Mountain Project Logo

My rack: too much or not enough?

Rob WardenSpaceLizard · · las Vegans, the cosmic void · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 130

have you tired racking symmetrically. not based on "weak" "strong" having an equal number of units unless your stuck in a dihedral corner will give you options regardless of which arm is bearing your weight to place.

I carry a double+ set of cams like so

Smallest to largest on my front loops

back loops keylock oval of nuts 5-7 (offset)nuts 1-2sets somtimes

two regular style draws for bolts nuts
two revolver alpine draws, amazing stuff
6-10 alpine draws spread evenly between the two
sometimes 2-3 over the shoulder with a single biner

on the rear 5th loop (I only buy harnesses with this feature)
3 lockers (Magnatron vaporlocks because i am a yuppie obviously)

belay device with locker (Dead elephant Smart, no need for grigri and reverso now)

cordalette or double length on a non locker ( cord is 5mm tech cord, biner is something light but disposable for bailing, cypher midas CHEAP!)

tiny knife (sog micron) with 2mm cord girth hitched to loop

rap/ rope gloves on same kind of light biner that i don't mind leaving

Ditch the hexes most places. everyone wants them when they start and i will get flogged for even saying it but... no one uses hexes for anything but top rope anchors in devils lake. I really like overlapping cams. I like aliens and X4's in small sizes with the number 5 master cam for my Hand sizes. I also have Wild country gold through green 6, totem (Full set for aid and hard free), large aliens (cause they are dope) , wired bliss (Cheap creek peaices just have two), met tcu's (first rack i bought also great for aiding)

Offsets are a great advanced tool. you do not need them now but you will want them much later in certain places. zion is one of them, yes you want them for free routes.

hope it helps

Jacob Smith · · Seattle, WA · Joined Aug 2013 · Points: 230
teece303 wrote:Well, a 100' pitch, a piece every 3' = ~33 pieces.
Nice try.
bearbreeder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 3,065

What gear you "need" depends on many things

- the area in which you climb

- the climb itself

- whether its multi, alpine or cragging

- your skill at moving on the rock

- you mental lead head

- the conditions itself

- whether youve done the climb before

- the traffic on the climb

If you are confident on ground that is easy for you, you know the climb, theres no one else on it and conditions are perfect you might bring very little making those large runnouts with confidence

If theres folks on it which always increases the possibility or rockfall, dropped gear, retreats, gongshows parking at belays you may bring more just in case other folks shiet hits you

If the climbs is still a bit damp or theres the possibility of getting rained out you may place more and being some extra nuts in case you need to retreat

If youre shaking like a dog with fleas on a climb, you should prob carry a good amount of gear ... If its basically a free solo and the gear is just in case a bear falls on you, then youll place very little

If its a long multi at yr limit yr doing for the first time carry more

If its a hard redpoint at yr limit at the crag thr yr trying to send carry just enough to be safe

Etc ....

As you can see theres no real answer anyone can tell you on da intrawebz

One thing i will say is that ive noticed folks who tend to own and start with less gear out here tend to be more confident climbers on lead ....

Its a modern phenomenom where anyone fresh from the gym goes and buys a double set of camalots and basically do a moving TR up a climb on "lead"

Old geezers climbed moderates on much less

Mathias · · Loveland, CO · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 306

Bearbreeder: you put that in perspective pretty well. I've noticed I will runout a little bit more with experienced partners who've *proven* themselves on lead belay, and place more gear when I have less experience with my partner (not to say THEY are less experienced). Sometimes when i get back down to the base, I'll look up, remembering where I placed gear and realize it was too runout, or that my placements were closer than they needed to be. I also ask for feedback on placements (quality, quantity, extension, etc) because I'm trying to learn from ever climb. I can't say I've climbed any trad route more than once at this point so it's all new and I don't know what exactly to expect, which does make me want to cover my bases.

Mathias · · Loveland, CO · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 306

Jake: Right now I take everything when I go out. I'm a big guy and I have a 90L pack that holds everything with room to spare. 30lbs of weight in a good pack isn't a big deal, maybe just a bit of a workout. So yeah, why not take it all. :)

Rob: I haven't tried racking symmetrically yet, but I may well give that a try. Strong side versus week side really just means more dexterity for the passive gear. But I've already had issues with needing something that's on the opposite side of my harness.

