Mountain Project Logo

Hexes...why all the hate?

Original Post
Orphaned · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 11,560

I had a younger climber scoff at me in the parking lot by Barker's Dam in J-Tree for carrying hexes. I asked him why he thought hexes were so bad and he claimed "there isn't a spot you can put a hex and not be able to put a cam". He may be right, but I have more confidence in a well placed hex than any cam.

Is it a generational thing? I am 47 and have been climbing longer than he has been alive, I'm sure, but he kind shamed me in front of my wife for thinking that I needed them. Am I an anachronism, or was he out of line? Or a little of both. Thoughts?

BTW, I think we climbed Mental Physics, where I actually placed a #7 or 8 Hexcentric. We did Room to Shroom as well, but that was all cams IIRC. I was kind of getting jazzed to buy those Torque Hexes to replace my 1980's vintage BD's.

JVB Project · · Berkeley CA · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 0

its a personal preference thing...

I just hate carrying cow bells up the climb.

Nate Solnit · · Bath, NH · Joined May 2013 · Points: 0

Hexes are cheaper, and lighter. I am of the younger generation and I carry them when I need to build gear anchors. Being able to find good/ obscure passive placements is not a defunct skill just because cams are more widespread. Cams don't always work. Also I believe they'd still be more stable in a higher angle constriction where a cam would walk back and tip out and a nut wouldn't set properly.

Optimistic · · New Paltz · Joined Aug 2007 · Points: 450

The noise...

Bill C. · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 110

Use anything that keeps you off the ground!

matt c. · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 155

i don't carry a whole set of hexes, but i do have a sweet spot hex. There are just some places were it fits better then a cam. also great for scaring away bears.

does it really matter that use different stuff?... no
aren't you to old to care about what us young people say. haven't you figure it out by now, we are bunch of bennie wearing tools. oh, we are always right...

bearbreeder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 3,065
SlowTrad wrote: "there isn't a spot you can put a hex and not be able to put a cam". .
ice up or muddy/dirty cracks

;)
Ryan Watts · · Bishop, CA · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 25

He was both wrong and out of line, but to be fair it's a rare route that *requires* a hex.

I didn't place any hexes on mental physics (don't own any) and I'm pretty sure I would have been fine. You climbed it with hexes (and maybe less cams than me) and you probably would have been fine as well.

I mean at the end of the day it doesn't really matter does it? It's about the climbing not about the gear.

Fat Dad · · Los Angeles, CA · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 60
JLP wrote:They don't weigh anything and they're cheap - great. If they actually worked on anything beyond butt-easy routes from the 50's, we'd all still be climbing with them.
I JLP has been around long enough to recognize the hyperbole in this reply.

No cams do not work in every place a hex will. Hexs can be absolutely bomber in places where a cam might be sketchy. This is often true in places like Josh where you get weird flares and constrictions that just eat hexes. That does not mean that hexes are more versatile than cams; they're not. There are simply some instances where they will work better than cams.

Having said that, who cares what other form of clean protection people are climbing with? Sure they give an old school vibe, which clearly rubs some folks the wrong way but, like someone mentioned upthread, unless you're in the shirtless beanie crowd, you're always going to be uncool.
Mark Hudon · · Lives on the road · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 420

Hell, I've led 5.13 on hexes!

I can't say I'd use them now, cams are very, very good these days, but there are certainly places were a hex will work where a cam won't (although not enough for where and what I climb to make it worth carrying them). It would actually be fun to do a route with them again.

csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330

YORE COWBELL NOYZ IZ RECKING MY WILDERNESS XPERIENCE!!!

Ryan Watts · · Bishop, CA · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 25
Fat Dad wrote: I JLP has been around long enough to recognize the hyperbole in this reply. No cams do not work in every place a hex will. Hexs can be absolutely bomber in places where a cam might be sketchy. This is often true in places like Josh where you get weird flares and constrictions that just eat hexes. That does not mean that hexes are more versatile than cams; they're not. There are simply some instances where they will work better than cams. Having said that, who cares what other form of clean protection people are climbing with? Sure they give an old school vibe, which clearly rubs some folks the wrong way but, like someone mentioned upthread, unless you're in the shirtless beanie crowd, you're always going to be uncool.
On a somewhat off topic note, do you find hexes particularly useful for josh weirdness? I was there for about a month and I found the gear to be somewhat tricky at times with flaring cracks, etc. I was thinking maybe offset wires or cams would be the ticket but never actually got around to getting any.
Eric D · · Gnarnia · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 235

Hexes are fine on moderate ground. Once you start hitting the harder grades, cams are significantly easier to place pumped or one with one hand.

