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SendMasterJack
Dec 29, 2008, 3:26 AM
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Gonna start trad this summer, if i could only buy 4 or 5 cams which ones should they be? sizes, that is.. also do i need a certain kind of QD/runner? let a brother know
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coolcat83
Dec 29, 2008, 3:38 AM
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sizes depend on what you are climbing. and slings are needed for extending placements so they don't walk, regular sport qd's are usually too stiff and short to be effective.
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rogue10186
Dec 29, 2008, 3:47 AM
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If you've only got money for 4-5 cams, just buy some nuts and hexes and save the rest of you money to drive to the crag!
That is of course if you already don't have nuts and hexes.... but id you're gonna buy cams, Trango Max Cams are good, so are C4s from BD.
Personally I have neither, I've got some Wild Country Forged friends that I picked up when they went on sale last year when WC said they'd stop making them. Normally I just rely on my passive pro, the nuts hexes and tricams, and save the friends. I have used the Max cams, and they're pretty cool.
(This post was edited by rogue10186 on Dec 29, 2008, 3:49 AM)
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coolcat83
Dec 29, 2008, 3:51 AM
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I should have added that i started with trango flex cams 3-7 and they have served me well. i also have a set of metolius power cams, a #2link cam, and a small supercam. do you have passive pro too? depending on what you are climbing tricams can be great and are cheaper then a slcd and often inspire much more confidence.
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Lazlo
Dec 29, 2008, 4:08 AM
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coolcat83 wrote: I should have added that i started with trango flex cams 3-7 and they have served me well. i also have a set of metolius power cams, a #2link cam, and a small supercam. do you have passive pro too? depending on what you are climbing tricams can be great and are cheaper then a slcd and often inspire much more confidence.
What do you think of the Super Cam?
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coolcat83
Dec 29, 2008, 5:00 AM
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Lazlo wrote: coolcat83 wrote: I should have added that i started with trango flex cams 3-7 and they have served me well. i also have a set of metolius power cams, a #2link cam, and a small supercam. do you have passive pro too? depending on what you are climbing tricams can be great and are cheaper then a slcd and often inspire much more confidence. What do you think of the Super Cam?
I have not placed it yet since i got it as a present last week and it's been snow and rain here for the past week, in my hand it feels solid, as do all the metolius cams, and the design is pretty slick too...i'll let you know when i use it.
The other "extended range" cam i have the is the link cam and i really like it, places nicely and feels solid once it's in and you get used to the lobes hanging there.
(This post was edited by coolcat83 on Dec 29, 2008, 5:01 AM)
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byran
Dec 29, 2008, 8:49 AM
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What size cracks are you wanting to climb? If you're planning on going up to Vedauwoo, a couple Black Diamon #4's, a 5, and a 6 is all you need for a lot of stuff there. Course that would probably run you over $300, and you could get 6 or more smaller cams for that price.
Or if you just want a more well rounded rack, I'd go with cams in the hand to fist size and hope that the thin sections are protectable with nuts. Metolious is cheaper than BD and they're also lighter weight.
http://www.gearexpress.biz/...;Product_Code=2559UR
(This post was edited by byran on Dec 29, 2008, 8:51 AM)
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mikebee
Dec 29, 2008, 12:23 PM
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Cams are generally the most expensive items on a rack, so I reckon the best philosophy to go with is "buy right, buy once".
It might be tempting to find a bunch of cheap, slightly dubious quality cams (eg, in Australia Kong and Rock Empire are the cheapest) just so you can get a full set ASAP, but this just means that in a couple of years, when the trad bug has fully bitten, you'll feel the urge to upgrade to one of the premier brands (BD, WC, Metolius).
Buy a couple less cams now, but get cams that do know will last years and would still have a place on your rack if you won lotto the next day.
As for needing a certain type of QD or runner, the answer is no. As you'll learn when you start placing gear, longer runners are good for reducing cams walking and reducing rope drag. Of course, longer runners tend to be a bit more fiddly, and lengthen the size of a fall.