Tom Sherman · · Austin, TX · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 433

My gf fits in my 85L pack, but I think it expands to 110L??? So YRMV, not sure how this helps you.

Think this is what guys meant when they said "splitting the weight of your gear with your second"

Adam Stackhouse · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 13,970
M Sprague wrote:What, no Hexes, Bigbros, Sliders, Ballnuts, off-set cams or big Tricams? What are you going to do? I tend to carry too much gear, which ends up being very unpleasant. So lately I have taken to rapping down and preplacing then climbing without all that crap hanging off me. So much nicer :)) Climbing, not weight lifting. Only works for short routes. Longer ones I am considerate and offer to second.
Great one!
Nicholas Patterson · · Sheridan, WY · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 55
john strand wrote:Do folks really carry ten shoulder length slings at once ??? really ?
ten shoulder length dyneema slings with fifteen wire gate biners, is lighter than ten quickdraws with twenty biners...

carrying shoulder length runners in lieu of draws, also gives you an option of equalizing small or marginal placements in thin areas or building bomber anchors where one or two pieces may be a bit of a reach for your cordalette...

simply put, in places like lumpy or the park (sometimes ELDO); it offers you more options. albeit, ten runners in a full length or nearly full length 60m pitch can still leave you fairly runout. considering you don't leave any runners at the belay, or equalize any pieces (like two #3/#4 stoppers or small tcu's behind a flexing flake), or extend two together for some serious roof action, that still leaves you about one runner per 20' (looking at forty foot falls)...

so, yeah. most guys i know, would carry eight or ten shoulder length runners with a varied assortment of biners instead of draws. runners can be made into draws, but not the other way around (two draws can't equalize two pieces as easily, or sling a horn).

that being said...it's all 'pending your destination. if i'm in the creek, i don't chug any runners to the crag at all, i might only bring two draws period. if i'm cragging, i may climb a couple pitches with only three or four draws.

but in the alpine or lumpy, or any longer potentially wondering terrain, i take runners.
Mathias · · Loveland, CO · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 306
Tom Sherman wrote:My gf fits in my 85L pack, but I think it expands to 110L??? So YRMV, not sure how this helps you. Think this is what guys meant when they said "splitting the weight of your gear with your second"
Tom, I have no idea what " YRMV" means so I may be missing your point.

I like a big pack so I have space. I don't mind extra weight so I'm willing to carry more than half, or all the gear if my partner's okay with it. I do however draw the line at carrying people. My pack's not built for that. So I don't care if she fits or not, your gf is not getting a ride in my pack.
Petsfed 00 · · Snohomish, WA · Joined Mar 2002 · Points: 989
Mathias wrote: Tom, I have no idea what " YRMV" means so I may be missing your point. I like a big pack so I have space.
Your
Results
May
Vary

sometimes also YMMV
Your
Mileage
May
Vary

To the topic at hand, unless I know I'll need the big gear, I have a seriously hard time convincing myself to carry more than 20 pounds for a day of cragging, and if its alpine, I try to trim even more. If you want to climb mountains, go climb mountains. But if you want to rock climb, don't wear yourself out before you even get to the base of the route.

If you "need" more than a 40L pack for cragging, you're taking too much, your partner is taking too little, or both.
Mathias · · Loveland, CO · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 306
Brian Scoggins wrote: If you "need" more than a 40L pack for cragging, you're taking too much, your partner is taking too little, or both.
I am think everything I have fits into a 36L, but only just barely. As I wanted a pack for backpacking, I went with the 90L. Everything fits easily and there's lots of room. I just throw things in. It also means that when I climb with certain people who have bad knees and shouldn't be carrying much weight (despite what they wish they could painlessly carry) I can take it all. I hike with 30lbs because I can and I don't mind the weight. Same concept IMO.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Trad Climbing
Post a Reply to "My rack: too much or not enough?"

Log In to Reply

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started.