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dharmasoldat
Oct 27, 2005, 5:32 AM
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Registered: Oct 24, 2005
Posts: 33
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I see a lot of talk about people starting to "trad themselves up" and asking "what should I buy?" or "what's the standard trad rack?". I've also seen the replies; some were good, some - not so much. I'm curious to know what _your_ first rack consisted of when you _started out_ climbing trad. I thought it might provoke some different responses. In addition, if there's anything constructive you learned from assembling and using your first rack that you'd care to share that'd be even better. I'm sure you'll all try to behave. :wink:
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climbinginchico
Oct 27, 2005, 5:50 AM
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Registered: Mar 24, 2004
Posts: 3032
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I bought a set of BD stoppers, Camalot C4's from .5-3, aliens from green-orange, 16 mammut runners, 60 BD hotwires, a nut tool, 5 tricams (2 pink, 2 red, brown), BD spectra daisy chain, Misty Mountain Cadillac harness. I have since added more, of course.
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chanceboarder
Oct 27, 2005, 6:12 AM
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Registered: Oct 6, 2003
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In reply to: I'm curious to know what _your_ first rack consisted of when you _started out_ climbing trad. wait we're supposed to have more then just the one we started with? :shock: i need to get started on my second one then. my first (and the one i'm still using) one consists of aliens green to purple with a red/yellow hybrid, camalots .5 to #5, a #2 max cam (which has never been carried on a climb and would gladly trad it for a #2 C4), set of BD stoppers, set of HB aluminum offsets, set of BD hexes, a red tri cam, about a dozen or so blue water titan runners, everything racked on BD hotwires, 3 ropes, and a bunch of other miscellaneous stuff.
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horseonwheels
Oct 27, 2005, 6:38 AM
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Registered: Feb 3, 2005
Posts: 226
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Wow!!! I'm surprised everyone so far has started out with rather large racks. I started with a set of BD Stoppers, #5 & 6 WC Hexcentrics, .5 & 1 tri-cams, a #4 TCU, and a #1 Camalot. I just used the quickdraws from my previous (read... ill-advised, yet thankfully brief) sport climbing phase. Personally, I think it was good for me. Now I always see places for hexes and tri-cams. I always carry those pieces with me. I suppose it may have been a bit different for me though, because I had never followed anyone when I started leading trad. Therefore, I was anxious to climb, and had no idea what I preferred. Going at it piece by piece, really let's you customize your rack for what you like doing. Although now I have a pretty standard nearly double rack, so I guess it doesn't really matter. One thing that I always have done (which I picked up from this site), is always buy what you want regardless of price. The cliche, "You'll never regret buying the best gear," is exactly right. Don't skimp if you know what you want.
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larryd
Oct 27, 2005, 6:57 AM
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Registered: Apr 15, 2003
Posts: 77
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Pretty much the standard stuff: a couple of Peck Crackers, a MOAC, some Clogwyn hexes, and a few Clogwyn wedges on a sling. Wide stuff was 2-inch and 2.5-inch Chouinard bongs with slings through the lightening holes. Also had a few Lost Arrows, but essentially never placed them.
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ryanb
Oct 27, 2005, 7:30 AM
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Registered: Nov 4, 2004
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My first leads were made with a few nuts (Smc taper locks at first, later some smiley's wedgies), 8 and 10 bd hexes, 2 and 6 tri cams. Yellow tcu, a couple of those awful lowe flex cams and a purple wired bliss. (rouglhly equivelent to .5, .75 and 2 camalots). I remeber leading routes and deciding it was time to end the pitch when a perfect placemnt for the last piece of gear on the rack presented itself. (ever see a 14 year old belay off a stance?) This is still pretty much the rack I carry for easy stuff. Why weigh yourself down?
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quiteatingmysteak
Oct 27, 2005, 7:40 AM
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Registered: Dec 15, 2004
Posts: 804
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My first rack cost me about 1400$. since than i had a second job done, than a reduction. My dad didnt like it so well, and neither did my football coach 8D! edit wow how pathetic am i.
