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brianstltz
Oct 16, 2003, 11:28 PM
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I just got access to hundreds of pitons. I am a fairly competent trad climber and I was wondering when is a situation that it would be better to bring pitons instead of using a standard rack of regular trad gear. Also what are the advantages of using pitons as suppossed to stoppers, cams, hexes, etc.?
Thanks,
Brian
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jookyhead
Oct 16, 2003, 11:29 PM
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I usually just smash 'em into the rock whenever I can't find something to hold onto.
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rockmx
Oct 16, 2003, 11:32 PM
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Pitons for Trad Climbing???? :shock:
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kman
Oct 16, 2003, 11:35 PM
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qoute:
In reply to: just got access to hundreds of pitons. I am a fairly competent trad climber and I was wondering when is a situation that it would be better to bring pitons instead of using a standard rack of regular trad gear. Also what are the advantages of using pitons as suppossed to stoppers, cams, hexes, etc.? Thanks, Brian
If you have "hundreds" of them then you have waaaaaay to many. I would be more than happy to use some of them for you :D How bout it huh...huh....c'mon send me sooooome....pleeeeaseeee :wink: :wink: I know you want to.
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scottcody
Oct 17, 2003, 12:18 AM
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T2
Subtle, not too obvious, yet blatant and bold at the same time.
Use pitons every chance you get, especially on virgin sandstone. pins hold much better in soft rock than cams :shock:
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the_pirate
Oct 17, 2003, 12:21 AM
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Yo, slutz
I recommend using them at the Gunks. But be vocal about it. Go to all the local bars and talk up how you just hammered hundreds of pitons into the rock. You will get laid more than you ever thought possible.
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thinksinpictures
Oct 17, 2003, 12:22 AM
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I think this one goes a little higher than T2. The dead givaway is the contradiction created when he says he's an AVID trad climber. Maybe if he said he'd been climbing for a while. You know, just enough to be leading confidently, but not enough to be "in the know" about ethics and all that. I'm gonna give the guy some credit and say T3.
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scottcody
Oct 17, 2003, 12:28 AM
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True dat...
He did have me going with the whole "Fairly comptent trad climber"
I'll cave and give him a T3 as well.
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thinksinpictures
Oct 17, 2003, 1:32 AM
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My bad, actually. I thought he said he was an "avid trad climber" for some reason. Downgraded to T3-/T2+ :wink:
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deleted
Deleted
Oct 17, 2003, 1:45 AM
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who the [i:acd8f88505]hell[/i:acd8f88505] gets access to "hundreds of pitons"!!!?? :lol: :lol:
short of going to a tenth mountain division training site in the middle of the night with a [i:acd8f88505]crowbar[/i:acd8f88505], the most i've ever *ahem* "liberated" from a dead (or dying) partner was 20 or so.
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brianstltz
Oct 17, 2003, 3:35 AM
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Thanks. all the replies have been quite helpful.
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ropeburn
Oct 17, 2003, 3:39 AM
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In reply to: Yo, slutz I recommend using them at the Gunks. But be vocal about it. Go to all the local bars and talk up how you just hammered hundreds of pitons into the rock. You will get laid more than you ever thought possible.
I highly recommend you follow this advice to the word. Best way to pick up the ladies in New Paltz.
:mrgreen:
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apollodorus
Oct 17, 2003, 3:56 AM
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Make the Big Jump: start doing walls. You'll need those pins on the hard walls. Start with one/few easier ones (no pins needed), and then go up something really nice.
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herm
Oct 17, 2003, 6:05 AM
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I am a fairly avid troller. T2.
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pico23
Oct 17, 2003, 7:51 AM
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In reply to: I just got access to hundreds of pitons. I am a fairly competent trad climber and I was wondering when is a situation that it would be better to bring pitons instead of using a standard rack of regular trad gear. Also what are the advantages of using pitons as suppossed to stoppers, cams, hexes, etc.? Thanks, Brian
Ok, Ive been wrong on the whole troll thing a few times recently so I'm gonna answer this like it's a real question.
If your close to the gunks then you've seen pitons in action, many of the classics have pitons on the routes. Most are old rusted relics and a few protected ones still look pretty stout. But I'm also sure you realize pitons are no longer placed in the gunks or most other trad areas because they simply aren't as effective as modern gear and they scar the hell out of the rock (hence pin scars). Basically, anyplace you'd place a pin you can probably place a piece of clean gear that will be more effective. There are exceptions which is why in the Gunks there is a grandfather clause that allows old pins to be replaced if necessary. I'd say there are very few that will ever need to be replaced though.
