starting my rack

[kevino]

Just curious as to what some more experienced trad people recommend to purchase to start building up my rack. Like what size cams, nuts and hexs to get and more common sizes, etc. I have a couple people who are going to be teaching me, but I would eventually like to have my own gear to use. I've seen sets like this , but is that a good deal? Good stuff to start off with? Thanks for you time and help guys and gals.

[kevbone]

A set of nuts and a bunch of long slings and carabineers, go find something you want to lead and buy what you need for that climb and keep doing that as you go, eventually you will have a double rack and will climb what you want. Stick with Camelot’s, Metolious, and Aliens for cams. They work the best. Good luck.

[catbirdseat]

Metolius is not a good choice for beginners, in my opinion. They get stuck too easily. Friends are also a good choice.

[billcoe]

A set of nuts and a bunch of long slings and carabineers, go find something you want to lead and buy what you need for that climb and keep doing that as you go, eventually you will have a double rack and will climb what you want. Stick with Camelot’s, Metolious, and Aliens for cams. They work the best. Good luck.

 

Nailed that on the cams. BTW, to flesh it out some more, add a set of wired nuts or 2(I like DMM as they are the lightest/strongest-others like BD/Smiley or Wild country), and the 4 larger hex sizes in either BD/Chouinard or Wild Country-I'd buy the hexes and nuts used, for sure. Buying the sets sounds good, but you wind up with more small nuts than you can stand.

 

My first gear purchased were some carabiners and the 5,6 and 7 Chouinard Hexes (had to sling my own rope) to flesh out a buddies rack for a local route. 1972. Still have them. Still use em all the time for setting up Toperope routes. Nuts/hexes work signifigantly better to TR where you don't have bolts cause they stay put. I still carry hexes on some routes at Smith (like White Satin and Trezler, where the constrictions take a hex better than a cam. That is rare for granite though.

[NTM]

my .02, to start, a rack of nuts and the equivalent of bd .5-3. That should get you through quite a bit of stuff.

Some people won't agree, but I think in general, hexes are a waste of time. cams are light enough that weight-wise it doesn't make much of a difference in your pack and they're much more versatile and easier to place. I have a bunch of partners who have bought hexes and they've now sat in their basements for years.

watch for online deals, people selling gear and sales in stores, don't pay full price for anything (unless you really really want it right now).

[kevbone]

hexes are a waste of time.

 

I agree....but you should know how to place them anyway.

[Bug]

I have always disliked hexes. I have a couple tcu's I'd sell cheap ($20). But they do get stuck if you are not careful.

[ScottP]

I'd buy the hexes and nuts used, for sure.

If you buy used wired nuts, look at the cable up near the head. If it's been radically bent or shows signs of fraying, keep on looking.

[underworld]

DEEEEZ Nutz.... are a good deal!

 

 

[catbirdseat]

Those look very much like the BD/ABC Heuvos/ Smileys, even to the color code.

[Mr_Phil]

Hexes are just big nuts.

 

Good trad climbers usual have big nuts.

[archenemy]

Got 'em.

But they sure are noisy.

Usually, when I hear a bunch of hexes clanging, I look around for Mountaineers.

 

Funny enough, I use my little teeny stoppers more than anything else.

[G-spotter]

Metolius is not a good choice for beginners, in my opinion. They get stuck too easily. Friends are also a good choice.

 

What EVER!

[Brianmoore]

Just go to REI and the nice folks there will help you decide what you will need.

[Weekend_Climberz]

Just go to REI and the nice folks there will help you decide what you will need.

 

[rob]

And don't forget to write your name on your helmet.

[Weekend_Climberz]

And don't forget to write your name on your helmet.

 

And not one of those helmets you can crush with your hands :tdown:

[bogartontheslope]

I have no clue what you need but I saw this on craigslist. It's worth a look http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/spo/299353449.html

[archenemy]

And don't forget to write your name on your helmet.

And write your blood type on it as well. Seriously, it could be very helpful one day. And tape an emergency "space" blanket to the inside. You may need it someday.

[pink]

i think if you take your rack down to your local catholic church and have it blessed good things will come your way.

 

god bless

[Mr_Phil]

And don't forget to write your name on your helmet.

And write your blood type on it as well. Seriously, it could be very helpful one day. And tape an emergency "space" blanket to the inside. You may need it someday.

 

Don't put stuff on the inside of your helmet. The gap between the shell and your head is meant to compress when you smack something. No gap, no protection.

[Weekend_Climberz]

And don't forget to write your name on your helmet.

And write your blood type on it as well. Seriously, it could be very helpful one day. And tape an emergency "space" blanket to the inside. You may need it someday.

 

Don't put stuff on the inside of your helmet. The gap between the shell and your head is meant to compress when you smack something. No gap, no protection.

 

Or you could do it just to piss off Mr_Phil :tup:

[spotly]

i think if you take your rack down to your local catholic church and have it blessed good things will come your way.

 

god bless

 

Blessings are aid.

[Mr_Phil]

And don't forget to write your name on your helmet.

And write your blood type on it as well. Seriously, it could be very helpful one day. And tape an emergency "space" blanket to the inside. You may need it someday.

 

Don't put stuff on the inside of your helmet. The gap between the shell and your head is meant to compress when you smack something. No gap, no protection.

 

Or you could do it just to piss off Mr_Phil :tup:

 

If your going to tape anything up there, make it a maxi-pad.

 

Sounds like you'll need it.

[JayB]

One or two sets of nuts, double in finger sizes only if you want to economize

 

Single set of cams from 0.5 to 4 if you have the money, otherwise #1,2,3

 

Double up coverage in the hand-size range with hexes.

 

Odds and ends:

 

~8-12 over-the shoulder slings, 2 cordellettes, nut-tool, knife.