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pk
Oct 27, 2005, 7:45 AM
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Registered: Dec 13, 2003
Posts: 459
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In reply to: Pretty much the standard stuff: a couple of Peck Crackers, a MOAC, some Clogwyn hexes, and a few Clogwyn wedges on a sling. Wide stuff was 2-inch and 2.5-inch Chouinard bongs with slings through the lightening holes. Also had a few Lost Arrows, but essentially never placed them. Larry I know I know date you quite some years! /snicker If John ever talks to me about what I started on I'm sure he can tell ya. The Clogwyn hexes ring a bell so loud in me ears I probably won't sleep tonight. P.K.
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petsfed
Oct 27, 2005, 8:04 AM
Post #9 of 67
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Registered: Sep 25, 2002
Posts: 8599
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1 set of oldschool Wild Country Rocks 1 set of slung Chounard hexes assorted tied slings We at least used modern ropes, but the pro I got from my Dad. He purchased all of it shortly before I was born.
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heiko
Oct 27, 2005, 8:15 AM
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Registered: Mar 3, 2005
Posts: 1505
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1 set of 10 Cassin Nuts. 2 runners, 4ft. 3 locking bieners.
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lofstromc
Oct 27, 2005, 12:06 PM
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Registered: Aug 1, 2005
Posts: 528
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Some girl in the movie theatre, I think her name was Kristin. :wink:
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deltav
Oct 27, 2005, 12:16 PM
Post #12 of 67
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Registered: Sep 29, 2005
Posts: 597
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1 set of forged Friends 1 ser of Wild Country stoppers 1 set of Clogs 1 set of Tetons couple of dozen Kong biners all tied slings
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euroford
Oct 27, 2005, 12:17 PM
Post #13 of 67
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Registered: Aug 26, 2002
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for my first season leading trad: a rack borrowed from an experienced leader. basicly stoppers and camelots.
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clmbr121
Oct 27, 2005, 1:19 PM
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Registered: Feb 16, 2005
Posts: 160
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In reply to: Some girl in the movie theatre, I think her name was Kristin. :wink: Stole my thunder! I was going to say a nice C-Cup when I was 14.
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keinangst
Oct 27, 2005, 1:27 PM
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Registered: Apr 1, 2003
Posts: 1408
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12 ABC Huevo nuts (aka Smileys Wedgies) 6 tricams (pink thru..uhh...one of the bigger ones) 7 WC hexentrics on dyneema Started trad a couple years ago, and still haven't added anything...but I'm still too mentally weak to climb above 5.9 without active gear, so that's where I am. I've almost run out of good placements on long pitches (120'+) once or twice.
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moose_droppings
Oct 27, 2005, 1:32 PM
Post #16 of 67
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Registered: Jun 7, 2005
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In reply to: Some girl in the movie theatre, I think her name was Kristin. :wink: We called her Lincoln, since everyone took a shot at her.
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vegastradguy
Oct 27, 2005, 1:35 PM
Post #17 of 67
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Registered: Aug 28, 2002
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i wonder if anyone who knows me would be surprised that my first gear purchase wasnt actually that much gear..... BD Camalots from #.5 to #3 BD Stoppers (1 set) twentyish ovals and about a dozen slings. since then, i've switched to WC Heliums (ovals are heavy, although theres nothing wrong with 'em) and increased my cam count exponentially. anyone who knows me can tell you that i have more gear than the local shops sell.
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markc
Oct 27, 2005, 1:39 PM
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Registered: Jan 21, 2003
Posts: 2481
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My former housemate and I went in on our first rack together. Our protection was: 2 sets of ABC Huevos 5 - 11 BD Hexes 1 set (8) Rock Empire Robots pink and red tri-cams When we eventually broke it up, I took a set of huevos and the cams and paid the difference. I picked up new hexes (4-11) and tri-cams, and gradually upgraded to camalots. While the 1 - 5 RE cams don't get much use any longer, I don't know that I would change anything. They were a relatively inexpensive purchase that served me during my first couple seasons.
