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Chockstone Forum - Gear Lust / Lost & Found

Rave About Your Rack Please do not post retail SPAM.

Poll Option Votes Graph
cams 33
75% 
hexs 11
25% 

 Page 1 of 5. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 40 | 41 to 60 | 61 to 80 | 81 to 92
Author
cams or hexs
bl@ke
26-Apr-2009
8:20:16 PM
what to buy? i am wondering if i should be getting hexs or cams for my rack. i am just starting to get my gear on the cheap so what is the best? i can get 6 kong cams for around 415 bucks using my el-cheepo ways but then i could get 7 hexs for 235 bucks.
what does everyone think?

nmonteith
26-Apr-2009
8:26:31 PM
cams
Duncan
26-Apr-2009
8:27:40 PM
Cams. Ignore the grey beards. There is nothing wrong with cheap cams. I started out with a bunch of those Czech cams and had many fun weeks at Araps, and still have a couple of them as doubles.

That said, do you already have a set of nuts and a bunch of draws? If not, I'd get them first.

wallwombat
26-Apr-2009
8:29:09 PM
No contest. Get the 6 kong cams.

And if you haven't already got a set of nuts, get some of them.

Hexes are OK but you wont need 7 of them. Maybe just 2 or 3 in the larger sizes.
bl@ke
26-Apr-2009
8:34:48 PM
iv got 7 nuts at the moment and im getting a set of rp's and a set of omega pacific nuts for my birthday so the nut department is all good. does cam sizes 0.5, 1, 2, 2.5, 3and 4 sound good?

wallwombat
26-Apr-2009
8:56:06 PM
On 26/04/2009 bl@ke wrote:
>.....does cam sizes 0.5, 1, 2, 2.5, 3and 4 sound good?

If you are going to get 6 cams , those 6 sizes sound spot on.

Along with the RPs and the set and a half of nuts, you should be sweet to get going.

You will need some draws though.


muki
26-Apr-2009
9:00:34 PM
I can see the attraction for using Hex's, as they are just big nuts (that can be camed)
But I can place my cams anywhere I can place a Hex ! and they are more versatile.

Sabu
26-Apr-2009
9:26:00 PM
I've also noticed that smaller cams are more useful than larger cams, so start from the
smaller sizes and go up (which i think is what you've done) rather than go down from the
larger sizes.
A few points to consider: hexes were good for beginner stuff and are easier to learn how
to place. IMO cams take a little more skill to place and know that its good. However as
bp said cams are more versatile (horizontal cracks, pockets etc.). Also a few hexes on
your rack are handy, ie if you have to bail i bet you'd rather leave a hex than a cam
behind!
hero
26-Apr-2009
9:34:38 PM
I'd buy the cams.

But to say that a cam can be placed anywhere a hex can is silly. There are lots of places hexes go that cams can't, though any large piece of metal would often work equally well. Very few people use hexes in their camming way now I imagine.

Bring back titons I say.

Or more sensibly, don't buy climbing gear at all.

wallwombat
26-Apr-2009
9:40:51 PM
On 26/04/2009 hero wrote:

>Or more sensibly, don't buy climbing gear at all.

Yep. It's a bit like telling someone "Don't shoot up. You might become a junkie"
richardo
26-Apr-2009
10:38:25 PM
On 26/04/2009 bl@ke wrote:
>what to buy? i am wondering if i should be getting hexs or cams for my
>rack. i am just starting to get my gear on the cheap so what is the best?
>i can get 6 kong cams for around 415 bucks using my el-cheepo ways but
>then i could get 7 hexs for 235 bucks.
>what does everyone think?

Why the fcuk are you crapping about your el cheepo ways if ya boast about getting 7 hexes for 235
bucks. Why anyone would contemplate paying more than 100 for a set of hexes defies belief.
Paul
26-Apr-2009
10:41:51 PM
When I first started out my funds were tight, I had a set of wires and a set of hexes and 10 draws. The hexes will be more pro per dollar which will be good if dollars are tight.

