Minimum Number of Pieces for a Trad Anchor?
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When you're building a trad anchor, do you really use a minimum of three pieces? It seems excessive to me. I feel completely comfortable climbing/hanging/belaying off of two bomber pieces. How do you feel? |
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You get to build your anchor with however many cams you want. That's what it comes down to. Are you comfortable with only two? Then that's a good number. |
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Sometimes- None at all. Just brace yourself. I'm thinking the Top of many climbs in TM and other places in the real Mountains that are not developed rockclimbing spots. A good skill to have. |
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FrankPS wrote: You get to build your anchor with however many cams you want. That's what it comes down to. Are you comfortable with only two? Then that's a good number. Adding - and is your partner comfortable with only two? I will take 2 bomber over 3 suspect pieces any day. |
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I’ll belay off two text book cams assuming both are hand size or larger. Otherwise I put in 3. |
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Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then buildest thou thy Holy Trad Anchor of Antioch and belayest thy second, who, being naughty in My sight, shall hang-dog it. |
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Minimum of 0 pieces, rope around a tree. |
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Not talking about natural pro, 1. This being said if you can dig your self in a little bit your ass has allot of holding power. |
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Seb knows |
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I am comfortable with 2 or even 1 piece but very rarely use less than 3, less than once a year on average climbing for 40 years. Usually special circumstances involve little choice in available quality crack or gear that fits. |
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The only time I ever go with only one piece is if it’s the only thing I have that will fit. The minute I can get another piece, I’ll slam it in. |
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Place 'em if you got 'em. |
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Out of my bob Gaines advanced rock climbing book chapter 5 anchors... |
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The answer is complex. Depends on comfort level, likelihood of big falls, rock quality, comfort level with partner, gear placement, etc. One time, I used 5 pieces because the rock sucked, my partner may fall, the cracks were flared, etc. Othertimes, I'll just use one cam or even just walk around a tree and belay from my harness. My go-to anchor for most trad climbs have been two great pieces with a sliding X. |
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Joel higgins wrote: Out of my bob Gaines advanced rock climbing book chapter 5 anchors... What will happen to the biners in your anchor if the anchor actually sees those forces? No point in building your anchor to equal more than the strength of a biner IMO, unless the rock is suspect or placement not ideal. |
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A three piece trad anchor is my default. If I use more or less than there were extenuating circumstances. |
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Ashort wrote: I think the 25 rule is to account for cams not holding that full amount. I know of little rock around here that would hold up to that much force anyways. |
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Ashort wrote: Ya that makes sense. Ive heard from a few people that you want to get to that number or bettet From another 90s test petzl estimated according to this book. Trad climbing section. That anchor must absorb the highest estimated fall factor 2 which was thoerized at 9kn plus the impact to the an hour the belayer will feel 6kn due to friction factor. (Really wanted to find this test now lol. I'm sure it's on mtproject somewhere) . So 15 kn total. So maybe they just chucked 10kn as a buffer for feel good. But that's some pretty serious shit for sure.God that would suck to feel those forces. But I mean you get three pieces in on a standard rack and the numbers add up very quickly to satisfy those "rule of thumb" numbers. |
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Unless you are counting biners zero. Ran into a nice ledge (wish I had pictures) with a couple of good cuts in the rock that allowed me to clip 3 biners directly into the rock like clipping a bolt! |
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climber pat wrote |
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Use whatever amount of gear you have left at the top of the pitch. Then, leave whatever amount as an anchor that you're comfortable with for the next pitch. |