Goto Chockstone Home

  Guide
  Gallery
  Tech Tips
  Articles
  Reviews
  Dictionary
  Links
  Forum
  Search
  About

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

  Shop
Chockstone Photography
Australian Landscape Photography by Michael Boniwell
Australian Landscape Prints





Chockstone Forum - Gear Lust / Lost & Found

Rave About Your Rack Please do not post retail SPAM.

 Page 1 of 2. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 40
Author
RPs for Araps

porkpie
17-Dec-2009
9:27:09 AM
I was looking at get a set of RPs for a new year trip to Araps. Should I get a set of 6 (size 0-5) or would I
be better off getting doubles of size 2,3,4? (I don't think the small ones would hold my fat carcass and
could I just use small wires in any placements that require a size 5 RP?) Thanks.

wallwombat
17-Dec-2009
9:36:36 AM
I wouldn't bother with a #0.
egosan
17-Dec-2009
9:44:52 AM
When you get out on shiny quartz faces at Mt. Arapiles you will find that the particular
shape of the the RP comes into its own. I have a double set of RPs and use them all.
From the mighty number 5, to nested sets of 1s and 2s on climbs like XI, to waving the 0s
around to scare my seconds. They all have a place and purpose in your rack.

The good Dr
17-Dec-2009
10:27:24 AM
I use 1-4 mostly (rarely a 5). One set of RPs and one set of DMM Peanuts is a great combo for Araps. I actually use the Peanuts a bit more than the RPs.

..::- Chris -::..
17-Dec-2009
11:10:05 AM
No need for RP's or actually any gear these days......

Araps is almost a sport area now with all these new shiney bolts going in. I beleive the current guide book author's are doing a new book called "Selected Sport Climbs at Mt Arapiles" - Mentz / RobertSonya ; )

12 quick draws and a sling is all ya need at araps these days ; )

There are also allot of nice sport aid routes - bolt to bolt available for those with a thurst for adventure.... M9 will tell ya all bout it.

Yes I'm bored... : )
mikepatt
17-Dec-2009
11:15:50 AM
Depends on grades; I've used very very few RPs on routes up to grade 17.

IdratherbeclimbingM9
17-Dec-2009
11:19:50 AM
On 17/12/2009 ..::- Chris -::.. wrote:
>There are also allot of nice sport aid routes - bolt to bolt available
>for those with a thurst for adventure.... M9 will tell ya all bout it.
>
>Yes I'm bored... : )

How can you be bored with Chockstone in the full throws of celebrating the international month of dis simey and M9 at the moment?

By the way, bolt to bolt is generally not my kind of adventure, and I reckon offset RP's rule!
egosan
17-Dec-2009
11:26:55 AM
On 17/12/2009 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:
>On 17/12/2009 ..::- Chris -::.. wrote:
>>There are also allot of nice sport aid routes - bolt to bolt available
>>for those with a thurst for adventure.... M9 will tell ya all bout it.
>>
>>Yes I'm bored... : )
>
>How can you be bored with Chockstone in the full throws of celebrating
>the international month of dis simey and M9 at the moment?
>

At Mt. Arapiles on many of the lower grade routes DMM Offsets and Brass Offsets are
gold. There are so many flaring cracks in all that juggy nonsense you can't help but love
them.
>By the way, bolt to bolt is generally not my kind of adventure, and I
>reckon offset RP's rule!
simey
17-Dec-2009
11:31:02 AM
On 17/12/2009 The good Dr wrote:
>I use 1-4 mostly (rarely a 5). One set of RPs and one set of DMM Peanuts is a great combo for Araps. I actually use the Peanuts a bit more than the RPs.

Good advice.

I tend to carry a lot of small wires, although it is rare that I actually use them. When I am forced to use them, I like having multiple sets of various types so that I can back things up. Given that micro wires weigh virtually nothing you may as well carry 2 or 3 sets. I carry them up most climbs. Even wide cracks can sometimes offer micro wire placements which is handy if you are short on bigger pro.

