Retrospectively looking at Cam placements

Hey everybody! A couple months ago my gf and I started making videos for fun on climbs. The other week it dawned on me I can really review cam placements now and learn from them.

I threw together all the placements from the last month or so and did a little self commentary in this video:

https://youtu.be/ZrwElShdQc4

I’ve been at this for 3 or 4 years so I’m far from an expert and I’m always willing to learn. If you want, check out the video and tell me about my cam placements. If I’m being stupid, feel free to tell me!

In general, I feel ok about my cam placements. Sometimes I make suspect placements but I think I’m aware. Again, feel free to criticize constructively! Or be a dick, that’s always kind of fun to read haha

edit: enough people enjoyed it that I’ll probably make another one next month. We can do more nuts next time too! Thanks for watching and the feedback!

Cool video. I think this would be good viewing for new trad climbers. There are so many little aspects that come forth, like looking farther ahead to see what piece you will need and using a different piece where you are so you can save that piece for later. Also showing overcammed pieces in real life. And doubling up pro. And recovering pro behind when you get a much better piece and can still go back. There is a lot for anyone to learn from this. Nice job.

Nice job editing. I didn't watch the whole thing but I heard you point out in a few places where you had an over-cammed placement. I think it should be noted than an over-cammed placement is plenty strong, you only risk getting the cam stuck.

Indeed, very fun to watch! thanks!
Its like ASMR for climbers ;)

Enjoyed it and the running commentary was good. Placement wise you hit most of my thoughts in your commentary. A few times the rock sounded hollow, but rock quality wasn't mentioned.

Loved the video. I agree with your commentary in the video.

The one thing I do differently is that I pull harder to test the placements but I don't know if that's necessary. For nut placements, I pull harder to set the nut in place and I find that I test nut and cam placements with the same force.

Vaughnwrote:

Nice job editing. I didn't watch the whole thing but I heard you point out in a few places where you had an over-cammed placement. I think it should be noted than an over-cammed placement is plenty strong, you only risk getting the cam stuck.

From what I have heard/read, true, but not always. Just as strong if loaded favorably (No torqueing or twisting) but potentially weaker if overcammed to the point of being stuck, and THEN are loaded in an unfavorable direction. Something about the head not being able to rotate into position. I'm not sure if there is actual testing on this, but the logic seems sound to me.

I'd still rather overcam than undercam allllll day.

Great video!  Super helpful for someone like me just starting out.  Subbed to the channel.  Cheers!

This video makes me want to go climbing.  Nice job.

One of the first GoPro videos that didn’t make me want to vomit. Pretty nicely done video, could use some more nut placements, and it made me miss the continuous parallel cracks of the western US. Many of these placements seem pretty obvious, I thinI the exercise could be useful on placements that are less obvious and maybe more questionable...especially if you go on to get video of testing those placements!.

Great idea and it was definitely helpful for me -  newbie trad leader

Lol @3:01... “oof, denied”

I just started following trad a couple weeks ago (only followed 3 or 4 pitches so far) and I think this video could help to see what others consider bomber or suspect placements.

Enjoyable to watch for sure. 

Do you only own one nut (the one you placed half way in the video)? I get it, those sand stone splitters eat up cam placements. But some of the granite cracks looked like they could have taken some nut placements.

aikibujinwrote:

Do you only own one nut (the one you placed half way in the video)? I get it, those sand stone splitters eat up cam placements. But some of the granite cracks looked like they could have taken some nut placements.

I really, kinda surprised me, enjoyed this video. Probably my lack of climbing recently, this felt gooooood. I think we had similar comments on placements 80-90% of the time, my only thing is lack of nut placements where a small cam looked weird in an offset chunky granite crack, it screamed DMM offsets.

Thanks everyone!
@Shiraz N it is really helpful, both in terms of placing protection and improving your technique, if you do record maybe share with the rest of us! Thanks for watching. 

@Sean Alfred Glad you liked it! I’ll probably make another next month!

@Keith Wood Placing gear is a definitely a small art, thanks for watching!

@Vaughn This is true, and luckily I’ve never had a cam stuck or had any complaints of them being overly difficult to remove. I’ve seen a video somewhere though that If the cam is TOO over cammed, like all the way, the lobes could fail to engage and it would be more like passive gear at that point. 

@Fabien M Glad you liked it! I’m gonna try to make another one next month :) I’m personally a big fan of the clicking sound when the rope goes through the carabiner looks. 

