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climbhigh2005
Jan 25, 2004, 11:15 PM
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1st I just want to say I looked around and made sure there wasnt already another post like this, sorry if there is! :wink:
My partner and I are finally starting to think about trad climbing, but what gear is essential? We were looking at RockEmpire cams, and Omega Pacific stoppers... what else? How are those brands? thanks!
Melissa
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brianthew
Jan 25, 2004, 11:17 PM
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Get at least one pink tricam (made by CAMP). About $15US, and possibly one of the most useful single pieces of gear around.
The next two sizes up (red and brown) are nice too.
Be sure to learn how to place these pieces before you try using them, it takes a little know-how (but not too much).
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tarzan420
Jan 25, 2004, 11:17 PM
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Most essential is a set of nuts. Any brand will do.
I won't be the last to say this, but you should climb with an experienced trad climber, and learn what gear you do and don't need from climbing with them.
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alderak
Jan 26, 2004, 12:02 AM
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and your sizeing is going to depend on where you plan on climbing... ask some locals...
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moss1956
Jan 26, 2004, 12:08 AM
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Depends on the rock.
When I am climbing on decent rock I take two sets of 10 nuts, and cams... but the cams are a luxury, they are nice for when you are tired and they make setting up multidirectional stuff less time consuming. When I climb in Iowa I have two sets of small tricams (the five smallest) some nuts and the cams.
Of course for REAL excitement that can't be matched, pick out a thin crack and make a hex only ascent. Just kidding there.
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shaggyj
Jan 26, 2004, 12:31 AM
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A rope is fairly important....
A set of nuts is a must.
The most important piece is the last place you placed...
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one900johnnyk
Jan 26, 2004, 12:55 AM
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get this book:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000ET9TL/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i3_xgl200/002-5089902-6180051?v=glance&s=sporting-goods&n=507846
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hishopper
Jan 26, 2004, 12:57 AM
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Rats! Shaggyj beat me to it. :cry:
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esoteric1
Jan 26, 2004, 1:08 AM
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heres a tip,
dont go cheap....and get all your passive gear first, learn to climb with nuts, hexes and tri-cams.
stay with it till you get good enough with all of your placements, whip on a few of them...then go after your cams. like I said before though, I wouldnt go chaep on the cams, you do get what you pay for.
peace
and happy trad ing
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climbingnurse
Jan 26, 2004, 1:11 AM
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Knowledge is your most important piece of equipment. You should buy books and maybe even formal training before you purchase anything besides what you need to follow. (Freedom Of The Hills would be a good start along w/ the above book.) That said, make sure you have:
-Helmet (just wear it)
-Harness
-Climbing shoes
-3 or so lockers
-2 or 3 shoulder length slings
-A couple of prusik loops
-Belay Knife (only if you are climbing w/ Joe Simpson)
-Nut Tool
-Maybe a few non-locking biners too
-Yeah, ropes are also good to have
With all that, you can at least go out and follow people. Beyond that, you need a rack. And that's where "It Depends" (TM) on where/what/how you are climbing. It's a question you should be able to answer by yourself before you start leading anything.
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climbhigh2005
Jan 26, 2004, 1:45 AM
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In reply to: said, make sure you have: -Helmet (just wear it) -Harness -Climbing shoes -3 or so lockers -2 or 3 shoulder length slings -A couple of prusik loops -Belay Knife (only if you are climbing w/ Joe Simpson) -Nut Tool -Maybe a few non-locking biners too -Yeah, ropes are also good to have With all that, you can at least go out and follow people. Beyond that, you need a rack. And that's where "It Depends" (TM) on where/what/how you are climbing. It's a question you should be able to answer by yourself before you start leading anything.
I'm not that stupid... :P LOL its not like I jsut started climbing yesterday :wink: ... I have rope, harness, helmet, biners, shoes, and all the sport and boudlerig gear... LOL thanks for all the info tho!
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rokshoxbkr19
Jan 26, 2004, 1:48 AM
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we could keep spitting out what we use, but it would be best for you to go your local crag and ask trad climbers there and look at what they carry
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scubasnyder
Jan 26, 2004, 1:55 AM
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Depends where ur plannin on climbing, i would get a set of the Omega nuts and a cleaning tool so you can get them back, and i would probably double up on some of those and get some webbing also, theres a lot of starter sets on different sites.
