Standard Rack

[Bill_Simpkins]

Just curious what everyone's standard rock pro rack is. You know, the stuff you always take on that single or multi pitch you never climbed before. And I'd like to hear why you may include certain extras or leave things out. Mine is:

 

-Forged Friends sizes 1-4, total of 9, each on a BD Neutrino (very light weight)

-DMM 3 Cams 1/2 and 3/4 each on a BD Neutrino

-All cams are racked on a slightly shortened 3/4 inch, tied nylon runner, which I could also use in a pinch

-Tricams pink, red, violet,blue,grey and green on 3 biners

-Hexs 1/2 inch, 1.5 inch, 2 inch and 3 inch all on 1 biner

-Set of BD Stoppers 1-12 (rarely use 13, plus red tri-cam does that job)

-Extra stoppers included are #3 and #4 wedge (always find those handy

-All stoppers are rack on 2 oval biners(they are easier to sort through on the ovals, for me)

-3 shoulder length specta runners

-3 tied with 1/2 inch nylon

-one cordelette with tied 1/2 nylon

-6 to 8 quickdraws

-8 more BD Neutrinos

-3 lightweight locker biners

-Nut tool

-short daisychain for cows tail(optional depending on route)

-ATC with Petzl Attache locking biner

 

More gear ranting:

Still making improvements. When I go in the mountains and weight is a huge issue, I usually lighten it up alot, usually by leaving out every other stopper and cam, and every other tricam and hex. And leave the quickdraws at home and just double a runner up if I need something short or take 2 very short spectra runners. In the hills I usually use 1 or 2 8.3 mm, 30 m ropes. When weight doesn't matter much I'll use a 9.5 mm, 60 m rope. But I've even brought that one up in the hills a few times too for certain routes.

 

 

[Highlander]

Depends on the route, but typically for cragging:

1 set of camalots #.75-#4, double #1 and #2

1 set of aliens blue-orange, double of yellow and red

1 set of nuts

8-10 Shoulder length slings/w 2 wiregate biners each.

*more big stuff for off widths if needed.

 

Alpine: depends on the route.

 

 

[Cpt.Caveman]

For cragging-

set of nuts

6-7 cams to 2.5 inches unless it states you need larger in book

12 carabiners

8-10 slings double length

belay device

nut tool

 

Alpine-

8-10 slings double length

10 carabiners

as least amound of cams I think I can get away with

set of nuts and or some large hexes

belay device

nut tool

 

Fuck the daisy chain it gets in the way and is just bullshit, tie in with the rope it's stronger.

 

Hardly use cordellete unless I am toproping, slings work fine in most situations.

 

Alpine easy routes 8.5 edelwiess rope 60m. More strenous routes 10 mil rope. I think the only time I used 2 ropes besides ice climbing is on Slesse in case weather crapped out we would have bailed faster. I have even climbed on a 30 meter line in alpine. Much saved weight but sacrifice rappels and forces quick climbing (running belays).

[Bill_Simpkins]

BTW I ALWAYS tie in with the rope at belays, very clean, stronger.

But your right Capt., the short daisy (2 ft.) is mainly useless. It's a luxury for quick comfortable stances during multiple rappels and 3 man belay stations. An extra sling would do the job just fine, and would be stronger and save weight.

 

[catbirdseat]

Bill, you carry six Tri-Cams, which is more than most folks carry. I carry the three smallest ones, but plan to get more. When you consider that tricams fill a size range as large as SLCDs at a fraction of the weight and cost, you would think that more people would use them. Dru says he likes them a lot. I think he said he uses them INSTEAD of SLCDs. They are also much cheaper than SLCDs. With practice they can be set fairly rapidly. So why is it more people don't use them?

[iain]

because they suck to clean and they look funky

[chucK]

catbirdseat said:

So why is it more people don't use them?

 

FIERCE F*CKING FIDDLE FACTOR

[chucK]

iceguy said:

I usually find it easier to get quick bomber placements with SLCDs, and so generally find myself reaching for SLCDs before tricams.

 

Agreed, perhaps less obtuse, but less alliteration, than my answer.

 

Here are some places where I have found BOMBER pinky tricam placements:

 

Crux move around decomposing chockstone on East Face of the Tooth

 

Start of second crux of Godzilla (that weird-sized crack in the RFC above the lieback flake). Perhaps this one is only "good" rather than BOMBER.

 

First placement before heading out onto the Heart of the Country splitter crack.

 

Start of Dem Bones in Cochise Stronghold (passive, "stopper" placement mode).

 

Any more anyone?

 

 

Note that all of these placements are from good stances. I'd hate to have to place one of those things when hanging one-handed off a strenous stance.

 

 

[fern]

since Dru is away I am compelled to fill in:

 

[dru]

 

ALL tricam placements are BOMBER man.

 

[/dru]

 

[chucK]

 

 

[Attitude]

The correct answer is downclimb.

 

[rbw1966]

Or down-aid

[carolyn]

chucK said:

Which would you rather rap off of (i.e. 1. trust your life to and 2. forfeit the gear) in a bail situation? Assume the "stopper" mode for the tricams is not an option.

 

Im curious about those who responded to this poll, voting for tricams. Is it because you trust them in camming mode or because you dont want to leave a cam behind?

 

I just bought a few tricams (pink and red). I havent yet practiced placing them, but I have cleaned them. Ive never found them terribly difficult to clean. What I have found to be the biggest bitch to clean are the metolious curved stoppers.

Edited May 22, 2003 by carolyn

[Dru]

Tri Cams are aid but in a GOOD way

[catbirdseat]

If you place a tri-cam that is too small for the crack and you fall on it, it can wedge in hard. The solution is to use the right size or don't fall.

 

The reasons why people would prefer to bail on a tricam are two: they are cheaper than SLCD's and they don't walk the way SLCD sometimes do.

[Ibex]

chucK said:

Note that all of these placements are from good stances. I'd hate to have to place one of those things when hanging one-handed off a strenous stance.

 

 

Actually I would argue to the contrary... I like to keep the bottom 4-5 tricams on one biner. Imagine yourself pulling up to a roof with an irregular crack running out towards to lip. By grabbing one biner off of the rack you have a plethora of placement options/sizes that you can choose from, like a key chain. In contrast, imagine trying to do the same with 2-3 small-mid SLCD's. Depending on how you rack them, you reach for the first one, it doesnt fit, re-rack it, grab another, try it, it doesnt fit, re-rack it, reach for tricams...etc...

 

For those of you who think that they are hard to place: Get ahold of one of the "midsize" blue ones. They are larger and a little bit heavier, ergo easier to practice with. Practice (with it in one hand) flicking the cam back over the webbing while holding the web about 2" from the head. IMHO they are NO harder to place than any other SLCD, you simply have to get familiar with them.

 

To clean a stuck tricam, tri..errr, try alternately "pulling" on the point and "pushing" on the opposite end, with a nut tool; in order to rotate and "collapse" the cam. Also, leaders... dont weld the smaller ones in place to begin with.

 

Cheers