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Cams vs. Nuts vs. Hexes

Original Post
Jackson Chambers · · Springville, UT · Joined Apr 2017 · Points: 52
  1. Which of the three would you buy first to start your trad rack? Any recommended sets, or personal favorites?
Fernando Cal · · SLC, UT · Joined Dec 2015 · Points: 25

Nuts

Andrew Poet · · Central AZ · Joined Oct 2015 · Points: 161

A set of DMM alloy offsets.

stolo · · Lake Norman, NC · Joined Sep 2016 · Points: 214

Get what the people you climb with do not have. Otherwise look at the climbs you want to start out with get what you would use most. 

Tom Powell · · Ogden, Utah · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 60

Get a set of nuts/stoppers. 

I recommend these in sizes 4-13

 http://www.gearexpress.com/abc-huevos-wired-nuts-14.html

Relatively inexpensive and they work. I've had a set of these for 10 years.  

FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276

Do you have climbing partners? Who are experienced? What did they tell you to get?

Kirtis Courkamp · · Golden · Joined Mar 2011 · Points: 378

I second Dmm offset Alloy Nuts 

Ted Pinson · · Chicago, IL · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 252

Nuts will get you up a lot on their own if you have slings, then slowly build up your cams, starting in the middle (.75-1 C4).  Hexes are situational based on rock type...they might be useful or they might (more likely) sit in your closet once you get cams.

Chris Walden · · Soldotna, Alaska · Joined Aug 2014 · Points: 630

3rd on the DMM offsets they are amazing then start to build out your cam rack. 

RandyLee · · On the road · Joined May 2016 · Points: 246

The things you find the best sales on, and within that, start with what your partner might want and not have doubles of. Then just start shelling out cash. I think I got a few cams, then nuts, then more cams, micro nuts, a couple doubles, small cams... little by little depending on what the climb or my partner needed. 

Chase Bowman · · Durango, CO · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 1,010

OMG.. no talk about Tricams?? 

Chris Walden · · Soldotna, Alaska · Joined Aug 2014 · Points: 630
Chase Bowman wrote:

OMG.. no talk about Tricams?? 

He said what should I buy first not second!  

Kevin Buddin · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2016 · Points: 5

Totems 

frank minunni · · Las Vegas, NV · Joined May 2011 · Points: 95
Chase Bowman wrote:

OMG.. no talk about Tricams?? 

I love tricams but it would be cruel to subject a new climber to them.

CThornton · · Boise · Joined Sep 2015 · Points: 66

Don't bother with hexes. Yeah, they're cheap but there's a reason that you almost never see people climbing on them and that's because they suck. As others have mentioned DMM offset nuts are awesome. They're A bit pricey and not truly a replacement for a full set of normal nuts, but they're an excellent supplement and are bomber where cams and normal nuts just don't fit. I personally really really like the new mastercams. They're crazy light and cheaper per cam than the C4's, not to mention really well built and cheap to resling when the time comes. 

Personally, I'd recommend a single set of mastercams (minus the 00, unless you live somewhere with lots of tiny cracks) and a set of nuts, plus DMM offsets if you can afford it. Totem cams are the best cams on the market IMO, but they're hard to find and expensive. 

Ted Pinson · · Chicago, IL · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 252

It should be noted that, although pricey, the DMM offsets are easy to find on sale.  Gear express has them for like $50 quite often.

Ryan Hamilton · · Orem · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 5

DMM offsets are my favorite stoppers, followed by the Wild Country Nuts. I'm really liking the Metolius Ultralight Mastercams, really light and place well. Totems are still my favorite, but pricey.

King Tut · · Citrus Heights · Joined Aug 2012 · Points: 430

Where are you going to be climbing? Because there really are regional issues to consider here.

A set of nuts, then cams. The rock you see the most of might determine which ones.

I do like Metolius Master Cams, but BD Camalots have a wider range if your rack is thin at the beginning.

I assume you have half dozen or more draws already?

Tom Powell · · Ogden, Utah · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 60
CThornton wrote:

Don't bother with hexes. Yeah, they're cheap but there's a reason that you almost never see people climbing on them and that's because they suck. As others have mentioned DMM offset nuts are awesome. They're A bit pricey and not truly a replacement for a full set of normal nuts, but they're an excellent supplement and are bomber where cams and normal nuts just don't fit. I personally really really like the new mastercams. They're crazy light and cheaper per cam than the C4's, not to mention really well built and cheap to resling when the time comes. 

Personally, I'd recommend a single set of mastercams (minus the 00, unless you live somewhere with lots of tiny cracks) and a set of nuts, plus DMM offsets if you can afford it. Totem cams are the best cams on the market IMO, but they're hard to find and expensive. 

Good advice here. I know a lot of people are recommending the DMM offset nuts I would skip the offsets as a first set and add them on as a second after getting a set of cams. +1 for the Metolius recommendation. 

Anonymous · · Unknown Hometown · Joined unknown · Points: 0

If you are new to trad climbing cams are the safest thing to get first. You can climb a ton of stuff with only nuts but at least where I live with only nuts if you are new there is a good chance you are going to pull alot of them out while climbing. Cams are probably easier to place if you are new but will cost alot more money. A good nut placement that is set in good rock will be safer than any cam though.

Alot of this also depends on where you are climbing too.

King Tut · · Citrus Heights · Joined Aug 2012 · Points: 430
s.price wrote:

Every new climber should start with tri cams. Get good at setting em and you can set anything.

Not going to agree here, unless he is going to be at an area that has particularly good rock for Tricams.

For your first gear in CA granite for example, it would be a poor choice, imo.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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