Large stoppers, anyone use them regularly?

I'm talking about the BD 11-14, or DMM 9-11, etc...

They seem way too big and never get much use on my rack. I still take them sometimes "in case I need to bail I'd rather lose a nut than a cam"... Lately I've just been leaving them all at home. thoughts?

I use them enough to make me keep carrying them. There are times (like yesterday) were it was just an obviously awesome nut placement. I find that granite lends to alot more of those. And I like to use them on belays as well to free up some cams for leading.

I think it depends on your area/rock type/ and preferece for stoppers or cams. I use the larger stoppers alot. I climbing on granite mostly and there are tons tapered cracks that the size 11+ stoppers fit better than cams. but I also dont have any offset cams. . .

Jeff J wrote:I think it depends on your area/rock type/ and preferece for stoppers or cams. I use the larger stoppers alot. I climbing on granite mostly and there are tons tapered cracks that the size 11+ stoppers fit better than cams. but I also dont have any offset cams. . .

hmm I seem to prefer passive pro whenever I get the chance. I climb mostly yosemite/tuolomne, Jtree, and a little red rocks...

and Scott has a good point about saving the cams for leading.

generationfourth wrote: hmm I seem to prefer passive pro whenever I get the chance. I climb mostly yosemite/tuolomne, Jtree, and a little red rocks... and Scott has a good point about saving the cams for leading.

Throw one cam in the belay system for any upward or rotational pull and the rest get your nut / tri cam on. :o)

I use the three largest size Metolius Curve Nuts all the time.

Use them all the time

i don't always climb with my biggest nuts

I don't carry the largest 2 Met. Curve nuts. I figure my Tricams (I carry black to brown or blue) will serve as passive gear in that size range.

BD has a #14?

I always carry up to #13, and a green WC hex. If its a long(ish) route, I'll carry doubles up to #11. On my local limestone, also carry the 5 largest WC hexes.

Darren Mabe wrote:i don't always climb with my biggest nuts

Gunkiemike wrote:I figure my Tricams (I carry black to brown or blue) will serve as passive gear in that size range.

+1

I don't carry anything above the #10 stopper, because I carry tri-cams as well. The tri-cams are much more versatile than stoppers.

TomCaldwell wrote:I don't carry anything above the #10 stopper, because I carry tri-cams as well. The tri-cams are much more versatile than stoppers.

This. ^^^

For me, stopping at DMM-10ish/BD-11ish while carrying black thru brown tricams offers the best of both worlds. Placing tricams passively results in similar opportunities as the large stoppers but also allow for the larger, more dynamic 'active' placement option...effectively doubling finger sized cams in that role.

This is mostly based on experience with Southeastern sandstone and North Carolina granite, but works well in other locales as well.

They don't seem big enough to really get in the way of anything and I don't think anything feels better than sinking a bomber placement with a #13 nut.

I have camp nuts so dont know what BD size it is but my blue #7 I have used maybe 3 times I would rather use a tri-cam if I can get one in. I still carry it cause it's not that heavy I could always use it for bail gear, a perfect placement for it, or if im building a toprope.

For big nuts you have to look to Wild Country...

Wild Country Rocks #1-14

ccerling wrote:They don't seem big enough to really get in the way of anything and I don't think anything feels better than sinking a bomber placement with a #13 nut.

Yup, nothing gives me more confidence on lead than a bomber placement with my largest nut.

"I don't have any friends, and my nuts are too small." — Climber having a bad day.

Allen Corneau wrote:For big nuts you have to look to Wild Country... Wild Country Rocks #1-14

those are nice looking... love how thin the walls of the large ones are.

also, I need to get a couple of tricams, MP loves them..

generationfourth wrote:also, I need to get a couple of tricams, MP loves them..

Get that new black size. Love that guy! He's the fav after the pink!

I keep two small corded hexes on my nut rack and i use them all the time. I don't know the number sizes off hand but I think it's the two smallest hollow sizes (4&5 maybe?). Anyway, I think they're about in that bd range you're talking about and I place them very frequently. Folks not used to using them often see their placements and say "Wow, I should get some of these!".

Are you just using cams in the larger placements or just not finding converging sides in that crack range?