UKC

Racking hexagonals/rockcentrics

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 ElvisMax1 19 May 2015
What's the best way to rack hexcentrics: as a bundle of similar sizes? one hex per carabiner, as with cams? Any ideas/preferences?
 Oujmik 19 May 2015
In reply to ElvisMax1:

I rack the four smallest sizes together on a single krab and use them in a similar fashion to large nuts. I rack the larger ones each on their own krab, but to be honest I rarely take them up anything as they are so big and clunky and I have cams covering all but the very largest hexes.
 ByEek 19 May 2015
In reply to Oujmik:

Seconded. Small hexes are a duplicate of the much easier to manage nuts and larger hexes are duplicates of much more versatile and useful friends. I therefore rack mine in a bag of historical gear that lives in my garage.

When I started though, I racked my larger hexes one per krab for ease of use.
 GrahamD 19 May 2015
In reply to ElvisMax1:

I carry far fewer hexes than I used to, maybe up to 4 depending on the route. I prefer all on their own krabs as I find them easier to handle plus they are my emergency extenders for when I run out and the extra krabs are useful
 SenzuBean 19 May 2015
In reply to ElvisMax1:
I have been bringing just 4 (I think the #5, #6, #7 and sometimes #8 WC hexes) - and don't bother with the others (I rather have offset nuts than small hexes, and I have never used the #9 hex or been wanting for it). I have these racked on single crabs so that I can use them without quickdraws (most of the time anyway).
I do find them useful, as you get 3 ways to place them. I have also heard that using cams in your belay setup is not a good idea for two reasons - 1) you've used a piece that is better suited to being placed on the lead, so if you're in a tight spot later and want a quick bit of pro, but are missing the crucial size of cam... 2) cams can walk when loaded in the manner that a belay usually is (you might shift slightly and tug it gently every so often). Also I just prefer a solid hex to a cam for crucial placements.

The last time I was climbing, my partner wasn't sure if we should do the route as he didn't think there was a good belay anchor at the top. Well I checked it out and judged that there sure would be, and I'd have to use the #5 hex as a key part of it. Well when I got up there, I realized I'd left the #5 deep in the rock in the middle of the pitch... There wasn't much else to go into that spot of rock (a cam stem would've been too fat to fit down the gap). Then I noticed the #6 almost fit... I grabbed a rock, and gently tapped the #6 into a lovely, snug fit that couldn't have been more perfect.
You can also hammer hexes into verglassed rock during winter (whereas I don't know what you'd do if you only had cams - spend time scraping all the ice off with a pick?), or if the rock is just a bit mucky.

Lastly, hexes are lighter than cams for the same size of protection, so if you know the rock will accept hexes - it could make sense to have hexes on your rack even though cams would do the job.
Post edited at 13:32
 Paul Hy 19 May 2015
In reply to ElvisMax1:
If you've got cams leave them at home!
Post edited at 14:03
 climbwhenready 19 May 2015
In reply to ElvisMax1:

I carry one per crab like cams, but mine are torque nuts so there's only 4. (Which are amazing bits of gear, better than any other hex, etc, etc.... :-P .) That would be a bit much if I had a set of 11, though.
 LucaC 19 May 2015
In reply to climbwhenready:

For dmm hexes with extendable slings, one per crab usually. Smaller ones with single slings racked together like nuts.

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