Marking cams

I use Tough Tags toughtags.co.uk printed with my name, number, and email. Around 25 cents a tag, they are a little pricey, but I've already gotten called about some lost gear with my name. So over time they might pay for themselves.

For my cams I put them on the stem as close to the lobes as possible. This involves feeding them through the trigger wires.

I've never had them unstick (about a year of heavy use), but if they are placed on a wear surface they can be abraded away.

Marc801 wrote: What do you do with the racking biner when you clip a draw on the cam?

Leave the racking biner on the sling of the cam I placed.

Marc801 wrote:What do you do with the racking biner when you clip a draw on the cam?

Bill Kirby wrote: Leave the racking biner on the sling of the cam I placed.

My guess is you'll stop doing that when you run out of biners on a difficult pitch. You'll also move past the idea of (most of)* your racking biners being different somehow than the rest of the biners on your rack.

• :Yes, I do use ovals for racking multiple nuts, but that's the exception. So are trad routes now. ;-)

Marc801 wrote: My guess is you'll stop doing that when you run out of biners on a difficult pitch. You'll also move past the idea of (most of)* your racking biners being different somehow than the rest of the biners on your rack.

Why? Would you say that? And why would you run out of biners if you have a biner per cam and all your slings and draws with biners?

I have racking biners that are individually matched to each cam. I have my draws whose biners rarely leave their dog bones. I have long alpine draws with their dedicated biners.

It's the way I've climbed for almost a decade so you prediction that such habits will stop don't apply to everyone.

patto wrote: Why? Would you say that? And why would you run out of biners if you have a biner per cam and all your slings and draws with biners? I have racking biners that are individually matched to each cam. I have my draws whose biners rarely leave their dog bones. I have long alpine draws with their dedicated biners. It's the way I've climbed for almost a decade so you prediction that such habits will stop don't apply to everyone.

Don't bother.. All dude does is talk shit and talk down to others.

patto wrote: Why? Would you say that? And why would you run out of biners if you have a biner per cam and all your slings and draws with biners? I have racking biners that are individually matched to each cam. I have my draws whose biners rarely leave their dog bones. I have long alpine draws with their dedicated biners.

I do the same. I didn't explain it well; all I meant was that when I place a cam that needs a draw or sling (as most do), the majority of the time I toss the racking biner back on the rack for use later on the pitch or at the anchor. I may not do this if I know the route and remember the protection points or it's obvious I have enough gear for the remainder of the pitch/anchor building.

This is why I felt just marking the racking biners and not the cams doesn't accomplish much. Especially so in places like Indian Creek where multiple parties may pool gear, but even just combining gear with your partner.

Nail polish isn't perfect or permanent, but it's cheap.

Avoiding wear surfaces is good.

Two other trick you can play:

- Put the polish in a corner, or over embossing, or in engravings. Non-flat surfaces, especially concave surfaces, help retain polish

- Put on hardcoat on top of the polish. Chief downside here is people will start to wonder why you know so much about nail polish.

I have a carbide scribe that's good for gear that will see a lot of banging/chipping & smooth wear or lack a good surface. But IMO it's a poor choice for gear that will see a lot of scratching, like nuts.

+1 Small zip tie

I've had good luck with Dykem marking pens. I have to redo them about every 2 years I guess. I use 2 colors so there's pretty near no chance of confusion.