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Anyone trad climb without cams?

Tradiban · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2004 · Points: 11,610

I always use passive only if I think I can lead it safely. Placing passive pro is definitely becoming a lost art. Cams feel like cheating to me. Plus, passive pro is way cheaper.

England · · Colorado Springs · Joined Aug 2008 · Points: 270

I try to place hexs on every climb I do for old school points. Also, Jimmie Dunn is a climbing partner of mine. So, I have tried a few times to repete some of his first accents with the same rack that he used... I've never sent one yet or have I come close, very scary stuff!!! I climb a lot with a passive rack only. I find that passive gear gives me the warm fuzzies more that cams, but can make the second go crazy(get pissed) if they are not good at removing gear.

chuck claude · · Flagstaff, Az · Joined Jul 2006 · Points: 225
Ian F. wrote:Years worth of bail gear.
SMC Camlocks, Forrest Titans,..... looks like a REALLY old rack of mine that got set aside in a bin and then lost in a move
Jay Knower · · Plymouth, NH; Lander, WY · Joined Jul 2001 · Points: 6,036

I love cams. I hate hexes. I place cams on every lead I do. Period. Sometimes I only place cams (collective gasp from the crowd). Cams are one of my favorite things about climbing. Cams and chalk. And sometimes tick marks.

Tradiban · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2004 · Points: 11,610

Jay, I'm sorry to report that The Knights of Chouinard had a meeting and you are now banned from trad climbing.

Jay Knower · · Plymouth, NH; Lander, WY · Joined Jul 2001 · Points: 6,036

If by "trad" you mean barefoot, chalkless, and camless climbing, then I'll happily submit my resignation.

Anthony Stout · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Dec 2005 · Points: 4,425

I have this funny feeling that I would be quite irritated following most of the folks posting on this forum :)

Either that, or they can slam in, and clean, passive gear much faster than I can.

Janne M · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 0

I have a rack of ~40 pro - no doubles yet. I have been climbing ~ten years - top-rope or trad (+ice) .

I have added cams to my rack only during last year. Now I have three bought cams + 1 booty.

As I will need more upward protection in future I plan to add few more cams in future.

Wiled Horse · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2002 · Points: 3,669

what is it they say?
"every time a hex rings an angel loses its wings?"

Dirty Gri Gri, or is it GiGi? · · Vegas · Joined May 2005 · Points: 4,115

It's not uncommon in Red Rock to lead pitches on passive gear alone, many pitches eat nuts, and such, although it is nice to have those cams on you too.

Merlin · · Grand Junction · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 10
Bernard Gillett wrote: Hi Scott - I'm not working on any guidebook at the moment. If the rumor mill says I'm writing, my only guess as to its origin is that I've been working on a calculus text book (and attendant supplements) for the last several years. We (my co-authors and I) are almost finished with that monster project, so there's a chance I'll turn to writing or updating another guide in my down time. I certainly have no immediate plans to do so (though I've always thought a sport climbing guide to the Estes Park area would be welcomed in the community). I doubt the success/failure of my St Vrain book will have much to do with whether I write another guide; as mentioned earlier, it's the creative process that is most attractive to me. Of course I enjoy making a little money, but it's not a big disappointment if I don't. Thanks for your positive comments; it's nice to hear you've made good use of my books.
If you are working on a calc book please share the title, I'd love to stick it next to your climbing guide books on my shelf.
John Husky · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2011 · Points: 5

On the contrary, I showed up at Cathedral, NH with a full modern rack (or two) except we forgot the nuts somehow. We thought about climbing without them, and decided to bail to the gear shop for the cheapest set of consignment. I think we had 6 for $18. They made all the difference.

Hexes are lighter than cams and have a good range. Of course I like cams just fine.

Daniel Wade · · Oakland, CA. · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 55

This is an annoying thread. Nuts are great. I use them in constrictions. Cams are great. I use them in parallels. Hexes and Tricams are okay. If you insist on using them instead of SLCDs thats your deal. People did a lot of stuff before there was new stuff. People backpacked with external frames, wore heavy wafflestompers, and wore cotton. Technology advances. Safety increases. If you want to buy cams and use them primarily whats the deal? It doesn't make you a lazy climber, it just makes you a climber of your generation. I don't really see why its worth anyone's time (including my own right now) to debate the merits of cams. They won. Along with internal frame packs, trail runners, sticky rock shoes, and technical fabrics.

Bill M · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 317

I have been thinking of adding a few hexes to my rack for mod trad in the Sandias. The rock is a fractured granite and there are alot of cracks that are narrow at the front and then open way up inside. Perfect for a med size hex to drop in like a stopper.

Of course, I agree that 90% of time a cam is faster to clean for sure.

Nick Barczak · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 75

This pic is from the 4th of July, just 3 or 4 years ago, at Tahquitz. I have a tradition of climbing only on hexes and nuts on the 4th as a celebration of the history of American traditional free climbing. I guess I'm a real dork that way.

painter's pants, bandana, high tops, and hexes.

I learned to climb starting in 2003. My first season at the Gunks I had one cam, and a shit load of nuts, hexes and tricams.

M Mobley · · Bar Harbor, ME · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 911
Nick Barczak wrote:This pic is from the 4th of July, just 3 or 4 years ago, at Tahquitz. I have a tradition of climbing only on hexes and nuts on the 4th as a celebration of the history of American traditional free climbing. I guess I'm a real dork that way. I learned to climb starting in 2003. My first season at the Gunks I had one cam, and a shit load of nuts, hexes and tricams.
I like it, once a year not being a total new wave pansy. got me thinking...
Matt.H Haron · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2011 · Points: 185

I learned on completely passive gear. Since then I have supplemented my rack with a 1-6 set of cams, mostly for my partner to lead with, but i prefer passive placements currently. Also, something you could look into is "Pebble Pro". Most people ive met havent heard of it, but it was how they lead climbs before machined nuts and hexes.

Eric Moss · · Exton, PA · Joined Apr 2016 · Points: 95

I love cams, but I was recently acquainted with their limitations in dirty, smooth rock.  The pull was rather sideways, too.  See for yourself, and let me know what you think: https://youtu.be/HgOl3tLn8aw

After the cam pulled, I set a pink tricam in there.  It held.  My takeaway is to use cams only when nothing else fits, or if I really need something quick.  I'm going to experiment with hex's more, for their potential to bite into dirty or wet rock.  

John B · · Calgary · Joined Oct 2018 · Points: 10

I climbed with a 40 year old a few months ago who only used nuts and tricams

don'tchuffonme · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 26
Eric Moss wrote: I love cams, but I was recently acquainted with their limitations in dirty, smooth rock.  The pull was rather sideways, too.  See for yourself, and let me know what you think: https://youtu.be/HgOl3tLn8aw

After the cam pulled, I set a pink tricam in there.  It held.  My takeaway is to use cams only when nothing else fits, or if I really need something quick.  I'm going to experiment with hex's more, for their potential to bite into dirty or wet rock.  

Good thing you resurrected a thread that's literally thousands of days old to let us know.  Also, plurals don't need apostrophes.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Trad Climbing
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