Jeff Johnston · · Bozeman, MT · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 110
SlowTrad wrote:I had a younger climber scoff at me in the parking lot by Barker's Dam in J-Tree for carrying hexes. I asked him why he thought hexes were so bad and he claimed "there isn't a spot you can put a hex and not be able to put a cam". He may be right, but I have more confidence in a well placed hex than any cam. Is it a generational thing? I am 47 and have been climbing longer than he has been alive, I'm sure, but he kind shamed me in front of my wife for thinking that I needed them. Am I an anachronism, or was he out of line? Or a little of both. Thoughts? BTW, I think we climbed Mental Physics, where I actually placed a #7 or 8 Hexcentric. We did Room to Shroom as well, but that was all cams IIRC. I was kind of getting jazzed to buy those Torque Hexes to replace my 1980's vintage BD's.
Its a personal preference thing. In many cases cams are faster and easier to place just based on the flexibility of the retractable lobes.
BUT when you are off the deck and cranking on an ice tool and that cam is slipping and sliding in a mossy ice fill crack you will think twice about the awesomeness of Hexes.
Also a big hex is lighter than a big cam.
Jacob Smith · · Seattle, WA · Joined Aug 2013 · Points: 230
SlowTrad wrote:Is it a generational thing?
In my experience, yes. I inherited a bunch of old 80s vintage passive gear from my dad, including a couple hexes, and I used them on all of 3 or 4 leads before i just starting borrowing cams from my friends.
There are exceptions: iced up cracks, alpine adventure routes, etc, but in general younger people don't like them and I'd be surprised if in 15 years they are still being manufactured.
bearbreeder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 3,065
youtube.com/watch?v=MW1teH6…

in the UK they use hexes quite a bit so im told ... on their limestone

the ontario limestone partners ive climbed with have told me the same as cams pull

to a certain degree passively rated cams have superseeded hexes in some circumstances

remember than many newer climber climb cracks with good solid placements for cams ...

and nice clean cracks

;)
Bootz Ylectric · · Las Vegas, NV · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 165

I love my hexes, I swear by them, and I'm not going to stop carrying them even though I find myself placing more and more cams. It's funny to me that all of my falls have been on cams, but that I still have more confidence in running out up over a bomber hex than a bomber cam. I like em. They're light, and versatile. Great for anchors. I don't even notice them hanging off my back gear loop, but they're there when I need them. I especially like them for an onsite. Top out, find out everything you need to make a good anchor is jammed in the climb, and oh what's this? my trusty hexes? You can almost always find a way to make a good anchor out of hexes at the top of most climbs.

And to the jerkwad with the brand spanking shiny new gear who walked past my rack laying on the ground and smugly commented "Look, hexes laying on the ground where they belong" I was belaying, or you can bet you're ass they'd be hanging off my harness or being placed in a hand crack "where they belong"

Long live the hex!

doug rouse · · Denver, CO. · Joined Apr 2008 · Points: 660

If they keep you from hitting the ground...

Ball · · Oakridge, OR · Joined Jan 2010 · Points: 70
youtube.com/watch?v=8Ix7jqx…

(Have two complete sets of hexentrics, thinking of selling despite I know how to use them due to the COWBELL)
coldfinger · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 55

Hexes rock for:

Anchors! Pretty hard to take a cam over a solid nut in a belay anchor, and yes there are many situations (especially a horizontal placement) where a nut is fine with a load in any direction (provided you build the anchor right). Plus..... You can save your cams for leading.

Alpine: light weight for sure but also much more compact than a cam, especially when slung with cord or dyneema. And oy yeah since they rely on constriction, I tend to trust them more in slime, dirt and/or icy cracks. Have heard of folks pounding them in with a hammer when a bomber placement is 100% needed and hard to find.

Bailing/rappelling: guess I'd rather leave a $10 or $15 piece over a cam. Plus given the potential for changing loads as one goes down or even a bit sideways, that hex ain't no way gonna walk if set well.

DMM Torque Nuts are a significant hex upgrade and have advantages any other hex does not offer.

Hexes are bomber offset pieces when placed endwise!!!!!! That open cavity and slight offset taper really open up the possibilities.

An endwise placed hex is going to be WAY lighter than that size cam.

No surprise folks don't see the uses as tons of folks seem to keep the blinders on for all sorts of climbing and non climbing things anyway.

As for JLP--way to go MODS! The spray here is often just stoopid, but I do enjoy listening to all the whining when their pointless, rude and/or off topic post gets cut.

The Blueprint Part Dank · · FEMA Region VIII · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 460

I think the biggest rationalization that I still hear for using hexes is for alpine climbing due to their weight vs a cam. However I'll point you towards Colin Haley's article from Cascade Climbers on alpine climbing gear in which he states:

"On big alpine routes, where weight matters more than anywhere else, one might think that hexes and tricams are particularly desirable. However, I now believe that cams are superior in every instance because it is so much faster to make a solid placement and also to remove a solid placement."

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Trad Climbing
Post a Reply to "Hexes...why all the hate?"

Log In to Reply

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started.