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Nuts or hexes

Original Post
CRAG-list-KILLA · · Wisconsin · Joined Feb 2016 · Points: 205

I'm new to outdoor climbing and am trying to build a solid rack for all sort of top rope anchors. I will not be setting a top rope just off these nuts or hexes but just to incorporate them. What do you guys suggest nuts or hexes which brands and what sizes are most commonly used so I know where to start buying equipment. Thanks much guys any info or photos of different setups will be greatly appericated

Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,492

Unless the cracks are typically large (>2 inches), I'd say skip the hexes and get a full set of nuts. Black Diamond Stoppers are the standard, and I'd suggest that's what you should get. If nothing else, their popularity makes it easy to replace them singly as they get lost. OTOH if cracks are large, but a partial set of hexes (any brand, I'm partial to the originals, BD). Get the biggest 6 sizes or so.

Ted Pinson · · Chicago, IL · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 252

If you had to choose between nuts or hexes, I'd say nuts, but hexes can be great for TR setups. I would take a hex placement over anything else on TR, as direction of pull shouldn't be an issue and they are rock solid. Nuts will be much more useful if you decide to lead later.

CRAG-list-KILLA · · Wisconsin · Joined Feb 2016 · Points: 205

Thanks guys for the time to reply!!

DaEyeDoc · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2015 · Points: 20

Nuts for sure. I have a set of BD stoppers, DMM offsets and DMM wallnuts. If I was to get one set it would be the DMM offsets. Comes with the standard sizes and they have so many options depending on the orientation. BD is good but if I had to choose one set that's what it would be.

CRAG-list-KILLA · · Wisconsin · Joined Feb 2016 · Points: 205
Bill Lawry · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 1,812

Both! Hexes in sizes bigger than the largest nut.

Mike Broad · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 305

nuts

William Thiry · · Las Vegas · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 311

A set of offset nuts are about as useful as you can get; you'll be able to use them in most trad climbing situations. A great hex placement, however, is as bomber as it gets!

20 kN · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,346
William Thiry wrote:A set of offset nuts are about as useful as you can get; you'll be able to use them in most trad climbing situations. A great hex placement, however, is as bomber as it gets!
Offset aluminum nuts, sure. Offset brasses, less so. Brasses are specialty pieces mostly for aid climbing and free climbing in areas with pin scars. Just wanted to point that out for the OP.

Personally, I would recommend a set of standard, plain double curve nuts, unless the OP is trying to protect wide cracks, in which hexes might be more useful. Just get some cheap double curves. I dont own offset aluminum nuts and I can only think of one trad free climb (out of hundreds) that I regretted not bringing my offset cams and/ or offset RPs. In all other cases, my generic ABC double curve nuts have worked perfectly fine and they are cheap.

Since the OP is just using them to build TR anchors, my recommendation would be to look at price first. Get whatever is cheapest. ABC and Omega Pacific sell some cheap but great nuts. I've been using mine for nearly 8 years and they still work great.
Howard · · Costa Mesa, CA · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 2,695

Offsets are useful in J Tree, and to some extent in Red Rocks.

Chris Owen · · Big Bear Lake · Joined Jan 2002 · Points: 11,617

It all depends upon what kind of rock - I would never TR off wires at Stoney Point. But big hexes yes, better than cams in my opinion, in the right placement - used them often at Stoney.

BTW - Nuts is a generic term for all passive metal protection devices, whether they be wires or hexes etc. Comes from first using machine nuts with their threads removed and a nylon loop tied through instead of a pocket full of different sizes pebbles which had to be fiddled into cracks with mixed success.

Locker · · Yucca Valley, CA · Joined Oct 2002 · Points: 2,349

Of the two, "Nuts" will most likely be used more often.

Rick Blair · · Denver · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 266

Tri-cams of course. Get some of the 6 and 7 boat anchors!

Locker · · Yucca Valley, CA · Joined Oct 2002 · Points: 2,349
"Get some of the 6 and 7 boat anchors!"

LOL!
Rick Blair · · Denver · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 266

I keep a 7 under my bed, don't even think of breaking into my F'n house.

20 kN · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,346
Chris Owen wrote: Comes from first using machine nuts with their threads removed and a nylon loop tied through instead of a pocket full of different sizes pebbles which had to be fiddled into cracks with mixed success.
Source? I am curious about this.
Ben Stabley · · Portland, OR · Joined Sep 2014 · Points: 207

20kN, check out this awesome site.
needlesports.com/content/nu…

As for the OPs question, if I was getting hexes again, I'd probably get DMMs Torque Nuts. Only 4 sizes, but they have a neat extending sling built in, and a color scheme that goes with BDs C4 cams.

NickO · · West Slope · Joined Apr 2011 · Points: 30

I have a mix of BD nuts and these Metolius nuts
metoliusclimbing.com/curve_…

I like having two shapes and usually only double up on the middle sizes

Chris Owen · · Big Bear Lake · Joined Jan 2002 · Points: 11,617
20 kN wrote: Source? I am curious about this.
Here you go, I'm sure there are other sources, this is the first one I found on Google. How did I know about this? Well I started climbing in the UK in the late 70's and knew people who told me stories, plus a couple of them even had such ridiculous things on their "rack". When I first started, being cash poor but having access to a machine shop I'd make my own nuts, here's a picture of one:

My "Number 2".
wivanoff · · Northeast, USA · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 674
Mike13 wrote:I'm posting this here as it may be beneficial to the OP. I'm sure it's been gone into somewhere on MP but I cant find it-Can anyone comment on the pluses and minuses to slung vs. wired hexes?
Here's a few

Wired:
+ Wires are durable
- When wire does wear out you bin the (still perfectly good) hex
+ Stiff wire can extend your reach for placement of small sizes (larger sizes are too heavy for this)
- Stiff wire can cause hex to dislodge due to rope movement
- Stiff wire may prevent camming in smaller sizes
+ Wired hexes may be easier to rack

Slung:
+ Easy to replace sling/webbing when it wears out. The metal hex basically lasts forever.
- Floppy sling does not allow extended reach for placement
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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