Cams vs. Nuts vs. Hexes
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Nuts |
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A set of DMM alloy offsets. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Do you have climbing partners? Who are experienced? What did they tell you to get? |
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I second Dmm offset Alloy Nuts |
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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. |
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3rd on the DMM offsets they are amazing then start to build out your cam rack. |
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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. |
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OMG.. no talk about Tricams?? |
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Chase Bowman wrote: He said what should I buy first not second! |
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Totems |
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Chase Bowman wrote: I love tricams but it would be cruel to subject a new climber to them. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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? |
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CThornton wrote: 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. |
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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. |
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s.price wrote: 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. |