UKC

Hi all,

I've just received a set of new cams (Helium 0.5, 1.5, 2.5) as a birthday present, giving me 12 cams but only 6 different sizes.

The Helium 1.5 and 2.5 are the same sizes as my DMM Dragon 2 & 3, and I already have two old 0.5's.

The Dragon 4 and old 0.5 friends get used more than any other size. I don't need three, but would be happy to loose the oldest and keep the Helium if two is useful?

I also have a set of older flexible friends in 1, 1.5 & 2.5 that I sometimes add to my rack, but rarely.

Anyway, 12 is obviously way to many cams. I climb mostly North East Sandstone, Whin Sill, and Lake District classics when I get over there.

I am looking to push my grades above HVS now (recently added some micro wires to my rack) and wonder if smaller cams might compliment the micro wires?

Do you reckon it's worth doubling up on some sizes (ie WC 0.5, 1, 1.5 & 2.5) or would you sell some to fund the purchase of other sizes (or just to reduce the number!).

I reckon a Dragon 6 and WC 0 might be more useful?

Cheers, Martin

In reply to Martin1978: Woah there, a little confusing . Could you just list th cams you own right now, also, define old.

In reply to FreshSlate: Sorry

Old would be flexible friends with sewn nylon slings (one has the nylon stem cover, the rest are older).

So:

Helium 0.5
Helium 1.5
Helium 2.5
Dragon 2
Dragon 3
Dragon 4
Flex Friend 0.5 (x2)
Flex Friend 1 (x2)
Flex Friend 1.5
Flex Friend 2.5

That does look a bit simpler I guess

In reply to Martin1978: I'd keep all the heliums and the dragons, get rid of one of the old flex friends 0.5 and the 1.5 + 2.5.

Then with the extra money, work down in size and get a size 0 or equivalent and then maybe some Zeros (5+6) or some C3s.

The world of cams is very confusing and it's easy to convince yourself that you need every cam on the market to fit all sizes.

Check the needle sports website for tables of cam sizes on their camming device pages. And decide from there what ranges you are missing.

In reply to Martin1978: I'm going to say, more than doubles in the U.K is bit over the top. But then again when you climb that splitter crack in america you will be borrowing everyone's cam of that size. If one of your tripples is a bit old and past it then you probably could ditch that if you wanted a bit of spare cash.

I'd work out what cams I liked best and then treat the others as doubles, i.e Dmm's as your mainstay then heliums when you need a bit more of that size or visa versa.

At the moment I have dmm dragons, 00-6. Then doubles of 2 and 3, the two being a cragswag camalot. This works well, I may eventually double up on other sizes with camalots when necessary. btw the dragon 6 is rarely used, rarely taken up, to save weight. Don't bother with a cam of this size until you want to do a route where you need it.

In reply to Martin1978:
I have a full set of dragons with two micro cams smaller than any dragon and 4cu 1,2,3 (13 cams in total). I don't carry the largest dragon unless I think I'll need it and the 4cus generally only get carried if I think they will be needed (multipitch or cam heavy climbs or crack climbs of quite specific widths etc....)

In reply to Martin1978:

My standard rack (meaning I usually have them in the car, not that I take them all on every climb) is:

WC Zero 3 (grey)
WC Zero 4 (yellow)
WC Zero 5 + WC 0 (blue)
WC Zero 6 + WC 0.5 (red)
WC 1 * 2 (gold)
WC 1.25
WC 1.5 (silver)
WC 1.75
WC 2 (red)
WC 2.5
WC 3
WC 3.5
WC 4

This effectively means doubling up from 00 to ~ 1.5, and singles for bigger. That's 16 cams, which I don't think is too many!
Most often I'd drop the 3.5 and 4 if I don't think I'll need them, and take the rest (unless it's a short single pitch).

In reply to Mr-Cowdrey:

i agree with this but here's a left field suggestion

find out where the heliums came from and swap them for dragons 0,1,5

keep one of each flexi friends 1, 0.5 sell the 0.5,1,1.5 and 2.5 and get bigger dragon and smaller. you may need to add money to dragons swap

something to think about

In reply to Martin1978:

I'd keep em all unless say a friend wanted a few to get started. Use the best ones and add any sizes you feel you're missing as your climbing moves on. That's just me, I never bother selling stuff, I just hoard it.

jk

Thanks all, seems I might not have too many cams after all The Dragon 6 was wanted for a few specific climbs. I've actually done them now, but at the time kept thinking my Torque Nut 4 isn't big enough/suitable, wish I had something bigger! I definitely think I'll be starting with adding a few smaller cams before spending money on the larger though (I am skint so something will have to go to fund the other stuff).

In reply to lithos: Not a bad idea.

I shall check Needle Sports sizing guide, try and decide which ones I wouldn't mind having two of, and go from there.

Cheers,
Martin

In reply to jkarran: I used to be a hoarder, now I'm skint and living in a small place so can't keep everything, so regularly sell unused stuff to fund useful stuff

In reply to Martin1978: Only issue with swapping new unused climbing gear is how sticky the shop is on PPE equipment returns, some stores really stick to no returns, whereas others allow,

Legally if purchased online there is the 7 day Distance selling law which states store has to accept any return

As to sizes, as I think you have sorted out, smaller cams will do you well, but I also tend to find that equivalent WC 1.5 I can use more than once on most pitches

HTH

In reply to gear boy: Yeah, decided to keep them and sell some of the older cams (now sold)

Going to add something in the 10mm sort of size with the cash, giving me a good selection with duplicates/overlaps.