What kind of hooks to buy for aid climbing?!

I have a long term goal to solo the Leaning Tower in Yosemite. It's something I'm obviously not going to do till at least next year, but I'd like to keep my eyes open for discounted gear that might go on sale soon since I know a lot of stuff goes on sale during the holidays. One thing I don't have and don't know much about are the various styles of aid hooks.

What kind of hooks would you recommend buying 1. in preparation for Leaning Tower and 2. for other aid routes in the Valley (eventually the classic routes on El Cap) I'd like to have a purpose in choosing what I buy rather than buying a bunch of random hooks and hoping to pull them out and see if I can use them.. so I was wondering if any aid climbers here could tell me what's a good start for a 'rack' of hooks?! (I know you can free climb through the hooking moves on Leaning Tower but even so, I hope to be hooking my way up some serious routes in the not-too-distant future!) HAHah thanks in advance for any advice.

danielwhore wrote:I have a long term goal to solo the Leaning Tower in Yosemite. It's something I'm obviously not going to do till at least next year, but I'd like to keep my eyes open for discounted gear that might go on sale soon since I know a lot of stuff goes on sale during the holidays. One thing I don't have and don't know much about are the various styles of aid hooks. What kind of hooks would you recommend buying 1. in preparation for Leaning Tower and 2. for other aid routes in the Valley (eventually the classic routes on El Cap) I'd like to have a purpose in choosing what I buy rather than buying a bunch of random hooks and hoping to pull them out and see if I can use them.. so I was wondering if any aid climbers here could tell me what's a good start for a 'rack' of hooks?! (I know you can free climb through the hooking moves on Leaning Tower but even so, I hope to be hooking my way up some serious routes in the not-too-distant future!) HAHah thanks in advance for any advice.

The LT does not really require hooks from what I remember. There is a hook move on P2, but you can skip it pretty easily. My standard hook rack is a Talon, a sawed down pointed Grappling, a Cliffhanger, and when needed, a big Captain hook or something of the sorts, but I only bring that stuff on routes graded C3/A3, for C2 and below I only bring a Talon and a Grappling. Those two hooks will get you up most stuff and they will be good enough for the LT. Really, you just need one Talon for the West Face of the LT, and even if you dident have it you could still do the route.

edit: cam hooks are important, I would bring them on any route.

I can't help on Yosemite routes as I have never climbed there, but I have done aid lines including several big routes in the Fishers and Moonlight Buttress in Zion. My hook rack is 1 BD Talon hook (various small), 1 BD Cliffhanger hook (medium), and 1 Fish Captain hook (large). I have not done something that requires many hooking routes in a row (which some stuff in Yosemite does), but I have been very happy with my 3 hooks.

I'd say what brianC has plus a set of cam hooks Cam hooks are great for moving faster and sometimes are more secure than a small cam or nut.

Oh yeah! I forgot about cam hooks. I do have a pair of the medium Leeper hooks and have used them but haven't even been taking them with me lately since I've been doing all sandstone stuff. They would be very useful in granite.

Coool thanks everyone! I just got 'hooked' up with some stuff..(haha) just so you know, karstsports.com is having a sale right now and all their hooks are discounted (ex. the Black Diamond Talon is $14.54 isntead of $17.95 and stuff like that).. free shipping on orders over $40.