Given the choice between 2 cams and a full set of hexes i would probably go the hexes because it is more pieces of pro that you can place in a single pitch and the easier climbs which most people start learning on won't be nasty paralell cracks, they will be featured aretes and slabs with lots of pro (hopefully).

Having said that you will want cams soon as well but go the hexes first.

wallwombat
26-Apr-2009
10:53:34 PM
On 26/04/2009 richardo wrote:

>Why the fcuk are you crapping about your el cheepo ways if ya boast about
>getting 7 hexes for 235
>bucks. Why anyone would contemplate paying more than 100 for a set of
>hexes defies belief.

Go easy, big man. Bl@ke is 15. Don't dent his enthusiasm.

Rockhardware sells a set of 7 Wild Country hexes for $235. My guess is they are the ones he is talking about.

Show me where you can get a set of decent hexes for $100 or less in Australia.

I don't imagine he has a credit card and can simply get a cheap set from the states.

mattjr
26-Apr-2009
11:05:00 PM
Both... Don't really want to say one is 'better' than the other when starting out.
The obvious arguements might be..

*a bomber hex is like a bolt!!

*Cams are (generally) much easier to place and remove.. HARD routes require quick placements

*Cams are (generally) much more flexible in their placement options

*Cams are expensive!

*As my rack grows my desire for more cams out-weighs the desire for more hexes

*At your local crag hexes make a soothing cowbell sound as they jingle about on your rack

*At your local crag hexes make a sound that may attract evil looks from clean shaven climbers
richardo
26-Apr-2009
11:17:33 PM
On 26/04/2009 wallwombat wrote:

>Show me where you can get a set of decent hexes for $100 or less in Australia.

A decent hex, let alone 'a set of' is an oxymoron.

Bl@ke is 15 you say. Then surely he's old enough to get sarcasm. In which case you shouldn't insult him
with your misguided paternalism.

Sabu
26-Apr-2009
11:28:30 PM
On 26/04/2009 richardo wrote:
>A decent hex, let alone 'a set of' is an oxymoron.
What would know about hexes given your profile suggests you only boulder or sport
climb??

>Bl@ke is 15 you say. Then surely he's old enough to get sarcasm. In which
>case you shouldn't insult him
>with your misguided paternalism.
Your post didn't come across as sarcastic but rather harsh. Especially given he's (im
assuming) a beginner and therefore probably doesn't know a lot about cams versus
hexes.

mattjr
26-Apr-2009
11:32:43 PM
Not as harsh as Sabu suggesting Bl@ke is only a sp%@t climber! ;-)

wallwombat
27-Apr-2009
7:04:23 AM
On 26/04/2009 richardo wrote:

>....................then surely he's old enough to get sarcasm.

Sounds like you failed Sarcasm 101, mate.

You probably got a HD in 'Introduction to Nasty and Aggressive', though.
Scottf
27-Apr-2009
7:05:55 AM
It is worth looking at buying your gear overseas. I just got a set of master cams and a
few other bits and pieces from GearExpress (US shop) and spend AU$780. The same
gear would have cost me $1300 in Australia.
stonetroll
27-Apr-2009
7:16:19 AM
On 26/04/2009 bl@ke wrote:

>i can get 6 kong cams for around 415 bucks using my el-cheepo ways but
>then i could get 7 hexs for 235 bucks.
>what does everyone think?

Have you considered Tricams ?
A set of 6 Tricams go for around $300, excelent kit.

I always climb with Tricams but only sometimes take Hexes'.
If i only had the choice of Cams' ( S.L.C.D ) or Tricams, i'd take the Tricams.

But saying that, if i was given the choice of only Hexes' or Cams' , i'd choose the Cams'.

 Page 1 of 5. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 40 | 41 to 60 | 61 to 80 | 81 to 92
There are 92 messages in this topic.

 

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