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rangerrob
Dec 27, 2011, 3:35 PM
Post #26 of 35
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Be EXTREMELY careful about hooking on established free routes. A hook can easily pry flakes and pebbles off of holds. These flakes and pebbles might be the key to the hold. A hook directs the entire weight of your body onto a 1/8" size area of the rock. Unless you want your ass kicked, I would refrain from hooking on other than aid routes. Besides, you don't need to hook on C1 routes, which is the only thing you'll be doing right now.
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losbill
Dec 27, 2011, 9:05 PM
Post #28 of 35
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Regarding ground school (see GO's post) and bounce testing placements (clip placed gear with long sling, place foot in sling and vigorously jump up and down on it):
1) It really accelerated my skill in placing gear.
2) While bounce testing keep your head off to the side as you watch the piece to see how it shifts and/or sets. Pieces will pop out at great velocity and you don't want to be in the "line of fire". (Gabe you may want to include this warning in your future posts on the subject. It took an object lesson, cam off the noggin, for me to wise up!)
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cracklover
Dec 28, 2011, 5:55 AM
Post #29 of 35
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losbill wrote: Regarding ground school (see GO's post) and bounce testing placements (clip placed gear with long sling, place foot in sling and vigorously jump up and down on it): 1) It really accelerated my skill in placing gear. 2) While bounce testing keep your head off to the side as you watch the piece to see how it shifts and/or sets. Pieces will pop out at great velocity and you don't want to be in the "line of fire". (Gabe you may want to include this warning in your future posts on the subject. It took an object lesson, cam off the noggin, for me to wise up!)
Good point. Same goes for aid climbing when you get around to it. Wear a helmet and don't look at the piece when you do vigorous bounces. I've had several bounce hard off my helmet as they ping out.
GO
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donwanadi
Dec 28, 2011, 2:55 PM
Post #30 of 35
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I've got some gear from alpenglowgear arriving tomorrow.
Set of BD nuts 4-13
Set of 4 tricams (pink/red/brown/purple)
Metolius Curve Hex Alpine set
Going to hold off on dumping money into cams. I've gotten the impression that most in my area prefer C4s or MasterCams but I'd like to use them before I spend that kind of $.
I'll start with ground school this weekend. I'll be the one with all the anodizing still on his gear.
(This post was edited by donwanadi on Dec 28, 2011, 2:59 PM)
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njrox
Dec 28, 2011, 3:12 PM
Post #31 of 35
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donwanadi wrote: Going to hold off on dumping money into cams. I've gotten the impression that most in my area prefer C4s or MasterCams but I'd like to use them before I spend that kind of $.
My NY/NJ experience has been more horizontal than vertical cracks. I have the same BD Stopper Set, 4-13, and most of them haven't even touched rock yet. Tricams are a great supplement - and definitely the pink and red ones. But you're going to need cams out here.
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rangerrob
Dec 28, 2011, 5:56 PM
Post #32 of 35
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Don if you want to aid climb, you will need a set of small nuts. Starting your BD nuts at 4 will cause you to run tino problems with thin seams. BD copper steel micros are good, as are BD #1-3.
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donwanadi
Dec 28, 2011, 6:47 PM
Post #33 of 35
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Am I likely to encounter body weight only placements on C1 cracks?
Maybe pickup 1-3 + some Leeper cams when I am ready for C2?
(This post was edited by donwanadi on Dec 28, 2011, 6:49 PM)
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rangerrob
Dec 30, 2011, 5:40 PM
Post #34 of 35
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In the Gunks you are likely to encounter body length sections of small gear, including small wires. If you are good a aid, you can avoid a lot of them by creative highstepping. Kind of a catch 22 actually. Small wires, and small aid placements in general aren't always just bodyweight. A #2 stopper placed well in solid rock will hold a good fall. Every piece you weight on a C1 route should be bomber, but your current definition of bomber is going to change. Once you start getting body weight only placements you are either moving into C2 territory, or you need to improve your gear placement skills.
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donwanadi
Jan 3, 2012, 4:34 PM
Post #35 of 35
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I can see what you mean. First day out the only nut placements I could find that I was happy with were in vertical cracks or in horizontal cracks with two nuts opposed.
It was hard to find places that I couldn't put a tricam. They seem to be very multi-directional and confidence inspiring when set actively.
I like the hexes but I can't imagine I'd carry them once I have cams, unless setting up a TR anchor.
(This post was edited by donwanadi on Jan 3, 2012, 4:48 PM)
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