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My Dream Rack. Please Evaluate.

Original Post
Mark L · · New York, NY · Joined May 2017 · Points: 0

Hey all,

I've finally completed my idea of a dream rack, after a lot of searching and spending.(See photo). I can also mix in some of the BD C4's .5-4 if need be.  I also carry double tricams pink-blue, DMM offsets, BD Nuts, Slings, Lockers, Cordellete, 14 Alpine Draws, etc.... I built this rack primarily for climbing in The Gunks.  If you have any suggestions on what I could add or remove, please let me know.  I could probably drop some of the tricams, and save weight by racking the Totems only, except for a BD C4 #3, and if needed a BD #4.  I know that I'm carrying a lot of gear, particularly triples of the black and blue Totems, but I am a new leader and like placing gear very often for safety and for practice.  The one thing that I am considering is adding Totem Basics to the equation, but I've heard that they aren't needed if you carry the smaller Totems.  I have also been told the opposite of that, and that they really compliment the regular Totems very well.  I can't find any right now so I have time to play around with what I have for a while before I will make a decision on that.  Any feedback would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

Adam Brink · · trying to get to Sardinia · Joined Mar 2001 · Points: 560

Waaaaaaay too much!  You only need a single set of cams, a single set of nuts, 10 alpine draws and a couple lockers.  Unless you're going to the creek...

BigB · · Red Rock, NV · Joined Feb 2015 · Points: 340
adam brink wrote:

Waaaaaaay too much!  You only need a single set of cams, a single set of nuts, 10 alpine draws and a couple lockers.  Unless you're going to the creek...

what he said^^^ ....you should sell me one of those black totems ;)

carla rosa · · CA · Joined Mar 2016 · Points: 269

I'm sure someone would be happy to take those extra totems you have off your hands ;)

Matt B · · Boulder, CO · Joined Feb 2017 · Points: 472

"Please evaluate" = "let me show you how rich I am"         edit: I just thought the title was deceiving. I'm not trying to rain on your amazing, totem-filled parade through the gunks. That sounds awesome.

Emerson Takahashi · · Casper, WY · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 2,688
Matt Bentley wrote:

"Please evaluate" = "let me show you how rich I am"

hahahaha this was my thought exactly

Derek Jf · · Northeast · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 335
Matt Bentley wrote:

"Please evaluate" = "let me show you how rich I am"

From NY, NY.... he can afford a closet at $2800 a month AND buy totems for days..... We different minded climbers. .....seething

M Santisi · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 1,879

No wonder its hard to find the black Totem.  This guy bought all of them.

dindolino32 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 25

Depending on the place you are climbing, you may want nuts size 4-8, offset nuts 4-8 and a nut tool.  I rarely set nuts, but I have climbed a few pitches where cams won't work due to slots, etc.  Otherwise you should be good.  It's nice to have a 3" cam or two also depending on the route.  I sometimes need a #4, rarely use my 5, and have used a 6 once.  It all depends on what you are climbing, but the rack is pretty complete.  The totems replace offset cams for the most part too in my opinion.

BTW it's ok to be rich as long as you are kind and generous... and don't bring your bluetooth speaker with you to the crag.

JWatt · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 25

Looks expensive! You know there's bouldering at the gunks eh?

justgoodenough · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 41

All that money and you didn't spring for the black diamond oz carabiners? Step it up!

Nick Sweeney · · Spokane, WA · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 969

Why did you buy those awful carabiners for a "dream rack"?

Andy R · · MA · Joined Jan 2016 · Points: 45

hahaha this must be a troll thread wtf... and I thought I bought a lot of gear before starting to lead...

justgoodenough · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 41
simplyput . · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2013 · Points: 60

Man... I thought I was bad buying an extra set of used stoppers...
Best piece of advice i got about building a rack: climb on less and you'll quickly figure out what you need.

simplyput . · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2013 · Points: 60
Mark L wrote:

I am no where near rich, I just work a lot 

I'm not a playa i just crush a lot.

Jake wander · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2014 · Points: 195
Mark L wrote:

I am no where near rich, I just work a lot of hours.  I'm not trying to show off what I buy, I just wanted some feedback on what I could do differently as this is my first real Rack.  I didn't buy all of this in one order; I pieced it together over  the course of 6 months, and it wasn't easy to find everything I wanted.  Eventually I had to order from overseas, but it was worth it.  Now I just have to put some miles on it, which will be lots of fun.

wouldnt you try to get feedback BEFORE you purchased all the gear? this just doesnt make sense. troll or humble brag. cant decide

Mark L · · New York, NY · Joined May 2017 · Points: 0
dindolino32 wrote:

Depending on the place you are climbing, you may want nuts size 4-8, offset nuts 4-8 and a nut tool.  I rarely set nuts, but I have climbed a few pitches where cams won't work due to slots, etc.  Otherwise you should be good.  It's nice to have a 3" cam or two also depending on the route.  I sometimes need a #4, rarely use my 5, and have used a 6 once.  It all depends on what you are climbing, but the rack is pretty complete.  The totems replace offset cams for the most part too in my opinion.

BTW it's ok to be rich as long as you are kind and generous... and don't bring your bluetooth speaker with you to the crag.

Thanks for the advice.  Do you think you could get away with just carrying the 6 most frequently used DMM offsets in the Nut category?  It seems like for every 6 cams you place in the Gunks, you only place one or two nuts.  Would leaving the standard BD Nut set 1-13 at home be ok, or would that be too limiting?  I'm all for shedding some weight, but in the early stages of leading I'd like to place a little of everything at all different sizes.  Do you place tricams at all?  I love how secure they feel, but it seems that there are people out there that swear against them.  Thanks a lot for the advice.  I am by no means rich, but I am still friendly and generous most of the time.

Alexander K · · The road · Joined Oct 2014 · Points: 130

Once you start climbing Trad in the 5.10-5.12 range you will want:

Blue Totem Basic

Purple and Green C3s

Purple Metolius TCU (or X4s though many don't like them)

DMM/HB Offset brass nuts (lots and lots of them potentially)

Offset Totem Basics if you are climbing on pin scarred granite

Orange and Black Metolius if you are climbing on desert sandstone

Until then you are probably more likely to get into trouble than not with such small gear.

Mark L · · New York, NY · Joined May 2017 · Points: 0
ollieon wrote:

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/113155617/fs-brand-new-black-diamond-biners

And to complete the thread.

How is that funny at all?  I was gifted a bunch of rack packs over the holidays and I only used what I needed and am trying to make a buck on what I don't need.

Adam Brink · · trying to get to Sardinia · Joined Mar 2001 · Points: 560
Mark L wrote:

You think so?  My mentor always climbs with a double rack of cams; we do a lot of multipitch routes and use mostly cams for anchors.  I am new to leading so I like to place a lot of gear.  I'm sure that once I become more comfortable with leading I will be able to take some gear off my rack.  It's definitely something to think about though.  Thanks for the advice.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Trad Climbing
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