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Does anyone prefer passive pro

Bill Lawry · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 1,812

Hexes:  I lost about six years worth of regular weekend-warrior hex placements, all because an early mentor refused to lead with them. :-)

Peter Howes · · Beverly, MA · Joined Nov 2014 · Points: 80
Michael Schneider wrote:

You don't have to go passive to go "old school"

Yo, when you sling these old rigid cams why is the cord going through the lower holes closer to the cam head, as opposed to the end of the shaft? 

Guy Keesee · · Moorpark, CA · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 349
Peter Howes wrote:

Yo, when you sling these old rigid cams why is the cord going through the lower holes closer to the cam head, as opposed to the end of the shaft? 

Gunks

Travis Provin · · Boulder CO · Joined Oct 2015 · Points: 105
Jake wander wrote:

There really is nothing like a perfect hex. 

Amen!

Peter Howes · · Beverly, MA · Joined Nov 2014 · Points: 80
Guy Keesee wrote:

Gunks

So you can clip it closer to the head in a horizontal crack, lessening the lever factor of the stem? 

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

So you can clip it closer to the head in a horizontal crack, lessening the lever factor of the stem? 

Yes

Peter Howes · · Beverly, MA · Joined Nov 2014 · Points: 80
csproul wrote:

Yes

Cool, thanks for the info. Didnt mean to hijack the thread!

Bill Mustard · · Silt, CO · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 151

Depends on the hog, length, style and year 

Herder Anus · · Colona, CO · Joined Sep 2014 · Points: 4,654

Nothing like skipping bolts at wild iris to enjoy a nice hex pod

Bill Mustard · · Silt, CO · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 151
Anus Herder wrote:

Nothing like skipping bolts at wild iris to enjoy a nice hex pod

MMMMMmmmmmm pods

Bill Mustard · · Silt, CO · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 151

How about those pods though?

Mark Hudon · · Lives on the road · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 420

Passive pro is one thing but climbing with an old school swami (a la Richie Romano) is bullshit. I told him as much when I climbed with him a few years ago. He gave me some lame ass excuse about being able to cut off a chunk if needed for a sling while retreating. He was telling me this as we were rapping off a six pitch route in Zion. He had forgotten a sling to make leg loops (he has rather big legs and a standard should length sling doesn't work) so he was rapping directly off his swami. I kept asking him about about safety but he kept avoiding the question.

Anonymous · · Unknown Hometown · Joined unknown · Points: 0
Loyd Wofford III wrote:

All Passive can be an unimaginable experience.  I once lead walt bailey on Devils Tower all passive (11 nuts and 5 Hexes)  and it was one of the best climbs I have ever experienced.  The crux was very fun but knowing I had a set nut about 6 to 8 feet below me was a great and powerful feeling.  I had alot of respect for the early climbers on Devils Tower but after that lead I realized how awesome it is to climb on passive pro.   Now i wont lie and tell you that having .3's and .4's is not just as amazing through the thin finger section but finding well placed nuts and running it out a bit was not only just as easy it was really really really fun.  I wish more people would revisit a classic climb from their home crag and run it with all passive gear as most free first accents were done .  Gives you some respect for the  real hardmen that never had all the gear we have now.

  

But a hex isn't a passive pro it can be placed active... are you saying you never placed a hex as active while climbing it?

Suburban Roadside · · Abovetraffic on Hudson · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 2,419
Mark Hudon wrote:

Passive pro is one thing but climbing with an old school swami (a la Richie Romano) is bullshit. I told him as much when I climbed with him a few years ago. He gave me some lame ass excuse about being able to cut off a chunk if needed for a sling while retreating. He was telling me this as we were rapping off a six pitch route in Zion. He had forgotten a sling to make leg loops (he has rather big legs and a standard should length sling doesn't work) so he was rapping directly off his swami. I kept asking him about about safety but he kept avoiding the question.

Mark, 

I've had similar experiences with Richie. Yes, there is a lot of a certain kind of crazy in that ginger.  His adherence to low tech 'customs' do not make him the hard man that he most certainly is. In most circumstances it detracts from the overall experience as you describe. I'm amazed to hear His 'no harness' (misguided) tactics continue.  That he still forgets 'his leg loops' and on 6-9 pitch climbs, Amazing!  The only reason I pointed him out is to explain his domination of -his- style , the old ways we rejected as fast as ole' FROG could sew........nice to see the Pano's I'm hoping for a Father's Day treat.

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

Not completely, as that could be dangerous depending on what the route accepts for gear. On any climb, I do though prioritize passive gear placements of nuts and hexes first before considering cams, and then Tricams when nothing else fits. I learned to place passive gear first so it helps me a lot with seeing the placements and constrictions in the rock to place them quickly. I find though that it is a practice. Meaning ground placement practice in the Spring is necessary to sharpen those skills and speed of placement. They most definitely get rusty when unused during the Winter. 

John Byrnes · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 392
Slartibartfast wrote:

The feeling of complete trust and calm satisfaction you get when a nut fits perfectly on the first try is the closest thing to true love at first sight that any human is likely to experience.

What a great simile!  I love it.

And not only is passive pro like a warm hug, it's a hellava lot smaller and lighter-weight.

John Byrnes · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 392
Peter Howes wrote:

So you can clip it closer to the head in a horizontal crack, lessening the lever factor of the stem? 

Thank God we don't have many horizontal cracks around here!  ;-)    

Looks like if you placed those "upside down" the sling would snap the trigger in half during  a fall, assuming it didn't actually pull the trigger.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Trad Climbing
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