X4 Offsets- Most Useful Sizes

I am thinking about buying some offset cams, and need to decide what sizes to get. The inspiration for the purchase is a possible trip to Yosemite in October, but they would also of course be useful at local PNW granite areas too (Index, Squamish, etc). I'm mainly interested in free climbing; not much interest in aid/walls at the moment. I would buy 2 or 3 offsets, to supplement the existing rack of "normal" cams (doubles from micros to big). What would be the most useful sizes for free climbing?

The X4 0.3/0.4 and the 0.2/0.3 are obviously two "must have" sizes. From there, would it be better to go bigger (0.4/0.5) or smaller (0.1/0.2) for a third cam?

X4s are definitely of more interest, but other cams are a possibility too. Same question regarding sizes applies to Mastercams and/or Aliens. Fixe, not Totem, due only to current available sale prices.

I've used the blue/yellow and yellow/orange metolius offsets for free climbing in squamish. They are divine - and very useful as most folks I climb with here use metolius small gear, so no futzing around trying to guestimate placement sizings.

Are you headpointing or just cruising up multi-pitches? I'd just stop at the 2 you've picked out & not worry about going smaller or bigger. 0.4/0.5 would probably be a touch more useful, whereas a C3 can probably be used in place of a 0.1/0.2. I wouldn't buy a master cam or (especially) fixe alien at 30% off compared to a full price totem alien, but that's just me (I'd wait for a 20% off from backcountrygear if you are in no rush). On the other hand, I fully endorse regular totem cams, they are way better than the larger X4/master cam sizes.

Ive rarely used offset cams in squamish

However offset nuts and regular totems work great here

The rock is often varied enough here that you usually dont NEED an offset cam

;)

reboot wrote:Are you headpointing or just cruising up multi-pitches?

Primarily interested in just going out and climbing classic long routes at this point. For the Valley, the main objectives would be things like Rostrum, Astroman, Freeblast, and other similar routes. Also various classic 5.10 long routes and some cragging at the Cookie to acclimate (haven't climbed in the Valley in years...).

Maybe some headpoint projects next season in Index, but nothing for now. Switching back into trad mode to get out of project mentality for a while...

Like Ted said, I have metolius yellow blue and orange yellow and use them constantly in the valley or tuolumne. They're pretty sweet. X4s are awesome too just have to match sizes. I asked the clerk in the mountain shop what the top three cams they sell are. #3 was the 0/1 metolius offset. Purple/blue I think. Small is better than .4/.5 I think.

bearbreeder wrote:Ive rarely used offset cams in squamish...The rock is often varied enough here that you usually dont NEED an offset cam ;)

I agree. Most of the granite climbing I've done in the last few years has been in Squamish, hence a general lack of familiarity with offsets. Use of offsets doesn't seem too common there. A big part of this is probably related to the history of the place. Squamish climbing didn't really get going in a big way until after the piton era, so severe pin scarring is pretty rare there. Thus, offsets not usually mandatory. From what I recall, the situation in Yosemite is quite different, hence trying to decide if and which ones to get before going.

JCM wrote: From what I recall, the situation in Yosemite is quite different, hence trying to decide if and which ones to get before going.

Self quoting here. I guess the other question is simply whether getting offsets is particularly neccesary for free routes, or if it is more of an aid roue sort of thing. Again, I haven't used them much, but knwo that people rave about them for Yosemite. Absolutely neccesary, nice to have, or not really needed?

For instance, I'm thinking about getting another piece in the BD 0.4 range. Could either get a X4 0.4 or a 0.4/0.5 offset. Which to get?

I guess I asked b/c 0.1/0.2 is pretty hard to eye for on an onsight attempt. Really, I usually only ever feel slightly better w/ hybrids as the lobes aren't profiled side ways to make good contact w/ the rock. I'd say it's definitely nice to have...but how useful is pretty route dependent (& it's only in pretty discontinuous crack where you have very little other options)

reboot wrote:I guess I asked b/c 0.1/0.2 is pretty hard to eye for on an onsight attempt. ...but how useful is pretty route dependent (& it's only in pretty discontinuous crack where you have very little other options)

Fair point. I'm definately more in the mode of looking for standard go-to pieces to take to fill out the finger-size cam selection on an onsight attempt of a long route, not super-specialized pieces that I only bring if I know they are needed.

Plus I'm not one to seek out poorly protected headpoints.

I would recommend offset aliens over X4s, but that's just my .02. I find that they are easier to place and more reliable in flared cracks. The stems on the x4s tend to kink as well, and I think the aliens will hold up better over time.

JCM wrote:I am thinking about buying some offset cams, and need to decide what sizes to get. The inspiration for the purchase is a possible trip to Yosemite in October, but they would also of course be useful at local PNW granite areas too (Index, Squamish, etc). I'm mainly interested in free climbing; not much interest in aid/walls at the moment. I would buy 2 or 3 offsets, to supplement the existing rack of "normal" cams (doubles from micros to big). What would be the most useful sizes for free climbing? The X4 0.3/0.4 and the 0.2/0.3 are obviously two "must have" sizes. From there, would it be better to go bigger (0.4/0.5) or smaller (0.1/0.2) for a third cam? X4s are definitely of more interest, but other cams are a possibility too. Same question regarding sizes applies to Mastercams and/or Aliens. Fixe, not Totem, due only to current available sale prices.

I used the offsets in the PNW extensively. I know others don't think they're "Needed" which could be true but in all my time at Index, Leavenworth, Squamish etc I found the offsets to be a GREAT addition to my granite rack. Leave them home if Vantage bound...

Go To sizes (and BD equiv) Blue/Green (.2/.3), Green/Yellow (.3/.4) Yellow/Red (.4/.5) I had a Black/Blue (.1/.2) but found I didn't use that as much. If you get down to J-Tree and other areas with more flaring, even the .5/.75 can be useful.

Reg Totem Cams are great and do alright in the flares but having two pairs of different sized lobes is better, in my experience, than the Totem Cams for the flaring stuff. Mind you I have doubles of Totems so both are great (2x Totems and 1x offsets is my "long day" rack)

As an update: I ended up deciding to improve my "normal" cam rack instead of getting offsets. I got some X4s to replace my battered, 10 year old TCUs. Probably a good call. In the future, I'll keep an eye out for sales and maybe think about getting the .2/.3 and .3/.4 offset X4s, or Totem equivalents.