I'd say there are only two places pitons would probably be used. Hard aid routes and winter alpine stuff. Not being much of an aid climber i can only assume that even on aid routes where pitons are used it is mostly the copperhead and knifeblade variety. For winter stuff you might bash a pin into a icy crack where nothing else will hold. I've only placed two pitons and they've both been on iced up rock where I couldn't get any rock pro in and ice protection was poor.
So for trad climbing I'd say you are SOL unless you just want to have some fun destroying some rock. If thats the case, I'd recommend finding a road cut or some other worthless pile of choss and hammer away, but don't head to some established climbing area and just start placing pins.
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andri
Oct 17, 2003, 12:20 PM
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Given this is not a troll: (If it is one, it´s a T2+ for sure)
I agree with some pico23 said, though in alpinism, winter or summer, pitons are often the only thing that will do (unless you´re an idiot carrying a boltkit). Sure, pitons damage the rock but that´s not a big issue in the mountains as it is in tradclimbing crags. Pitons are also great for bailing, they are relatively cheap and it´s easy to determine how solid the placement is (given you have the experience, ofcourse). But most importantly, when repeating established routes you can often get information about what hardwear to bring and so on. If pitons are not needed or are forbidden in the given area, then leave them at home (unless you want to exercise by carrying your hundred pitons in your sack, brianstltz??) :)
If you are not sure when to use a piton and when not, you probably don´t have the experience to use them safely anyway. If you want to learn, follow pico23 advise and find some non-climbing area where you can hammer at will without destroying valuable rock.
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rrrADAM
Oct 17, 2003, 12:34 PM
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There is a not so new ethic of climbing nowadays to "leave no trace", or at least as little impact as necessary on the rock, so I think you should ask yourself "why use pitons?" instead of "when to use pitons?". Hammering in nails when it's not needed is akin to bolting a Trad Route in my opinion, as they are not easily removed, leave a scar, and even take up possible gear placements.
I have come across many pins on Trad routes, but many are very old and suspect, as they are soft Fe or CS, therefore they have a reatively short life span, bit their mark on the rock is permanant.
That being said... The only pins on Trad Routes I don't take acception to are those at "hard to protect" cruxes and at belay stations if building a solid anchor isn't easily done at that station.
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cthcrockclimber
Oct 17, 2003, 1:30 PM
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:troll:
T2-3
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attitude
Oct 17, 2003, 3:47 PM
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They are great in the climbing gym when those plastic holds aren't in the right place. Usually the walls have starter holes, so just find one that fits and hammer til it rings true. Then you can use it as a handhold and then a jib.
More fun than carrying your own roll of tape.
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bustinmins
Oct 31, 2003, 9:25 PM
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In reply to: who the hell gets access to "hundreds of pitons"!!!?? :lol: :lol: short of going to a tenth mountain division training site in the middle of the night with a crowbar, the most i've ever *ahem* "liberated" from a dead (or dying) partner was 20 or so.
Geo - I prefer the word "liberated" as to stolen. Stolen just has this negative karma associated with it. :)
How many pitons do you carry and of what size would you carry on a typical aid rack? Just curious.
I am not going to make this party this weekend - HOWEVER I am looking with much anticipation at the Ouray Ice Festival. :)
This weather has basically shut out a few reserve pilots from getting to denver due to cancellations and oversold fligths. Thus, I will have to work tomorrow. I will be flying over you all! Have a great climb and we'll chat sometime soon. Hell - I may just drive out to Leadville to have a cup of joe with you on my days off.
Peace dude!
JD
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pro4pros
Jun 24, 2006, 2:55 AM
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U sell em' cheap??? Im sure i can find somen to shove em into. email me for deal. thanks. Peace
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rockguide
Jun 24, 2006, 3:25 AM
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He had hundreds of pitons when the thread was new - three years ago.
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pro4pros
Jun 25, 2006, 3:42 AM
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Sorry, complicated things like time escape me... as do hundreds of pitons.
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lambone
Jun 25, 2006, 4:22 AM
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In reply to: When to use pitons???
A3
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jaybro
Jun 25, 2006, 6:18 AM
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Send 'em this way. Not a joke, not a troll. I have recently (in the last year) had aproximatley 170 pins stolen. I have climbed for 43 yrs and learned to lead on pins ("pins for trad?"-stfu n00b™) I know when you need them for aid and whe they are the thing to be fixed (that's right, even sporto's can clip 'em) I will only use them in the way they were made to be used. Pm me
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When to use pitons???
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