Everyone has their own preferred sets of 'biners, slings and draws, just as long as it's all certified, the best choice is what works for you. Generally speaking, I carry more 60cm trad draws than quickies when leading, but thats what works for me.
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a-e-jones
Dec 29, 2008, 1:08 PM
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if you dont already have them stock up on some nuts/tricams/hex's and any other passive pro, you'll at least be able to climb most routes with that.
if you already have the passive stuff i'd suggest you dont cheap out on cams, i like my bd's but you can't go wrong with wild country metolius or trango or dmm cams
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PNUT
Dec 29, 2008, 3:05 PM
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SendMasterJack wrote: Gonna start trad this summer, if i could only buy 4 or 5 cams which ones should they be? sizes, that is.. also do i need a certain kind of QD/runner? let a brother know
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dj69
Dec 29, 2008, 3:53 PM
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I just started trad climbing this spring, and have longed probably 15 days leading on trad, so i would take anything i say with that in mind.
When i started my rack in around February of last year, i must have read all the start your own rack threads, and still wanted more. In a sense i wanted someone to tell me exactly what size and brand i should buy of everything.
This is pretty much the rack i started with, i am not saying this would be the best for you, however it worked fairly well for my area.
A set a bd nuts (4-13) which i picked up for 50$
A set a dmm nuts which i also picked up on sale (can't remember the exact price)
In terms of the nuts i really like both sets and i feel i can place both well, and i am half decent at getting the size right. If i had to do it again i would probably skip the doubles on the larger nuts.
In terms of cams I bought bd from (.75-3)
and tcus from (2-4)
These brands and sizes, were recommended to me by plenty of folks in my area, and for the most part work very well. However, i have since developed a love for the larger master cams (3-6) and almost always leave my .75 bd on the ground. Sometimes i even take the green metolius over the #1 bd.
Anyways this whole rant to say, try, try and try again. If you don't need to buy then don't buy. I would have saved a lot of money if i would have tried all the gear before i bought it, and have less gear that i dislike on my rack. And in terms of the sizing the best people to ask are the locals, they know better than anyone else what sizes are the most useful.
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forkliftdaddy
Dec 29, 2008, 4:13 PM
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PNUT wrote: Get yourself some BD C4s. Get a .5, .75, 1, 2. From there start filling out either end of the spectrum til you have a full set.
I agree with PNUT RE: Camalots .75, 1, 2. C4s are great multipurpose units in those sizes. Smaller than .75, I'd add narrower units such as Aliens (GASP!), TCUs, Mastercams, C3s or Zeros.
After that, pick up pieces specific to your local crags, favorite routes, personal preferences, etc.
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ja1484
Dec 29, 2008, 4:16 PM
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If you're going to be starting trad and have questions like this, the first things you need to buy are some books.
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moose_droppings
Dec 29, 2008, 4:43 PM
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Log some time climbing with some other, more experienced people. Try out their gear, see what you like and what sizes are placed most for climbs in your area. Cams are to much of personal preferences for us to tell you what brand to buy. Buying some top brand might "get ur done", but buying a brand that feels right for you will only come with experience.
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dindolino32
Dec 31, 2008, 5:08 PM
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Honestly, I would get just 1 omega pacific link-cam, the smaller of the two (the red one). The smaller because the smaller cracks are usually when you dont have a good grip/foot holds. This thing is awsome because of the huge range (three times that of a normal cam). Also, when you buy your other gear, you can still keep it on the front of your rack. You use it when you feel sketched out and above your last piece. You can place it without fidgeting and fumbling with cam sizes. Then I clip the rope and have the piece of mind to select the other cam size. I then place the other cam and take the link-cam back. It also serves as a double for sizes. The drawbacks: It is heavier than normal cams, but has a much wider range. It has a flexible stem and wide head, so it is hard to place in shallow cracks. I also think the sling is a bit too short for what I like, but that isnt the biggest deal. I really like it and use it a ton!
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