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calamity_chk
Jan 26, 2004, 2:00 AM
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the best idea is honestly to talk to locals about it. however, most guidebooks have gear lists - you could also look up what gear is common on routes that you want to do/enjoy doing. personally, i'm starting with smaller cams and microcams because my handcrack is rattly fingers for most people.
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climbhigh2005
Jan 26, 2004, 2:08 AM
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thanks guys! :D
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dirtineye
Jan 26, 2004, 3:47 AM
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Melissa, were you the Melissa at boat rock?
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pornstarr
Jan 26, 2004, 3:52 AM
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I'd go for a set of those smiley's nuts before the OP's. Just my opinion of course. They're pretty inexpensive too.
never used the rock empire cams, but i'm sure they work fine. I'd mix it up and figure out what you like, then buy more of those items brands/styles/whatever as you beef up the rack.
maybe some sewn runners and a cordelette/webolette too
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dirtineye
Jan 26, 2004, 5:01 AM
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The black diamond nuts are good in the south. I like tricams and hexes too. You don't need any really big or really small cams for a while, but if you had a .4, .5. .75. 1. and 2 camelot along with a set of BD nuts, tricams from pink up through at least grey and green, and a few hexes starting with one a little larger than the biggest BD nut, say the 6 7 8 9 rock centrics, you'd hvae a very nice rack for most sandstone 5.5 up to about 5.9.
After you play with this stuff a while you will know what else you need.
The ushba nut tool is the greatest nut tool on earth.
Get yourself some slings, and I really like having two 8 footers for setting up fast cnchors. WC makes some very light ones at about 15 bucks each.
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aklaunch
Jan 26, 2004, 6:21 AM
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umm....
i think that HB stoppers {nuts} are the best. by far.
i use Black Diamond camalots down to the .3 size
and metolius tri cams for the micro sizes.
i would take this rack anywere.
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climbhigh2005
Jan 26, 2004, 12:15 PM
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In reply to: Melissa, were you the Melissa at boat rock?
yep :D
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dirtineye
Jan 26, 2004, 5:59 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: Melissa, were you the Melissa at boat rock? yep :D
You are too cute to be a trad climber! Just kidding, the world needs more female trad leaders, go for it.
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dredsovrn
Jan 26, 2004, 6:54 PM
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At some point you will find everything is a must. My partner and I were sorting through our gear the other night getting ready for a trip to Looking Glass. We had planned on buying about 8 more cams and two more sets of nuts. When we layed it all out, we were very disappointed to see we already had doubles of mid sizes (3 and 5 of some) as well as tri cams doubles and triples of nuts, enough slings to build a rope ladder to the top, ropes etc... Very disappointing as we had our hearts set on NEEDING more gear. We really didn't NEED anything so we are just getting more tri cams (gotta get something-you gear junkies know what I mean).
Oh yeah, your question. If you really want to boil down to essentials, I would say this..nuts, biners, and shoulder length slings. That's that basics. Nothing wrong with the rest, but you "must" have those. Nothing wrong with the brands you mentioned. The Rock Empire cams can be a little unstable over the Black size (#4?), make sure you runner them.
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rockmx
Jan 26, 2004, 7:08 PM
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2 Big Nuts
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dirtineye
Jan 26, 2004, 7:34 PM
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In reply to: At some point you will find everything is a must. My partner and I were sorting through our gear the other night getting ready for a trip to Looking Glass. We had planned on buying about 8 more cams and two more sets of nuts. When we layed it all out, we were very disappointed to see we already had doubles of mid sizes (3 and 5 of some) as well as tri cams doubles and triples of nuts, enough slings to build a rope ladder to the top, ropes etc... Very disappointing as we had our hearts set on NEEDING more gear. We really didn't NEED anything so we are just getting more tri cams (gotta get something-you gear junkies know what I mean).
LOL, I KNOW this feeling. It's terrible to go into a gear store and see NOTHING you don't already have... Don't let having enough gear for three people stop you, keep hoping that there is ALWAYS something you could use, if you really think about it.
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climbhigh2005
Jan 27, 2004, 1:29 AM
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Curt, thanks for the encouragement! :wink:
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