UKC

In a new series on UKClimbing, we have teamed up with Plas-y-Brenin, the National Mountain Sports Centre, to cover a wide range of basic climbing techniques.. We will be explaining everything from putting on harnesses and tying figure of eights, to building belays and leading.

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In reply to UKC Articles:

As an old fart who has been using hexes on the rock since ( before ) they became commercially available, it would have been good if,at least, the following points had been made on the video.

Hexes, rockcentrics, hexcentrics and torque nuts are generally used in larger cracks.
Modern hexes have four placement options, left and right narrow and flare facing and away on sideways.
The greater differential between width options means that hexes often fit well twisted inside pockets.
Camming devices complement hexes ( and nuts ) and are usually better in dry parallel cracks. In icy cracks, uneven cracks or low friction rock the hex often wins out over the cam.
Hexes are lighter than cams and can be hammered to seat in icy cracks.

In 47 years of climbing I have never had to rely on the camming action of a hex, always managing to find some constriction in a crack.
I still marvel at how Supercrack in Indian Creek was put up using old hexes.

In reply to Rick Graham:

I agree with Rick.

Sadly this is a rather superficial look at the role of Hexes on your rack, which is sad considering the frequency with which I've seen posters on here suggesting that the Hex is dead.

Yes, also in 40+ years of climbing, I've hardly ever relied on a hex's camming action. If I need that I'll prefer to use a cam, but I've regularly used hexes sideways on or twisted in pockets.

Martin

In reply to Martin Hore:

Sheesh you guys are hard to please! I think the video is great because it's short and to the point - when teaching novices you don't want to over-complicate matters or give out information in too big a lump. The video is clear as is the commentary. Maybe you grizzled veterans aren't the target audience?

As for the camming aspect of hexes, this is an important feature which probably isn't intuitive to most new users, whilst I'd argue most people could figure out sideways placements for themselves. My climbing only spans a miserly 28 years but I reckon the majority of times I use a hex it is in a position where the camming action is providing some benefit.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Can we please sack off the punter chat and get information on some important issues? There are millions of people in the world that don't know how to use tri-cams.

In reply to UKC Articles:

One look at that hex and I was thinking 'bomber'. You can't beat a good hex.

In reply to Martin Hore:


I find it immensely satisfying when it works though. Usually in a nasty flaring horizontal break on Dartmoor granite; at least bomber as a cam but without worrying about bending the stem...

In reply to Rick Graham:

There was also no advice about their offensive capability against sea-cliff wildlife and boulderers.

In reply to UKC Articles:

I thought this was rather poor. You could probably have placed hex both ways in that crack, to demonstrate both faces, never mind a smaller one placed sideways, for a third placement option!

Come on you guys, you're better than that!!

Sorry

Stuart

In reply to danm:

The camming action of a hex is always providing some benefit simply due to its design.
This video is a good starting point but I reckon anyone who wants to get on a bit of rock with hexes would be able to work the basic thing about sliding the piece into the crack. The best part of the video is the bit about setting it. I agree with Rick Graham that it would have been good to at least demonstrate the versatility of hexes by virtue of their range of placements.