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woodse
Oct 15, 2001, 5:36 PM
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Registered: Sep 25, 2001
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Just mucho $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!!!
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camhead
Oct 15, 2001, 6:08 PM
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If you are going to buy your trad gear on piece by piece installments, I'd advise with starting by getting a set of stoppers and some hexes. Cams obviously are where you really start spending the $$$.
There are good deals on trad gear at www.climbaxe.com.
I advise that you go climb with some experienced trad climbers, and hopefully get their info on gear, and maybe take a look at their racks. Everyone has his/her own preferences on gear.
Preferences aside, you will need lots of carabiners and different sizes of runners.
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rck_climber
Oct 15, 2001, 6:25 PM
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Registered: Aug 28, 2001
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For an idea of how much you're in for buying, check out the racks these guys have and you can base it off it a bit:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=3070&forum=20&14
Good luck, you'll need it.
To start, depending on the size of your wallet, I'd get:
Rack of nuts and hexes to start. Practice setting those and get used to them, then when you're sure you want to be a trad climber, take the plunge on a set of cams and tri-cams.
Mick
*Note: Take advice w/ a grain of salt - I'm a sport climber w/ a single, measely rack of BD stoppers to my name.
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paulc
Oct 15, 2001, 7:23 PM
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Start passive, it is much cheaper, and then get into cams and bros and so on later. A really good thing to do is to climb with a few people that have different racks so you can play with different types of gear before you shell out for it.
Tricams may be more useful depending where you live and climb than cams (especially areas with horizontal cracks that can kink the stems of wired cams and require tying off for solid stem cams.
Also you can get hexes wired or slung or sling yourself, I would also look at where you are climbing for this as well.
Paul
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rrrADAM
Oct 15, 2001, 8:01 PM
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Registered: Dec 19, 1999
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Start with passive pro, you'll develope a keen eye quickly. I trust a well placed BD Stopper more that any cam. I've been able to sew up more than 90% of my climbs with Stoppers.
rrrADAM
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jds100
Oct 15, 2001, 11:53 PM
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Don't believe those who say that trad is too expensive a way to get into climbing. A set of nuts, or hexes, or tricams, could cost less or about the same as 12 quickdraws for the sport climber. You can buy cheaply through the internet, through gear catalogs (look in the climbing magazines for the free catalogs); check gear links on this website. You can also mix up your first set of trad gear, with a few nuts, a few hexes, etc., instead of getting a full set of each different type of gear. For draws, you can get 'em cheap, or you can also just get regular 'D' biners and plain slings of the lengths you want (sewn slings are recommended more than tying your own). The point is, it doesn't have to require a second mortgage.
You're going to be starting on relatively easier routes, as you get to know stances and proper placements, which takes time (climb with someone experienced with trad gear placement, and have them check each placement; a good idea to start is to climb on TR, but tie in to a lead rope, too, and place gear as you would on lead; the belayer is on the TR). Chances are, too, that your climbing area takes some kinds of gear very readily, but not others; find out from climbers and shops what they'd recommend for the places you'll be climbing.
I think starting trad is good for your head, too.
[ This Message was edited by: jds100 on 2001-10-15 20:18 ]
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paulc
Oct 16, 2001, 12:15 AM
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I hate to disagree, but if you can go cheap on Qdraws for trad then you can do the same for sport. Fact of the matter is that you need more gear for trad. Besides which a cheap draw costs 14 bucks (CDN) and the cheapest biner cost 6.5 times two plus sling material, even if you went tied webbing instead of sewn (not recommended, although taking a couple of tied slings is good for raps and long anchors etc) the cost would be about the same as a bought draw.
It can be fairly cheap if you don't get active gear, but sport is always going to be less expensive and that is why everyone and their dog does sport.
Paul
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dustinap
Deleted
Oct 16, 2001, 2:14 AM
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30 BD ovals
13 BD neutrino's
13 24 in sewn spectra silngs
6 REI Locking Jake Biner
1 Petzl Grigri
1 HB Sherrif
2 8 mil 25 foot cordalletes.
NOTE: some people say 5 mil cordalletes are okay, but get 8 mil. Anythign else is stupid.unless special material.
--------------------------------
Basic Trad Gear
1 set BD nuts
.5,1,1.5 tricam
5-10 WC rockcentric
.75,1,2,3 BD cam
---------------------------------
Doubling up
Full set HB offset
3 largest CCH aliens
2,2.5,3,4 WC tech friends
3.5 BD camalot
00,1,2 Metolius FCU
Always need more ovals and lockers
---------------------------------
Speciality Trad Gear:
Battle axe size cams
Large Tricams
Metolius TCU
Ball nuts
ect..
*depending on rock and where you climb other things may apply.
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jds100
Oct 16, 2001, 3:27 AM
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Registered: Aug 5, 2001
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Paul,
you're probably right about cost being one of the primary reasons that more people get into climbing as sport climbers than trad. As to cost of trad gear, I mean that, in general, trad doesn't have to be cost prohibitive to get started, except in the most extreme situation. I don't remember who said it on another forum, but it comes down to a matter of priorities. (I don't remember how much a six-pack of beer or soda costs, but, hey, ya know, that might be a place to start.)
[ This Message was edited by: jds100 on 2001-10-15 20:32 ]
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bmsullivan
Oct 17, 2001, 4:41 AM
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Registered: Aug 23, 2001
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I definetly agree with most posts here. I couldn't wait to buy my gear so I started buying gear before I actually knew what I needed. Most of my passive stuff is what I use most, mainly the tri-cams (Arizona climbing). I did a lot of research on what SLCD's were best for me, but wasn't sure what sizes I needed. I ended up buying doubles in sizes that I don't really need(right now anyway)and ended up liking a different brand than the one I bought. Could have used the money to double up on what I do use, and to buy some bigger pro. Point is, if possible, climb with people who already own gear. Try it, see what you like. See what you place most often in the areas that you climb. I think you can't go wrong with a standard set of nuts, hexes, and the first 3 smallest tri cams. That is enough pro to take on most smaller beginner/moderate routes.
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