Thumb Cramps and U-Shaped Cams

[catbirdseat]

Presumably from climbing too long with cold hands and/or belaying with cold hands, my thumbs stopped working as I was leading a wide 5.10a crack climb at Vantage. They were cramped in such a way that I couldn't open them. The good news was that I could still make a fist jam. The bad news was that I couldn't extend the thumbs enough to retract the lobes on my single stem cams to make a placement. I found myself wishing I had U-shaped cams because you don't need thumbs to place them. I was finally able to shake out a hand enough to place a cam and finish the exit moves. Anyway, I remember thinking, "Gee this would be really pretty comical if it weren't so damn serious".

[selkirk]

The new C4's have those nifty thumb loops, they would probably work as well. Could just thread your thumb through it glad you made it up safe though.... that's a bad place to cramp up.

[Dru]

You dont need thumbs to place single stem cams silly, you can use the ball/heel of your hand, that the thumb sprouts off of.

[catbirdseat]

That works...if you have simian hands- I don't.

[Dru]

try this. put the cam flat on your palm. put middle and index fingers on trigger. now put heel of hand on end of cam and place. what is so hard? i rarely use thumb to place cams.

[catbirdseat]

Must be I have either short fingers or the distance between the end of the stem and the trigger is large on Clog cams, but I could not do it the way you describe. I plan to gradually migrate to the new Costalots anyway.

[scott_harpell]

That is what I do. Also with BD's you can just push the cam in the crack and it will go it. If you are really pumped this works great.

[skyclimb]