OK, so I use my rack about five times a week and I pamper my gear. I figure why not? The stakes are high for both my partner and I, so I clean, oil, and fondle my rack often. . (yea I know how that sounds but its true, my cams are super smooth!!). So I'm wondering how many other people do this?? And I also want to see the jankiest gear people use, or stories related to questionable gear. What have you seen?

I want the stories that put hair on your chest and the whiskey go down easy. Or the stories that put the boys to shame and made the whiskey go down easy!

Come out to Vegas and hang with Scary Larry. That'll put hair on your chest.

I had a partner who was more of a sporto/boulderer but was into developing some new walls. He liked to rap with an autoblock, even though he never rapped first+always got the fireman's belay. After a particularly grueling all-day session, I noticed he had one of my pro slings from the rack rigged as an autoblock on a long, fully freehanging rappel (I had rapped first with the pig). When I asked what the deal was, why wasn't he using his autoblock cord for the backup, he said that he'd been using my slings as rappel backups for months as he kept forgetting his cord.

Replaced all my slings the next day. He's probably still doing this with his gear and then falling on semi-melted slings. Sweet.

A whole lot of ugly in this thread... www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/286252/Bolts-from-the-wayba>>>

As an example, a Dolt hanger with 1/4" bolt vs modern Metolius hanger and 3/8" bolt. Amazing what was considered "safe" back then...

"so I clean, oil, and fondle my rack often"...



Sounds a wee bit ANAL if you ask me...(Or to put it another way, "n00bish")

I pretty much never clean my cams unless they get sticky as a MoFo and stop functioning all together...

According to some my whole rack is shifty because I bought it used. I am noob but I don't clean oil or fondle my rack. I just use it.

I inspect each piece (trigger wires, slings, and squeeze it) as it goes on my harness. I have noticed a trigger wire hanging by mere threads after a long fall on it. If the cam lobes seem to be sticking I get out the Metolius cam lube from the pack and fix it right there. Just me but this is just part of my routine as I get my head together for what is sure to be another onsight or a repeat of a classic.

After a trip I check my gear as it goes back in storage and oil as needed. Not a bad idea IMO. Go through lead rope if it's taken a fall to feel for core shots and have cut large lengths off because of that check

I'm surprised this thread hasn't yet had a comment about cleaning your nuts daily.

my friend dean's rack is always in bad shape. first pitch of a weekend at the creek and he had trigger wires break on 6 (!) of his cams. in one pitch. whenever we go out, i always call home rack advantage.