Buying first rack

I see a lot of people talking about x4's, but if you are looking for another option, check out Wild Country Zeros.

Just order 11 cams and the 4-13 set of BD nuts. Wife about blew a gasket! O well, I can climb harder then her if I have to get away.

Next order with be a .3 C4, and a set of X4s. My order just shipped from backcountry.com. Will be here Wednesday, but there calling for rain for the next 8 days so will be a while before I can play with them. I've never placed any trad gear just been a crag hawk watching other people gear and looking at my guide book. I have to drive 5 hours to get to the nearest place to climb. So I'm pretty limited on locations. I've only climbed 5 times total just gearing up for when I take my first road trip. Wife and I are talking about yosemite in the fall.

My two cents is wait for a deal on MP, Craigslist or Ebay if you are willing to pay a lump sum of money for gear you can usually find a good deal on someone parting with their full rack.

A lot of hate on the tricams, but if your climbing area has pockets, they fit better than absolutely anything. That said, my #2 C4 gets used more than any other piece, but I also rarely climb fingertip cracks or off widths. Couldn't hurt to have several of those in your arsenal, especially if you plan to road trip to Indian creek. I also just got some offset X4s, which are bomber on flared cracks, i.e. not the creek, but just about everywhere else.

+1 on the DMM Offsets. They are the best nuts available and totally bomber when placed correctly. I always try to place at least one in an anchor system, plus they are the same cost as a #3. You will be glad you have them.

Doubles in hand sizes are a good idea, but I always find placements for my C3's on every climb.