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A video on the humble Ball Nut

brunchman

11-Aug-2015
7:05:21 PM

An introduction video to the humble Ball Nut, invented in the 70s by.........no one actually can agree on that apparently!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qsos6lWoftw

patto

12-Aug-2015
1:35:15 AM

I can't say I was impressed with that video. There were numerous factual inaccuracies. Among them was the notion that they are a marginal piece. In fact they are generally stronger than most cams of comparable range. Screamers? Pfftt! CAMP ball nuts are rated for 8kN! Besides screamers are of highly questionable benefit in many circumstances.

martym

12-Aug-2015
7:58:18 AM

What a rubbish video of someone holding a piece of gear for 5 minutes - you don't even get to see the mug's mug. Not a single example of how to place it - even just wedged between his shoes would be enough.

I got bored and skipped forward to where he started to go on about how it's a marginal piece of gear, "certainly not as secure as a size 3 friend". Who the f--- is comparing friends with camming-nuts?

Then the clincher: "You probably won't own one, most climbers have never even seen one"... so why the f--- make the video? Just padding out his you tube channel?

Sorry Margaret, no stars.

johnpitcairn

12-Aug-2015
8:48:56 AM

Marginal my arse. He's obviously never used one or talked to anyone who has.

I use these fairly often, I've taken falls on the #2 and #3. Properly set they are solid. The main risk I have found is if they get a sideways nudge they can unset, so a flexible sling and some care is required as you climb past the piece.

IdratherbeclimbingM9

12-Aug-2015
9:20:24 AM

On 12/08/2015 martym wrote:
>(snip)
>you don't even get to see the mug's mug. (snip)

You might in this posters other Chockstone thread promotional* vid?
(* Hmm, two posts and two vids... ~> I agree with the comment dalai made on that thread...)

brunchman ticked gym, boulder, toprope and sport in profile.
~> That probably also says something about this vids reviewing of trad gear.

johnpitcairn

12-Aug-2015
10:06:33 AM

A big plus for ball nuts is that a single ball nut covers quite a large range, and has the same holding power for the full range. You just don't get that with a micro cam. I find tiny cams much more difficult to place correctly as a result, especially if you can't see the lobes too well.

My understanding is that while there were many "slider nut" designs, Greg Lowe developed the Lowe Ball, which is what Camp and Trango are now producing, albeit with a couple of shortcuts that make it a little less effective. It's a good idea to use a hot knife to flatten the black tubing on the #1 and #2, otherwise the tubing will be thicker than the head in some positions.

dalai

12-Aug-2015
2:31:27 PM

SPAMed Supertopo, Mountain Project, UKClimbing - same cut and paste, same two posts...

There are 7 messages in this topic.