Protection for finger cracks?

I really wanted to lead Grant's Crack this past weekend, but was resigned to top rope it. Why? Because I didn't have tiny pro on my rack, and didn't really want to just sew it up with stoppers (even though it's possible?). So, for finger cracks, what's your favorite pieces of protection to place? Aliens, TCU's, C3's, X4's?? And, why?

Thanks, folks!

Dylan

If a finger crack protects well with stoppers they are what I prefer. If you know how to use them, a well placed stopper is more secure than a small cam IMO.

If a finger crack is dead parallel, cams rule. Search the forum on all the variants you listed and you'll find everyone has different likes and dislikes. I like c4 camalots down to 0.4 then Aliens and TCUs. These compliment each other well and they are what I am used to.

Looks like you need all of 2-3 placements for grant's crack... shorty.

Mastercams are my favorite cams in that range. I have never used aliens so I cannot comment on them. The X4s work, but I still think that haven't beaten out metolius in that range. I use TCUs if any horizontal comes up but mastercams flex really well and can take a beating over the edge 0f the crack. Everyones got a different opinion on this though.

why don't you want to use nuts? I find that I use the most nuts in the finger range.

There is pretty specific gear beta in the link you posted.

For what it's worth I don't think finger sized is normally considered "tiny pro". A finger sized nut or cam in good rock is a typically a bomber piece. I think most people start to think "tiny" for wires less than #1 in a standard wired nut set.

One other advantage of nuts, often thinner cracks will have "pods" that are the good holds, with sub finger sized crack between pods. Drop a small to medium wire into the base of the pod and you have a placement and a pod. Drop a 0.4 camalot into the same pod, and you've just blocked your next handhold.

An approach to consider: aid the route with stoppers to get comfortable with them, and then go back and free the route with the stoppers and (if you still want them) a few finger sized cams.

Good luck!

Optimistic wrote:There is pretty specific gear beta in the link you posted. For what it's worth I don't think finger sized is normally considered "tiny pro". A finger sized nut or cam in good rock is a typically a bomber piece. I think most people start to think "tiny" for wires less than #1 in a standard wired nut set. One other advantage of nuts, often thinner cracks will have "pods" that are the good holds, with sub finger sized crack between pods. Drop a small to medium wire into the base of the pod and you have a placement and a pod. Drop a 0.4 camalot into the same pod, and you've just blocked your next handhold. An approach to consider: aid the route with stoppers to get comfortable with them, and then go back and free the route with the stoppers and (if you still want them) a few finger sized cams. Good luck!

Yeah generally finger sized stuff is always solid. However when it comes to "tiny" nuts I think of anything smaller than a number 5 BD, no 4 DMM peanut. when it comes down to a nut that small, just run it out. Good call on aiding the route! Perfect getting the size right. Don't overlook your nutcraft! comes in handy, when the craft is far from parallel and a cam will just walk out.

Chase Bowman wrote: Yeah generally finger sized stuff is always solid. However when it comes to "tiny" nuts I think of anything smaller than a number 5 BD, no 4 DMM peanut. when it comes down to a nut that small, just run it out. Good call on aiding the route! Perfect getting the size right. Don't overlook your nutcraft! comes in handy, when the craft is far from parallel and a cam will just walk out.

This brings up ANOTHER cool thing about nuts: they're so light, you can carry a bunch and if you've got a crack that's really small, you can often place several to hopefully compensate a bit for the smallness of the gear. I carry 2 each of the smallest DMM Wallnuts (my "standard" nut) for that reason.

Everyone has their own risk tolerance, but I'd definitely take my chances falling on a #1 Wallnut over falling on no gear! Definitely one of those things could hold a real fall if it's in good rock and placed properly.

And when you start to get comfortable with nuts you'll be able to place one just as fast as a cam. If it feels slow keep practicing till you get the feel to place Em fast when your scared.

Not sure how big a #1 Wallnut is compared to the BD. but I've heard there awesome. Definitely will be the next set I get. If it is similar in size it will be nothing more than mental duck tape. This is what my number looks like after weighting it.

Nuts are great. You can carry a full set for the same weight as a single cam!

I try to use mine at belays and save my cams for the lead.

I am also a firm believer in trying to not have all active all passive gear on a pitch.

Chase Bowman wrote:

Just eyeballing the wallnut looks a little bigger. Also rated to 7kn instead of 2 for the BD!

But either way, guessing the OP's route will take substantially bigger gear, and lots of it!

Ps- Frostworks Sentinel nuts,long cables rule!!

Chase Bowman wrote: when it comes down to a nut that small, just run it out.

Bad advice.

#1 wallnut = #4 BD

Gunkiemike wrote: Bad advice.

Yeah, I might have phrased it a little more gently, but running it out because the gear is small is not a legitimate blanket statement. Certainly there are numerous instances here in the Gunks, even on the tame terrain I frequent, where it's small gear between you and a decent ground or ledge fall. The starts of Snooky's Return or Classic (to back up the pin) come immediately to mind.

Further supporting documentation here

mountainproject.com/v/longe…

Personally for fingers and smaller I have:

1 set aliens from black -> gray
1 set mastercams from purple -> red
1 set bd stoppers 4-11
.5 set DMM wires of some sort (basically doubles 4-8 stoppers)
Assorted rps, offset brassies, etc (mine are RPs and HB brass which I think DMM makes now?)

What I take with me depends on the route -- smaller stuff tends to be more fiddly in my experience. Mastercams have narrower heads than aliens so they fit in smaller spots but they also have less surface area so are a little more sketchy on slick rock. As mentioned above nuts are nice if you can find placements and have time to hang out -- sometimes it's a parallel crack or just really sustained and it can be hard to stop long enough to place one.

Anything outside the above is specialty gear for where I climb. For instance I really like the alien hybrids for yos pin scars and weird flares but I'm not sure how useful they would be elsewhere.

I've found the smaller tricams work well set passively in places neither a cam nor a nut is a good fit. I also get a lot of use from the DMM alloy offsets.

The smaller Totem cams are great pieces. They are definitely on the pricey side but I'm willing to shell out a few extra bucks for a piece that is bomber in more placements.

Use those nuts! Nuts are so awesome. I've fallen on a #3 BD stopper more times than you can shake a stick at. Learn to trust them and they will be the best mental duct tape you will ever need.

Sure you don't want to fall, but knowing that you CAN fall on the small gear is great.

I always place a nut if possible, Probably go for a pink / small black tricam if possible next, last would be whatever else would fit any small cams.

I like ball nuts but never felt the need to spend money on them so only use them if others have them.