#5 Cam Usage

If you don't have goals to do some particular routes that need a five, then you don't need a five, because you won't be carrying it.

As others have said, it really depends on where and what you climb.

At one of my local areas, there are a few routes that will take a 5 and a 6, and I climb them enough to feel having those sizes is worth it, though I only take them when I'm climbing those routes.

When I'm getting on a plane and packing gear, usually everything larger than a 3 stays home unless a climb I'm looking at really, really needs something bigger and I really, really want to do that climb.

If you buy one, though, don't pay full price. Find a used one here or check out gear sites around major holidays. In the latter case, you'll usually find them for 25% off, you'll get free shipping, and some of those sites don't collect sales tax.

If you pursue the wide, why just one?

James Frost wrote:

For those who own one a #5, How often do you REALLY use it? Trying to justify the $120 price tag...

Mostly want to hear from "normal" climbers, who aren't climbing OW every day.

I don't know this seller, but, why $120 when you have this forum?

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/122856341/fs-bd-camelot-c4-4-5-140-for-both-shipped

I'd say that there are a few climbs a year that I do where I place a #5. Before I had a #5, there were a few climbs a year that I did where I wished I had a #5.

Ime, just having a single #5 and nothing bigger (my case) doesn't really change the balance of what I climb or not. I don't think it's enough to get you into OW climb, regardless of how many #4 you have. But there are certainly bits of non-OW climbs where the protection feels much better with a wider piece, plus I'm not over-using the tips of my #4 quite so much anymore.

I haven't put it in my pack since I moved away from Vedauwoo. Nice to know I have it, but I haven't sought out any routes that need it yet.

Unpopular opinion (?) get the big orange and/or yellow tri-cam. I have the yellow one and haven't placed it tons, but it always makes me happy. The range isn't as good as a cam, and it's more finnicky to place, but it's cheaper and lighter.

The best placement I ever found for my yellow was hanging from a nail above my mantle. Only time I was happy with a placement for it too.

John Duke wrote:

Unpopular opinion (?) get the big orange and/or yellow tri-cam. I have the yellow one and haven't placed it tons, but it always makes me happy. The range isn't as good as a cam, and it's more finnicky to place, but it's cheaper and lighter.

You can't bump tricams. 

John Duke wrote:

Unpopular opinion (?) get the big orange and/or yellow tri-cam. I have the yellow one and haven't placed it tons, but it always makes me happy. The range isn't as good as a cam, and it's more finnicky to place, but it's cheaper and lighter.

Interesting, though I agree with Conor, can't bump a tricam.

For me, the other issue is that I mostly suck at OW/OW-ish climbing, so unless that #5 (or equiv) goes into a fairly easy section, I'm probably going to struggle a big trying to place it.

its not like the 5 comes out to play every day.  But, when we're playing, ol number 5 gets used a bunch...  the best team has a great bench, and my #5 always waits patiently, ready to perform at its best.

Depends on where you live. In the PNW, I barely placed #3s let alone #4s and #5s. In the desert SW, a #4 is pretty standard, and there are plenty of places for #5s. I carry one maybe every third route I do in Sedona. Gets used a bit at Tahquitz, and other AZ/SoCal granite areas. I also use it for a TRS anchor at a specific local crag.

I'm really stingy about when I carry it, and if the climbing isn't hard I'd rather run it out and exercise my brain muscle, but I still find it pretty useful. I'd say I use the #5 almost as often as I carry triples in any size. So if you're building a rack, maybe buy the 5 sometime while you are getting your third set of cams.

Teton Tom wrote:

I place #4 quite often, can’t imagine not owning one as a generalist cragger… 

#5 only a few times that I can remember, and I’ve never owned one, I relied on a gear-head partner who owned literally EVERYTHING.

I bought a #6 for a specific placement on an El Cap aid route, and never placed it again. Sold it 5 years later for half of what I paid. Still way worth it. That was a $60 move. Period.

Moral of the story, don’t buy a 5 or 6 thinking that you’ll need it someday, wait until you need it and then buy it without remorse…

Edit: Even for routes that people routinely climb with 5’s or 6’s, there are often alternatives. Smaller cams for n the back of the flaring crack, horizontals outside the wide feature, etc… The HUGE cam is not always the only game in town.

Teton Tom, 

I'm building my Idaho rack and was curious about #4. 

Do you carry double 4s and have you needed two #4's at the Black Cliffs?

Also, ever carry the ultralight? The ultralight #4 is 50 bucks more but is it worth the weight savings 7 pitches later? 

Branch Bird wrote:

Teton Tom, 

I'm building my Idaho rack and was curious about #4. 

Do you carry double 4s and have you needed two #4's at the Black Cliffs?

Also, ever carry the ultralight? The ultralight #4 is 50 bucks more but is it worth the weight savings 7 pitches later? 

 

4's are definitely useful in Idaho, particularly CoR, but not sure on Black Cliffs. I avoid SW Idaho like the plague

Agree with it depends on where you climb. I wouldn't prospect for gear, just get it when you climb an area that needs it. We have two 5's and two 6's that have a moderate amount of use each, mostly in City of Rocks and other granite areas w/ offwidths and large joints to protect.

Just buy this one

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/123133521/fs-5-bd-camalot-barely-used-60