Ball nuts vs micro cams?

It seems like micro cams are getting all the attention right now. I am thinking about investing in ball nuts but wanted to hear a comparison between the average micro can and ball nuts. Lastly, Trango vs Camp ball nuts? 

It depends. With gear that small, there isn’t a magic bullet and diversity is your friend. The real answer is both. Re:camp vs Trento, I’m pretty sure they’re identical, so I’d get whichever is cheaper. 

Ball nuts are the best! They always feel super solid, more so than a cam that small. Deep thin cracks? You’ll be smiling when you place a ball but. My partners who have climbed with mine have been converted. Get some! :)

Ballnuts are rated to 8kn. Most microcams are only rated to 5kn. But it's the placement that ultimately determines the best piece. 

I'm a big fan. At ball nut #1-3 sizes they are way stronger than a microcam. It does depend on the placement, there are spots where a cam may work but a ballnut won't (very shallow horizontals), and vice-versa (very shallow vertical cracks, small slots, short flares that won't hold a nut). Ball nuts will go on my harness before the really tiny cams (ie Wild Country zero #2-3), though I'll likely take both if it looks like that sort of route.

I use both small cams (master cams) and ball nuts. I would recommend both just to have a variety. If I had to only pick one or the other for the size overlaps would probably recommend the master cams blue and yellow, with the three smallest ball nuts. There is no overlap technically, but thats what I place on route typicially

Ball nuts are the shit. Until you weld one into the crack from a fall. But atleast you’ll be alive. I generally carry the smallest 3 sizes racked with my offset nuts. In addition to a couple .1-.2 cams. 

I personally feel that the ‘strength rating’ means nothing. It has nothing to do with it’s holding power. And you’re probably not going to break one unless you’re 400lbs and factor 2’ing it. 

Cams below .2 size are useless to me. I've used my black alien a few times and have been stoked,  but the red and blue ball nuts are the shit. They are the bomb. They shit on cams. Easier to place and stronger. I've fallen on them multiple times and have always been able to get them out. BALL NUTS ARE ALL TIME.

I use the smallest 2.  Both are smaller than even the new smallest cams and fit in way shallower cracks. 

I love Ball Nuts posts because I love ballnuts!  definately a great investment. they weigh nothing so it’s a no brainer to carry both a set of them and the  microcams. 

Get both ball nuts, small/micro cams.  And don’t forget your brassies! 

i think you get a better margin of error with ballnuts. i dont carry cams smaller than black totem, which is right where gold ballnut (camp) is. gold/red/blue i have racked on my small nuts biner.

Great post, I was just thinking about the same thing.

chris b wrote:

i think you get a better margin of error with ballnuts. i dont carry cams smaller than black totem, which is right where gold ballnut (camp) is. gold/red/blue i have racked on my small nuts biner.

How often do you end up using them in WA? My buddy's 0.2 z4 gets placed way more than I expected so I was thinking of picking up a few smaller pieces. 

They are harder to place and easier to mess up catastrophically but when they’re good they’re the only thing you want. So if you tend to climb things that require small gear you should get both

Jeff Mac wrote:

How often do you end up using them in WA? My buddy's 0.2 z4 gets placed way more than I expected so I was thinking of picking up a few smaller pieces. 

i've only been climbing in WA for one season, honestly, i never really use them, but i also don't climb harder trad than low 10. i have only ever said i definitely need a ballnut maybe twice in my life, and once was the gunks, once was cathedral ledge, nh. but when i do need something smaller than that 0.2 size, i'm going for a nut or ballnut. i guess i prefer to look for larger protection opportunities in general.

chris b wrote:

i've only been climbing in WA for one season, honestly, i never really use them, but i also don't climb harder trad than low 10. i have only ever said i definitely need a ballnut maybe twice in my life, and once was the gunks, once was cathedral ledge, nh. but when i do need something smaller than that 0.2 size, i'm going for a nut or ballnut. i guess i prefer to look for larger protection opportunities in general.

Ah gotcha. It's my first trad season, but I know they're supposed to be good with pin scars and I've clipped more pitons at Index in the last couple of months than my entire sport career combined so I figured they may come in handy.