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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Dec 19, 2008 - 05:10pm PT
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I still often (but not always) carry a half dozen hexes, in the BD #2 - #7 range. For variety, versatility, and on longer/mountain routes to save a bit of weight and have econo-rappel anchors if needed.
I've heard that hexes continue to be very popular with witches, warlocks, and other devotees of the dark arts, which would presumably mean they're handy to have at the Needles if not SuperTopo.
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Brunosafari
Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
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Dec 19, 2008 - 05:30pm PT
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You bet, John. My gear skills are rusted due to bouldering and sport, but I prefer the medium and big hexes over all trad gear. They are fast, are lighter and encourage greater awareness for the crack climber. One thing I especially dislike about slcd's, is there tendency to hook the rock in the middle of dicey high steps and every single summit mantle.
I'm 54 now. Still love to whip out the old stuff for moderates.
Climbing at Smith last year with my daughter and her college roomate, I was half way up a 75' lead when I heard my daughter angrily confronting some other college-aged climbers, saying, "I can hear every word you guys are saying about my dad!"
When I descended I asked her what they had said. She reported indignantly,"they said you were definitely 'old school.'"
She's a keeper.
Bruce
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mongrel
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Dec 19, 2008 - 05:44pm PT
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Yes, definitely still use them quite a lot. In really bumpy or inward-flaring cracks they are superior to SLCDs, plus they are the bomb for secure belay anchors (and save your cams for the lead). I almost always carry 3 or sometimes 4 of them, sizes starting just larger than the largest taper that's on the rack, on spectra cord, racked on one biner; leave this off the rack occasionally, maybe 10-20 percent of the time. The utility of a biner of hexes like this is way more than the utility of a single cam of the same weight. Hexes required a lot of fiddling BITD, because you HAD to get whatever meager pro there would be. But if you only use them in the killer placements, they're just as fast to place and clean as a cam.
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Sherri
climber
WA
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Dec 19, 2008 - 06:32pm PT
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What Mongrel said.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Dec 19, 2008 - 06:36pm PT
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I still carry the first four wired hexes for keyhole placements and bailouts. You have to bend the cable to accentuate the widest aspect of the Hexentric shape. Bent on left, unbent on right.
Sliding the wire against the shrink tubing allows the rail to be inserted into openings for turning as a keyhole sideways.
I haven't loaded up with dinosaur eggs in decades.
Symetrical and fully Hexentric extruded shapes.
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nutjob
Stoked OW climber
San Jose, CA
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Dec 19, 2008 - 06:38pm PT
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While we're talking hexes... I bought a set in 1994 as my first rack, and they still have the original perlon cord I bought and tied to them.
Is it still good or time to replace? I haven't used em much in the last decade, but I started bringing a couple along recently.
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roy
Social climber
New Zealand -> Santa Barbara
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Dec 19, 2008 - 06:49pm PT
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Hi,
I carry and use the larger sizes. For the smaller sizes I prefer nuts. There's nothing quite as secure as seating a honking great hex in a tapered crack. I also threaded mine with perlon (in 1984) and I really should replace it. It's now stiff enough that I can use the largest one as a hammer.
Cheers, Roy
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Paul Martzen
Trad climber
Fresno
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Dec 19, 2008 - 06:55pm PT
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There is a huge range of types of cracks and placements. SLCD's work great in most situations, but seems to me there are situations where passive cams, hexes and nuts work better. Reed's Direct and Gram Traverse are examples of routes that take hexes better than SLCD's in my experience. I can also think of specific placements on certain routes that won't take a SLCD but will take just the right size hex or nut. If a hex makes a perfect placement at a key spot on a route why fight with something else?
I think it is easy to get into the attitude that something newer, fancier, more expensive is automatically better while the less expensive and plainer alternative is inferior. I don't think newness or expense is a good standard to judge whether a placement is solid or not. As others have said, setting a solid hex is a nice feeling that inspires a lot of confidence.
That being said, I don't use them much. If I had no cams I would certainly use hexes and I would not look down on somebody who does use hexes.
Edit: Really agree with Mongrel about using them for belays and good placements.
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tomtom
Social climber
Seattle, Wa
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Dec 19, 2008 - 07:05pm PT
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There are crags where the cracks flair inward and hexes simply work better. Royal Columns on the Tieton River in Washington, for example. I've seen cam queens struggle with bad placements where I just pop in the hex.
