am PT
|
Many of the items mentioned above: tricams, ball nuts, sliders, never used a wall hammock too, but might be a good thing tho.
|
|
Don Paul
Social climber
Washington DC
|
|
|
Aug 16, 2018 - 06:14am PT
|
Nothing better than tri cams, hard to remove sometimes they work so well. I bought a weird square camming device for wide cracks that's stored away and too hard to explain. The tetons are too heavy and made of steel, but not really a bad design imo
|
|
NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
|
|
|
Aug 16, 2018 - 10:31am PT
|
Gear I bought and never used: a fifi hook, plastic REI pulleys designed to go over carabiners for light-weight hauling. Screamers.
I've actually carried the screamers with me on a few climbs but never actually used them. And I never prioritized time to get into aid climbing so have had minimal use of my aiders and jugs. I haven't oiled my hammer and inserted the little wedge yet to actually make use of it- the few times I've used a hammer it was someone else's.
I think I will use the hammer in the future, as well as the bolt drilling kit that Mucci was awesome enough to give me a few years back.
edit: Just remembered- actual protection-wise, the worst thing I ever bought was the smallest sized hexes. They are pretty much like nuts, because the steel cable makes them too finicky and requiring an absolutely perfect crack shape and size to use them with actual camming action. So I just never really used them.
|
|
Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
|
|
|
Aug 16, 2018 - 03:06pm PT
|
BD Nforce ascenders, awful bits of junk that work excellent under the most ideal circumstances and fail miserably everywhere else.
Tibloc, used once.
Chalk ball, give me loose chalk any day.
Kong Blockroll, too heavy for a paper weight, or any other use really.
Folding helmet, cool idea if your head is wider than it is long.
Heavy weight hiking boots, what was I thinking?!
|
|
NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
|
|
|
Aug 16, 2018 - 04:58pm PT
|
Heavy weight hiking boots, what was I thinking?!
+1 this was most expensive of the things that were most unuseful even for their intended purpose.
|
|
Trashman
Trad climber
SLC
|
|
|
Aug 16, 2018 - 05:10pm PT
|
Hah Moof, I’m a frequent BD defender, but those nForce’s were terrible. As you alluded to, they actually work great on a free hanging fixed line, but terribly/dangerously on anything else.
Interestingly, the only other products/projects of theirs that I can compare ended up advancing the industry in the end. The Pitbull tele binding had fatal design flaws, but was later copied as the Hammerhead and had a great life while the subsport was popular.
The other was a Woodward ultralight ledge w input from Deuce that never made it to market(and shouldn’t have). IIRC there was something like the curved corners that eventually made it into the D4(though much inferior). The initial implementation tacoed easily and the cam buckles tended to slip as one attempted to sleep with a creeping sense of unease.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!