Systems for Racking Mixed Cam Sets

So my problem is that I have quite a mixture of cams in my rack (C3s, C4s, Power Cams, Super Cams, Link Cams, 1 Master Cam, 2 Trango Cams, 1DMM). This is a result of building up my rack over many years, and starting the rack when I was a poor student. My climbing partner this weekend is very used to having a rack nicely organized by color e.g. as would be the case with a complete set of Camelots w/ matching 'biners. So he is somewhat wary of attempting to use my rack as he'll have a harder time of quickly finding the right size cam. I haven't had any problems, but then again maybe using such a system could help improve my lead climbing!

I'm wondering what, if anything, others have done to make a more nicely organized rack of mixed cams.

So far I usually just keep sets together organized by size, with roughly one full set organized in ascending order across my gear loops with redundant/misc cams also organized by size but further back on the harness loops. This organization by location still doesn't fly too well with my climbing partner's comfort.

I'm thinking of maybe just adopting the BD systems of colors for ascending sizes, and regardless of the color of the cam, match it with the appropriate "group" color corresponding to sizes that most closely match the C4 size. For those that use color systems (either cam slings a or 'biners), would this make that big of a difference in ease of using & racking?

If it works for you, don't change it. If you changed your racking system for every partner you have (or the only one) you'd probably have a lot of extra biners/rackpacks that YOU don't need.

If you know the BD sizes and he's got rack packs, then just use his rack!

But, yeah, your system sounds fine. Same sized cams grouped together in some kind of order. Only you will know which cam is what size on your bastard rack:)

i go by size ...

+1 to the color coding by size. I use the ratpack Bdel colors and rack my Metolius cams accordingly. Make sure your partner is aware though so that they don't mix up the colors when they clean and feed your rack back to you.

I have a mixed rack and I rack according to BD colors. I got my Friends reslung so that they have BD colors, and I use color anodized biners on all cams to make them easier/faster to grab.

Just having everything on matching biners will help a ton.

why does your partner care how you rack gear for YOUR lead?

rack it so that you can find the piece you need and know where to go to get it.

Your partner can do the same when he climbs on your rack.

I have my system, generally by size, on my harness. One of my partners racks gear in what to me looks like a mess, but it works for him.

to each his own.

Scott T wrote:If it works for you, don't change it. If you changed your racking system for every partner you have (or the only one) you'd probably have a lot of extra biners/rackpacks that YOU don't need. If you know the BD sizes and he's got rack packs, then just use his rack!

Agreed. If your partner must have his gear, then tell him to bring it. Otherwise, tell him to do a few moderate pitches with your rack...after that it will probably be a non-issue. Hopefully climbing on your rack will break his irrational fear of "other" gear.

I had a pro-deal for a while and I have some OCD in me so I bought lots of the BD colored biners. DMM makes better ones. I just color code each cam. If I need a green Alien, I've narrowed it down to two or three green biners at most, and I'll already know which side the Aliens are on since I usually only carry two or three and keep 'em on the left.

If you keep more than one cam on a biner, pick the cam that you think of when you think of that size, and use that color. I use BD as examples when I talk about the size of a crack (habit from IC), so I guess I've adopted their colors. Sometimes I end up w/ a purple C4 and an orange TCU on a purple biner.

If it's a multipitch climb then you and your partner have to come up w/ a system you both like. You'll probably have some of his gear anyways. Single pitch, just let him figure it out at the base of the climb.

Ryan Williams wrote:I had a pro-deal for a while

What's the first rule of Fight Club again?

I rack cams by size. Each cam on a biner of the same color. In determining the position of a cam in the order, I look at its size when fully retracted, so that the orange Master Cam is between the grey and purple C4s and the gold Max Cam is between the red and gold C4s. If the ranges of two units are very similar, next I look at head width, so that the gold C3 precedes the blue (0.3) C4 and the red Dragon precedes the red C4. If neither criterion gives an answer (e.g., purple Dragon and C4) then it does not matter in which order they appear.

Has anyone tried the assorted-colors DMM Phantoms as racking biners?

Boissal wrote: What's the first rule of Fight Club again?

I don't know. I was never told that rule.

I don't think claiming to have a pro-deal is bragging or anything if that is what you are insinuating. I just got lucky and met the right person, who gave me a guiding job w/o me having to get any certs. Anyone with guiding experience could have one.

Actually, I usually bring up the pro-deal to explain how a person who has next to no possetions, like myself, can posess such a full and shiny rack. Cuz if I never had that deal, I'd still be climbing on ridgid stem friends and Choinard stoppers that I've collected from the bottom of various walls.

brenta wrote: Has anyone tried the assorted-colors DMM Phantoms as racking biners?

I have a few Phantoms and I love them. By far better than the BD neutrinos and much lighter. They are slightly small and slightly lighter than the Spectre's and Spectre 2's with I have on the rest of my cams and are also awesome. Since I got the phantoms, I find myself reaching for the them more than the Specters. Both of these biners are head and shoulders over the neutrinos though, IMO.

Ignore your friends whining and rack your shit the way you want to. He'll have to deal. If he can't then you'll just end up wearing his gear out and keeping your's nice and shiny.

I've got a bastard rack with 4 different types of cams. I never have a problem finding the right piece because I simply look at the cam rather than the biner. Not sure why everyone needs color coded this and matching that. If you learn to judge the size you need by actually judging the size you need instead of thinking orange, blue, yellow, whatever then you can climb on any type of cam and anyones rack without any problem.

Jeremy Bauman wrote: I have a few Phantoms and I love them. By far better than the BD neutrinos and much lighter. They are slightly small and slightly lighter than the Spectre's and Spectre 2's with I have on the rest of my cams and are also awesome. Since I got the phantoms, I find myself reaching for the them more than the Specters. Both of these biners are head and shoulders over the neutrinos though, IMO.

+1

Go to home depot and get some colored electrical tape then you and you partner can match the colors to the size range you are most comfortable with and rack all of the different makes the same on both sets of biners and cams + another colored band so ya know who owns what..
We used electrical tape back in the 80s to mark all of you crap in Scotland to make sure our stuff didn't walk away.

Thanks, Jeremy and Ryan.

I tried out the colored 'biner scheme, following the BD colors and inserting some different colors for the 'half sizes' of Metolius cams that fell between the C4 sizes.

I don't know the C4 colors yet, so apart from more easily seeing where I had 2-3 sets of redundancy, it hasn't helped me yet. Although my climbing partner who is used to the BD color scheme found the system to be very useful and easy to use for using my rack more easily.

It especially sped up switching the rack over when we swung leads.