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kimmyt
Oct 27, 2005, 2:11 PM
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Registered: Sep 10, 2003
Posts: 4546
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Just started at the beginning of this season, so I'm still on my 'first'. Haven't even really upgraded or anything since I started either, except for adding a green alien! #4-13 Smiley Stoppers Brown, Red, Pink tricams #0, 0.5, 1, 1.75, 2.0 Technical Friends (got a steal on these from a user on this site..I think those are the corresponding sizes but could be incorrect) Filled in the gaps with aforementioned green alien, #2 C4, and #3 Camalot. Splurged and bought, first things first, 10 trad draws I made out of dyneema floss and BD keylocks on one side, Livewires on the other. I have about 3-4 4-footers I carry with me depending on the route, and a cordelette. Could probably use something to fill in the gap between 1 and 1.75 Friends, but haven't gotten around to it yet and I've been able to live without, but then I don't get on much harder stuff. K.
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eastvillage
Oct 27, 2005, 2:26 PM
Post #20 of 67
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Registered: Sep 14, 2004
Posts: 262
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Chouinard pitons, knifeblades, lost arrows, angles, couple of aluminum bongs, chouinard yosemite hammer, eiger oval biners, 1" & 9/16" tube tied slings. Nuts consisted of bizzare clogwyn and pecks, smc wedges, copper heads, dolt runner nuts. This lasted for a year or so until chouinard came out with hexcentric hexes and stoppers.
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justsaynototake
Oct 27, 2005, 2:30 PM
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Registered: Mar 10, 2005
Posts: 33
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In reply to: In reply to: Some girl in the movie theatre, I think her name was Kristin. :wink: We called her Lincoln, since everyone took a shot at her. I remember her! She was the town tricycle. Everyone gets a ride!!
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tarzan420
Oct 27, 2005, 2:33 PM
Post #22 of 67
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Registered: Jun 19, 2002
Posts: 678
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Hodgepdge stopper set from eBay (mostly smileys, but a few dmm and BD micros). 8 Draws: 12mm mammut dyneema sling, 1 OP doval, 1 OP funky blue pearshaped wiregate (Jake? JC? something...) Forged Friends 1.75-4 I've added fairly significantly to everything but the draws. I could use a few more.
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ambler
Oct 27, 2005, 3:12 PM
Post #23 of 67
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Registered: Jul 27, 2002
Posts: 1690
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In reply to: I'm curious to know what _your_ first rack consisted of when you _started out_ climbing trad. One piton, two biners, and 50 feet of nylon clothesline. We actually did a two-pitch climb with this, jamming one biner in a crack for an anchor. Then had to cut a piece off the clothesline to sling a flake and rap off. After that, I bought another piton.
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paganmonkeyboy
Oct 27, 2005, 3:15 PM
Post #24 of 67
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Registered: Apr 30, 2003
Posts: 663
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1 set WC rocks 1 set BD hexes 6 runners 2 lockers 3 quickdraws 6 misc biners, ovals and wiregates my 2 cents would be to start with the passive stuff, then go cam happy later...ymmv...
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wings
Oct 27, 2005, 3:54 PM
Post #25 of 67
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Registered: Jun 2, 2004
Posts: 283
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Let's see ... the first time I climbed a route with only my own gear, it was something like this: BD Camalot 1, 2, 3, 4.5 (got these on sale, don't have them anymore) DMM 4CU 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4 (still have these) Metolius Power Cam 6 (still have this, don't use much anymore) CCH Alien yellow (still have this) Wild Country Hexcentrics 3 to 9 (still have these, don't use much anymore) BD Stoppers 3 to 13 (still have these, don't use much anymore) For draws, I'd take the biners off of my sport draws (Spirits and Positrons) and put them on 24" slings. Swapping back and forth was a pain. I'm glad I don't have to deal with that anymore. No real regrets in hindsight. - Seyil
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