We all know that hexes are the
prima facie signifier of mendacity in trad climbing, a symbol of physical potential left to rot and bank holidays spent queueing for already-polished low-grade classics done many times before. "No!", some cry, "they're simply cost-effective and incredibly secure when placed, and not
that much of a faff and don't make
that awful a cacophony when jangling on my harness, ruining the tranquility of the setting in which they are wielded!" But, in their heart of hearts, such commentators know the truth, in spite of their inability to admit this to themselves, even in their darkest of moments - generally when the aged, many-times-rethreaded piece they've been trying to fiddle into the initial corner crack of Tryfan's Grooved Arete while still on the ground finally succumbs to gravity and falls into its depths, never to be seen again.
However, hexes have at times been used by non-punters, or at least in non-punterish ways; this much we must concede, though it pains us dearly. Curbar's
Diet of Worms (E4 6a) (E4 6a),
Eastern Grit II tells us, was originally climbed "with pre-placed hexes" in 1978, while the BMC's seminal
Burbage, Millstone and Beyond advises the use of "anything from a medium sized [sic] hex to a small nut" on the classic sandbag that is Lawrencefield's
Billy Whizz (E2 5c) (E2 5c).
The question, then, is as follows: What is the hardest route you've used a hex on?