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gnarled_hands
Jul 15, 2004, 10:08 PM
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I have been leading trad for a little two years and have push my limits well. I have had a few falls but nothing huge.
My technique for placing cams is similar to most, but I like to "set" the cam much like someone would "set" a nut. I do this partially to test its stability and also for my peace of mind.
My question is this: Am I right by setting these cams with a little tug before I clip it or should I go by looks and experience alone?
My concern is that this "tug" hurts my chances of a good catch if I did fall from a ways above the cam.
Thanks
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abalch
Jul 15, 2004, 10:47 PM
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I have always given my cams a slight tug and/or jiggle when I place them, because early on in placing cams, I would think it was perfect, only to find when I jiggled it, that I hadn't noticed how the crack expanded inward, or had lots of grit, and I would have the cam move a lot more than I was comfortable with. It still is occassionally that I will find a perfect looking placement, and give it a little tug or jiggle and discover just how f----ing stupid I was. :oops:
While not neccessary usually to "set" a cam, a tug on it after placing it can certainly avoid many problems, and expose bad placements you just wouldn't have seen. Sometimes, I think it also is a mental game, if I climb above a piece--any piece--that I don't feel is setting well, it messes with my groove.
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gnarled_hands
Jul 15, 2004, 10:55 PM
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Thanks for your reply. Maybe 'setting' is too strong a word...but yes a little tug for good measure...thanks for the info
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yay_chris
Jul 15, 2004, 10:59 PM
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Hey, its a cam! Reef on it, if need be. It's supposed to hold a fall.
If it's good, then its not going anywhere.
If it's bad, you may have just saved yourself some air-time.
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j_ung
Jul 15, 2004, 11:16 PM
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If you tug on it too much, you're playing with it.
:lol: :lol:
Sorry, I just couldn't resist.
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coldclimb
Jul 15, 2004, 11:55 PM
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Sometimes in the areas I climb, the lichen gets in the way of a good placement, so a tug or two often cleans it out and sets the lobes against the rock. I yank mine a couple times just to make sure it won't come out at such small forces, unless the placement is awesomely bomber and I can tell that at a glance. Then I just set it with a grin! :D Gotta love the feeling of bomber pro.
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holdplease2
Jul 16, 2004, 1:24 AM
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I yank pretty hard on shallow placements in sandstone to see if the cam might blow.
On irregular rock like in the gunks or some yosemite pin scars, I give it a little shake back and forth...I think this helps the lobes settle into the natural coutours of the rock on occasion increasing their surface contact and parhaps their holding power.
I loved that last line, so here it is again.
...I think this helps the lobes settle into the natural coutours of the rock on occasion increasing their surface contact and parhaps their holding power.
So there.
Nopunctuationforyou!
-Kate.
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jumaringjeff
Jul 16, 2004, 1:57 AM
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one thing about yanking on pro while setting it, wether its active or passive, is make sure you won't peel off if the pro you're yanking on suddenly blows. I've seen it happen before and it's not pretty.
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soccer_fan
Jul 18, 2004, 2:33 AM
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Instead of 'setting' I usually try to wiggle the sling to see if the cam will walk or not, if no walking or odd settling then OK - climb on...
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jumaringjeff
Jul 18, 2004, 2:57 AM
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yeah I do the wiggle thang too. just be careful not to wiggle/walk the thing in too deep!!
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coylec
Jul 18, 2004, 3:49 AM
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I yank the heck out of it, same as any other piece. If its gonna get bad above, i'll put a runner on it and yard on the runner for more leverage and then clip it.
Got into this happen after I almost grounded out because of a bad cam placement.
The thing that I hope everyone knows: CAMS ARE NOT MAGICAL. Sure, they work by magic (you have to sprinkle on the faerie dust when you rack up), but to get that magic to work, you have to set them correctly and carefully.
coylec
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irockclimb
Aug 24, 2004, 3:30 AM
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Registered: Nov 26, 2003
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yea i usally give mine a little tug b4 i clip it and go jus to kinda set it in place so it wont walk jam it alittle
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musicman
Aug 24, 2004, 4:05 AM
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In reply to: If you tug on it too much, you're playing with it. :lol: :lol: Sorry, I just couldn't resist.
just remember what Rob Shneider learned in The.Hot.Chick., "if you shake it more than twice your'e just playin' with it!"
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rockmaninoff
Aug 24, 2004, 4:12 AM
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Registered: May 12, 2004
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The idea of "setting" cams can get you into trouble--especially if you place them in bottlenecks that are ideal placements for hexes. I personally will always give a tug, and sometimes a wiggle, but the idea of slotting or setting a cam will leave you with a piece that has walked in or walked out. Straight in, Straight out.
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iclimblilrocks
Aug 24, 2004, 4:12 AM
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Though I am not too experianced in the protection feild I do know the basics...
I say that It is perfectly fine to give it a couple tugs, after all your life is depending on that peice and if it pops with a little yank it DEFFINATLY wont hold a leader fall....
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jaybird2
Aug 24, 2004, 4:14 AM
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I know this has been said before, but I want to say it to because it really helped my climbing. Yank on dat fugger. Good point by JumaringJeff, expect that the piece can pop so that if it does you don't go for a huge whipper or worse. But crank on it. It is good to jiggle as well for setting it fully. If you can get to the point where you believe it is solid you will start to climb a lot harder on trad.
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mowz
Aug 24, 2004, 4:20 AM
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Registered: Nov 19, 2002
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Whether it be nut or cam, I yard on that "M" "F"-er. If it's a good cam placement, it won't move; it might walk in a bit if you jiggle it, but then again, don't jiggle it. Just "f"-ing yard on it.
Meh.
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