I lost my nuts!

I seem to be having some trouble with my nuts and am wondering if there is a solution to the problem. To start, this has nothing to do with not being able to "sack up and lead" as some say, rather dealing with stoppers coming off the biner while climbing. I have my nuts racked smalls on one biner and larges on another, both wire gates. I have noticed several times while removing the biners from my harness to place a nut or while removing the single placed nut from the biner to place a draw on it, one or more of the other stoppers will some how twist the gate open and several will come off unexpectedly.

Have others had similar issues and how have you corrected the problem? Is the problem solely lying in me not paying attention and needing to be more careful? I am currently using two wild country, straight wire gate biners that seem to have a very easy opening action and I am wondering if this contributes to the problem. If so, would using a biner with a stiffer action perhaps relieve the issue? Thanks in advance for any input. Flame on, I'm gonna die, etc. Thanks

Clay

Clayton Knudson wrote: both wire gates.

I used to do this as well when I first started leading. Multiple times I dropped my nuts onto my belayer (much to their disdain). But I found that the best way to combat this was to just take it a little slower and be careful. Plus for anything hard I almost always use my mouth to pick out the right nut. Just take it a little slower and be careful. Just imagine that the nut you just dropped is going to be the only piece that will protect the next move.

+1 what Jake said about biner gate orientation. I cant confirm this will solve/fix your issue altogether but it could, I used to have similar experiences then I switched the gate from in to out and no more.

I've had that problem, but I just check the biner with my fingers, eyes, or both before opening it now.

Related issue, once or twice I lost a cam on a climb, not even touching it. I concluded it was a result of a lot of hip-scumming - I gradually changed the orientation of the gate, and with a full gear loop, it's not hard to imagine that the other biners help to open the trouble biner. Haven't had a problem since then, however, because now whenever I get a stance (and remember), I check the biners, and get them all nice and aligned again. I'm sure it's saved me some coin by now.

thanks for all the suggestions. D.Buffum has seen me botch this operation first hand. Using a keylock oval seems like a really good idea having a wider basket to hold the stoppers and no nose hook to snag on. Also, just better general attention on my part will help to alleviate the problem. Thanks again everybody.

Clay

some people actually prefer a non-keylock and beleive the notch will catch the nut before it escapes.

1. split your nuts into no more than 5-6 per biner

2. when you place a nut, set it ... then ROTATE the biner so that all the other nuts are at the bottom ... THEN take it off ... most nuts that get dropped, i see people who dont shake the other nuts to the bottom of the biner first

3. different people use different biners, but i prefer a solid gate notchless ... i tried ovals ... and the problem is that in a pumpy placement its hard to tell which side is "up" for the gate

4. at good stances or on the ground pre-rack the nuts you think youll need on their own draws ... if you need to make a nut placement on 5.11/12- cruxes this is quite key IMO ... you can usually tell in a finger crack pitch for example that youll place a few finger sized nuts

5. practice practice practice ... during the winter theres tons of moderates here that can be climbed only using nuts and tricams/hexes ... for a complete experience dont bring an ATC, practice you munters and biner brakes at the same time

;)

Use a non-keylock biner. The notch in the nose of the diner will catch errant nuts on their way to sliding out.

I had this issue climbing on my buddy's rack. We were climbing South Crack on Stately and on two occasions, I dropped nuts unexpectedly. I was used to my rack where they are racked on plain jane ovals and never had a problem dropping nuts. He has his racked on a wire gate. I think it was the light action of the wiregate. I'm much more attentive about this now.

This:

vadk wrote:Use a non-keylock biner. The notch in the nose of the diner will catch errant nuts on their way to sliding out.

William Domhart wrote: I was used to my rack where they are racked on plain jane ovals and never had a problem dropping nuts.

I've had this happen a couple of times- I use a Petzl Spirit to hold my nuts, so that probably explains it. I felt like a total dick raining nuts down on my partner though, but I was able to recover them both times it happened!

Jake answered it up above.

As written, I think "vadk's" advice above is erroneous. Catching nuts on the notch is more likely to end up in a net loss. Especially since the OP stated that they were likely coming off his gate (even with the notch)

smooth key-lock ovals, in my opinion and experience, are the way to go and will solve your problem. Maybe its all in the way you select and handle them as you place. But I'm with Jake, and I haven't dropped a nut in 15 years... (now only if I could say the same for ice screws)

The advice about using good old solid gate ovals is good. Another advantage to having a few of these biners with you is for making a biner brake in the event you drop your ATC. I don't seem to be able to make a biner brake with the hodgepodge of wire gates I have.

I have two solid gate purple biners. None of my other biners are purple, so I know which ones have nuts. Small, up to about a 7 on one biner and big on the other. Or in other words, holes on one, solid on the other.

I have a solid gate bright blue biner for RP's and ballnuts.

I have lately found myself deviating from this by using some RP's and small stuff on one biner and taking triplicate cams in lieu of bringing larger nuts. It really depends on what you're planning on doing with them.

I would not recommend wire gates, solid gates, black diamond, wild country, placing gear, dropping gear, removing gear, falling, climbing, or hiking though.