You won't find Wendy agreeing with me... she reckons its pointless carrying lots of little wires and prefers to lug around multiple #4 cams instead.


ado_m
17-Dec-2009
11:37:01 AM
Simey et al - for araps, would you recommend RPs over the new DMM brass offsets? I have bucket loads of normal nuts, never owned RPs or offsets though.
simey
17-Dec-2009
11:44:38 AM
I'm not a big fan of off-sets. I reckon they are too specialised. Most of the time they are a pain in the arse at Araps as their off-set nature means they have less surface area touching the rock and they don't snug in as well as conventional wires.

If you are going to climb Ozymandias at Mt Buffalo then I imagine brass off-sets would be great for those flaring peg scars. However I've done Ozy a few times and got by without them.

I don't use RPs as much as I used to. I prefer the shape of regular wires as they generally have more surface area touching the rock. RPs rule in shallow placements however.


..::- Chris -::..
17-Dec-2009
11:49:33 AM
On 17/12/2009 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:
>On 17/12/2009 ..::- Chris -::.. wrote:
>>There are also allot of nice sport aid routes - bolt to bolt available
>>for those with a thurst for adventure.... M9 will tell ya all bout it.
>>
>>Yes I'm bored... : )
>
>How can you be bored with Chockstone in the full throws of celebrating
>the international month of dis simey and M9 at the moment?
>
>By the way, bolt to bolt is generally not my kind of adventure, and I
>reckon offset RP's rule!

Hex Wire's are the go.... Below is a perfect example of a well placed Hex / wire at Arapiles using modern climbing and protection technique's



But better than RP's is a new climbing gear made by a new climbing manufacturer... THere is a new shop on Little Bourke st called "The DeWalt Climbing store" - power tools for modern day climbers.... Simey has a sponsorship ; )

Wendy
17-Dec-2009
11:53:55 AM
I think Simey and I have this conversation almost everytime we go climbing. He did however forego the mircowares to do D minor the other day though. Don't know why. They don't weigh anything after all so you may as well carry 2-3 sets.

I don't carry any microwires up climbs about 90% of the time. I don't lug the 4 camalot up about 80% either. They might not weigh anything, but also, you have so many better options on most climbs and if you are going to need them, you'll usually have a fair idea of that before you leave the ground. I once passed a beginer leader who had about 4 micro wires in the top pitch of Tip Toe ridge. Really, why would you give your beginner leader a rack of them for TTR? He had 4 pieces of relative mank in a pitch completely full of medium to large size fantasic gear.

I do have quite a collection of microwires that get left in the pack mostly. They don't weigh anything to carry to the crag either and then they're there in case I get inspired to do something like Rat's Alley or Auto Da fe where you really will appreciate them. I'd get an assortment. I have rps, miniwalnuts, smileys and trango brassies. They all work. Get whatever you can get a good deal on that's sub a 1 rock. If you aren't planning on doing anything hard (and even then, that 90% figure doesn't vary much) or that particularly needs them, I wouldn't bother.

simey
17-Dec-2009
11:55:17 AM
On 17/12/2009 ..::- Chris -::.. wrote:
>THere is a new shop on Little Bourke st called "The DeWalt Climbing store"
>- power tools for modern day climbers.... Simey has a sponsorship ; )

I wish. Most of my drilling is with a hand drill.

wallwombat
17-Dec-2009
12:12:18 PM
18v? Get serious!
simey
17-Dec-2009
12:14:14 PM
On 17/12/2009 Wendy wrote:
>I think Simey and I have this conversation almost everytime we go climbing.
> He did however forego the mircowares to do D minor the other day though.
> Don't know why. They don't weigh anything after all so you may as well carry 2-3 sets.
When you have done the climb two or three hundred times you have some idea of what is required.

>you'll usually have a fair idea of that before you leave the ground
Often you don't know what gear you will need up high on a route. How do you know what gear is going to be required up high on a multi-pitch route you haven't done before? Why not carry them?

>I once passed a beginer leader who had about 4 micro wires in the top pitch of Tip Toe ridge. Really, why would you give your beginner leader a rack of them for TTR? He had 4 pieces of relative mank in a pitch completely full of medium to large size fantasic gear.
I agree that many beginners make the common mistake of using micro-wires when much more substantial protection is available. Micro-wires should be a last resort.