@Greg S Thanks for watching, yah a few were definitely suspect flakes/rock but it was hard to comment on everything. Good catch! 

@Astro dog I used to pull really hard then I saw someone pull one out after yanking on in it and whip because of the force haha. I still pull hard sometimes on gear that is crucial and I need to work to prevent injury. 70 ft up with clean falls and pieces below me, I’ll just give it a tug usually. 

@PatMas I’ve seen similar information and agree with you. 

@p zoobs Let me know if you think there’s anything else you’d want to see/would find helpful. Thanks for subbing, this is a fun hobby I picked up and people enjoying/benefiting from it is such a great plus!

@JaredG Get out there! 

@Csproul Thanks for the feedback, glad you didn’t vomit! I’ll put more nut placements in the next one, it’s just the way it worked out this time. I don’t record every climb or even every; but if I think a climb is gonna eat them up then I’ll tag along the camera. Also great suggestion on testing them. I tend to fall a lot lolol so maybe I’ll include some “tested” gear and let you guys guess if they worked or not before the fall happens. 

@David Miles I’m happy you found it helpful! Let me know if there’s something else you’d want to see! 

@Michael Anthony I was so off in size judgement there it was embarrassing hahaha. 

@aikibujin actually I only own two nuts and the rest belong to my girlfriend. She might actually own all of them hahaha. In all seriousness, it’s just how it worked out. I don’t record every climb or even every outing I go on. There were a few other nut placements on video but they didn’t really show nicely based on lighting or angle. I’ll make an effort to bring the camera along if I think the climb will take a lot of nuts. Thanks for the comment! 

@M Alexander I used to use DMM offsets but no longer have them :( I’m waiting for them to go on sale again. Glad you got something positive out of it, thanks for watching!

Great idea. Nicely done.

For what it's worth - I think generally those placement look pretty good to me. Some of those you questioned would be fine IMO. I think you can whip with confidence!

With some one inner-flaky thing - I personally tend to get a bit uneasy when I hear somewhat hollow wound like that. The inner flake is big, and outer sides aren't going anywhere I guess. May just be me.

The 2-part placement - yeah I can relate to that. Trying to wean myself off that habit too. I've been deliberately taking my time before placing gear - e.g. when I get to a stance, even if it's easy, even if I COULD plug a cam right away, I shake out & chalk up, then I place. Trying to teach myself that placing gear shouldn't imply being in a rush. I think it's somewhat working.

Doubling up on scary rock - hard to tell what the rock is like. I'm not sure though what is best there. I guess if you spread them appart, hopefully if the first one that catches breaks its part of the rock, perhaps the other one would remain in place. I wonder what's best, too - equalize them like you did, or just 2 independant placements. If you equalize, I guess the maximum force on each would be less. That's a tricky one. But then if you have bomber stuff later, maybe the best answer was actually to keep going for a bit & place there...

Somewhat flaring #1 - imo that's fine. I'd whip on it. A LITTLE flaring but it's pretty well cammed in there. Walking would be a concern. I'd get totems (jk). I'd extend it with an alpine and call it good.

0.2 & 0.3 duo - I'd whip on those. Seems fine to me. I would extend them because I don't want them to move (given irregular rock) but I'd be happy with that.

Shallow 0.75 - fully agreed. I'd whip on that. Just psychological because it's barely deep enough, but then all lobes are go so...

General observation - you do seem to have a bit of a tendancy to place above your head. Tom Randall in crack school climbing suggested to place chest-level whenever possible. I've been getting into that habit and I really like it. Main reasons:

• So much easier to inspect at chest level than higher up
• Doesn't get in the way of hands placements.
• I feel my flow is just better. I place it, inspect it, than ready to go. When I place above, I always have a little bit of a tendancy to have a 2nd look as I climb above it. I like the fire & forget aspect of placing right in front.

Awesome vid.  Props for crack climbing without hand jammies or tape!

Nice vid bud.  Looks like some great climbs.  Consider not sinking your pieces in so deep on some placements.  If they walk back it’s really hard for your partner to remove and can result in long waits, stuck, or damaged gear when your partner fights it out.  An inch or two in the crack is all you need in most cases.  

Nice video! What's your GoPro/helmet cam setup?

I've attempted to record about a dozen leads recently but my GoPro hero 5 has had an assortment of issues (cold, turned off or otherwise didn't record) and I'm always bashing it against the rock since it's on the front of my helmet.