Most useful size peckers, hooks and cam hooks

Just looking to get a few to get started. Also which brands / styles do you like?

for peckers I like both the moses and BD.  a lot of people love the moses but i feel like they are a little different and having some of each is good.  I have the old leeper cam hooks but I think moses is usng their design since leeper doesn't exist anymore. in terms of camhooks I have 1 small 2 med and 1 large.  In terms of hooks you'll want a selection depending on the route.  For a route that has a fair bit of hooking i would have 1 BD talon and a couple of the small moses. I have 1 pointed for bathooks and on flat and they compliment the talon pretty well.  I have 2 bd cliffhangers and 2 of the bigger grappling hook. 1 BD and 1 cassin which is pointed.  I also have a huge ibis hook and 1 fish hook.  the big ones can be a real life saver sometimes.

have fun

The medium size Moses cam hooks definitely get the most use of all my black steel doodads, get 2 of them so you can leapfrog.

BD 2 beaks are my most used size, #3 are a close second.

For hooks, 1 cliffhanger, 1 grappling, 1 talon.

Jimmy Strange wrote:

I concur with all thats been said, slight bias towards Moses. All I’ll add is that I find 2 large Pikas I have get a lot of use as kinda of wild cards for random stuff. Maybe not worth searching for (haven’t heard of Pika for years), but useful if you stumble across some.
The camming action is nice for hand or non-vertical placements, and once you have them you start finding lots of use. 

Is it the Pika Toucans or the Pika Auks that you have?
I’ve been surprised that I rarely/almost never hear of Toucans being used aside from on sandstone nail ups (I think I’ve seen one picture of one placed in something other than sandstone). They’re maybe more of a hybrid camming KB and not strictly a beak, although they share characteristics.

Anyone else have experience with the Pika Toucans?  With other types of rock besides sandstone? 

Edit: If anyone happens to have any of the squared off prototype version of the Pika Mountaineering Toucan I would be into trading tomahawks for them or buying them.  I’ve only seen a pictures of 3 or 4 of them, hopefully there are more floating around or collecting dust on someone’s shelf.  

Listen to Kevin

Jimmy Strange wrote:

“I have both though the Auk only in small sizes (were larger ones made?). My reservation is that the clip hole makes them harder to use, cable might’ve been better.”

There are the really tiny size Auks, both bent and straight, plus a second slightly bigger size (that is still rather small).  Haven’t seen any of the second size in person, just an occasional photo.  

“I’ve actually never used them in sandstone, mostly schist, granite and volcanic conglomerate.”   

Is this in reference to the Toucans or Auks?  The later seems like it would be absolutely terrifying if trying to use them in sandstone considering the lack of surface area and depth.

Below is a photo (from another MP  thread) showing the Pika Mountaineering Mallards, Auks, and Toucans (two sizes of each) as well as a set of the Toucan prototypes.  Both sizes of the Auks are easiest to compare by looking at the blue ones in the bottom row.

Never into the mallards, except low angle clean climbing. But the rest excel in sandstone. Tried and true!

I have plenty of Moses tomahawks in stock with sewn loops and without.  Also have Moses hooks ready to go with sewn loops,  the pointed one is my favorite for bat hooks and the like   

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Jimmy Strange wrote:

“Is say my Auk is a smaller one, has a bevelled edge like a BD peak (though scalloped). Can’t see

if those in the pic do”

Yes, the Auks in the photo do have the scalloped bottom edge, as do the pair of small ones that I have (the last two that Josh had for sale).  

“…Toucans that are shorter and wider. “

Definitely interested in checking out the ones you have.  I have some interesting ones with a straight shaft (no left/right curve) which I had never seen prior to receiving them.  Might have to start a Pika thread.

Jimmy Strange wrote:

Found a few Pikas in the back of the car. The middle one there being a somewhat different sgape.
Note the bend in the tip of the large Toucan. 

Wow that Auk is giant compared to the tiny ones I have, that looks much more usable.  I like those stubby Toucans.