Given Wendy's opinion on small wires then I will tell you all a story. If one turns to page 126 of the Arapiles guide you will see a photo of Wendy leading Johns Corner (19). The 3 or 4 wires you can see at the start of the pitch are all micro-wires. Guess what? Wendy didn't have enough micro-wires on her to protect the opening moves adequately and I had to lend her some before she launched into the moves.

Like I said, micro-wires should be a last resort, but when you need them they are invaluable.



Wendy
17-Dec-2009
12:22:55 PM
On 17/12/2009 simey wrote:

>>you'll usually have a fair idea of that before you leave the ground
>Often you don't know what gear you will need up high on a route. How do
>you know what gear is going to be required up high on a multi-pitch route?
>Why not carry them?

I carry enough things already! The style of climbing, the rock and the grade will give you a good idea.


>
>Given Wendy's opinion on small wires then I will tell you all a story.
>If one turns to page 126 of the Arapiles guide you will see a photo of
>Wendy leading Johns Corner (19). The 3 or 4 wires you can see at the start
>of the pitch are all micro wires. Guess what? Wendy didn't have enough
>micro wires on her to protect the opening moves adequately and I had to
>lend her a some before she launched into the moves.
>

Ah, what fond memories, the start of the famous debate about microwires. You forgot to mention there were only that many because I'm a screaming wuss and in fact you placed the one you lent me from the ledge, above the wires I'd placed. So any tall climbers will only need 1 microwire (it's not that micro actually, it's the 1st size under a 1) and any climbers of normal bravery quantities will just make the moves with the wire 4 inches below it. Anthony did give me another set of rps for my birthday shortly after that event though. The 0, 4 and 5 have yet to be placed. Not sure about the1.




>Like I said, you shouldn't be using them much, but when you need them,
>they are invaluable.
>
>
>
>
Wendy
17-Dec-2009
12:26:43 PM
Now, whilst we are telling stories, sometime earlier this year, Simey headed out to do Electra. I offered to lend him my lovely big cams, but he swore all he needed was his number 4. I swore that the 4 didn't actually fit in for about 5m above the possible belay and really, my gear would be much appreciated. But, Simey had done it in the past with just a 4 and it fitted just fine. Simey had a fun and exciting time, because the 4 swims in the start of the fat crack. So really, the 4 is obviously not big enough and we should all be carrying around the 5, because when you want it, it really is invaluable.
simey
17-Dec-2009
12:36:12 PM
Well I did manage Electra with the gear I had. Given that an extra set of micro-wires weigh about as much as the trigger cables on a giant cam, I know what I would rather carry on my rack at all times.

The good Dr
17-Dec-2009
12:53:42 PM
I always carry them as they weigh very little and you never know when they will come in handy. I got caught out on an off-width (Magical Mystery Tour at Frog) where my #6 friend was far enough below me that it was useless. In my concerned state I was looking for gear anywhere. Higher up I found a perfect slot for a #3RP - which was on the ground and not on my harness. A salient lesson.

 Page 1 of 2. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 40
There are 40 messages in this topic.

 

Home | Guide | Gallery | Tech Tips | Articles | Reviews | Dictionary | Forum | Links | About | Search
Chockstone Photography | Landscape Photography Australia | Australian Landscape Photography | Landscape Photos Australia

Please read the full disclaimer before using any information contained on these pages.



Australian Panoramic | Australian Coast | Australian Mountains | Australian Countryside | Australian Waterfalls | Australian Lakes | Australian Cities | Australian Macro | Australian Wildlife
Landscape Photo | Landscape Photography | Landscape Photography Australia | Fine Art Photography | Wilderness Photography | Nature Photo | Australian Landscape Photo | Stock Photography Australia | Landscape Photos | Panoramic Photos | Panoramic Photography Australia | Australian Landscape Photography | High Country Mountain Huts | Mothers Day Gifts | Gifts for Mothers Day | Mothers Day Gift Ideas | Ideas for Mothers Day | Wedding Gift Ideas | Christmas Gift Ideas | Fathers Day Gifts | Gifts for Fathers Day | Fathers Day Gift Ideas | Ideas for Fathers Day | Landscape Prints | Landscape Poster | Limited Edition Prints | Panoramic Photo | Buy Posters | Poster Prints