I also carry them alpine as well, as part of a light rack or 2nds on cams.
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scuffy b
climber
On the dock in the dark
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Dec 19, 2008 - 07:12pm PT
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I spotted one on the Upper Breadloaf, City of Rocks, and knew
I could get to it by scrambling (it had been used as a rap
anchor). It was a nice #11 with the 5mm cord. I think smaller
in length than the older ones. I thought it could really come
in handy for an out-of-the-way rap anchor (heh) but somehow I
haven't got around to using it yet. Probably 8 years ago.
5,6,7 are great for that place, though.
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Nefarius
Big Wall climber
somewhere without avatars.........
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Dec 19, 2008 - 07:13pm PT
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I've seen reference here, a few times now, to hexes fitting well in inward flaring cracks. I don't see this. I'd think hexes would be horrible in inward flaring cracks. To me, it'd seem that you'd end up with the back (inside) of the hex fitting in the crack, with the rest of it pivoting off that point... For instance, I just don't see giving up my offset Aliens for a double set of small hexes....
What am I missing?
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Nate D
climber
San Francisco
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Dec 19, 2008 - 07:39pm PT
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I have a few in the bigger sizes, almost always with me. Have used them lengthwise on FAs with shallow flaring water gooves/cracks where a cam was not optimal (and 'cause I don't own any big bros). These big ones also work like a charm lengthwise in odd placements where there is a funny bumpy constriction. I've gotten the hollow ends to seat perfectly between bumps on both sides of a crack or odd "pinch" in the rock face. (Don't know how else to describe it.) Have also bailed off of one as, like others have said, it beats leaving an expensive cam.
Edit: I'm 38, and my hexes were the first pieces in my rack, purchased when I was 23.
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DanaB
climber
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Dec 19, 2008 - 07:55pm PT
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I sold all my Hexes about 5 years ago (except for the number 11, kept that just for fun) when I realized I hadn't placed one or even carried them since the late '70s/early '80s.
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rich sims
Trad climber
co
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Dec 19, 2008 - 08:50pm PT
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Dana did you loose a # 1 Friend on the Prow?
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rockermike
Mountain climber
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Dec 19, 2008 - 09:01pm PT
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I think an interesting (and related) question is how many hour does one have to work at a shitty job (like dish washing) to buy a rope, rack, and shoes. Sh#t, it was hard enough getting a kit together when I was 19 and buying hexes. I don't think I would of had enough money to buy a modern rack of SLCDs until I was 30 or so. Maybe that's why there are so many sport climbers.
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Barbarian
Trad climber
all bivied up on the ledge
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Dec 19, 2008 - 10:00pm PT
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"Old School" is a compliment!
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Dec 19, 2008 - 10:20pm PT
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Fok those cowbell clanking things.
"I am mad as hell and just can't take it anymore"
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rich sims
Trad climber
co
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Dec 19, 2008 - 10:38pm PT
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Chu-nards Long stand up pants $35.00
swabby pants from thrift store $2.25
January 77 I started spending half my weekly pay check on gear.
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Crag Q
Trad climber
Louisville, Colorado
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Dec 19, 2008 - 10:51pm PT
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I've got a fever and the only prescription is...more cow bell!
I still love them. I carry a few medium sized ones for building anchors on trad routes and alpine routes. I really like the new curved ones from Wild Country.
Out of ten or so partners over the last decade, I am the only one who uses them and they all make fun of me for it. :-P
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Rankin
climber
Bishop, CA
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Dec 19, 2008 - 10:59pm PT
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I haven't carried hexes in a while, but I'm not getting rid of them. Back in the day, I actually used them as fixed anchors, for rapelling off, after an FA. Those hexes are probably still there, and may or may not have been used again. That is so fun, no matter the grade: ground-up first ascent...with no drill on the rack.
Off topic, but kind of related story. There's a route in western North Carolina, a 12a established by Doug Reed, that uses a tree as a top anchor. Yeah, I know, that can damage the tree. Well this route is isolated and I doubt if its has ten ascents in 20 years, so it doesn't seem that bad to me. Thing of it is, though, this tree is five feet out from the wall. So you finish the route, turn around on a ten inch ledge and jump to the tree. Once you snag the tree, you lower over a larger branch to the ground. Pretty sweet maneuver, if you ask me.
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