UKH

Hi what protection do you find you carry and use most,im talking about winter mid grade climbs.If the coming winter happensthat is.

In reply to blackcat:

Screws, Handful of (vintage) warthogs and pegs, set of offsets and a full rack of tricams.... or if 14/15's winter was as disappointing as 13/14's... durex.

In reply to mmmhumous:


I would love to see the look on your climbing partner's face when the route's not in and you suggest an *alternative* activity....

Martin

In reply to blackcat:

wires and hexs. carry 3 thin pegs usually a bulldog often a warthog too. but 80% of belays and as much as possible of runners are conventional rock gear.

take the time to dig dig dig. strong stance (dig dig dig). well equalised and all good in direction of pull.

warthogs, bulldogs and ice screws are all in the not ideal category.

In reply to blackcat:Cheers guys

In reply to mmmhumous:Lol all i did last year in britain like most was become fixated with the news/weather, though lucy verisamy always cheers me up

In reply to blackcat:


Depends on location and conditions. Mostly rock gear for the Cairngorms - including cams, with the obvious proviso that the cracks are dry enough to place them, maybe a bulldog if it's cold enough ( I don't use warthogs ).

5 or 6 screws for ice, I have a 22cm for abakalovs but would only carry it on a long ice route.

Maybe a peg or two for the hell of it.

Alpine draws are the order of the day for winter, probably 6-8 depending on the length of the route.

In reply to blackcat:
All the stuff you buy as a newbie before you graduate to cams and micros come into their own in winter: torque nuts, hexes, set of wires, tricams, slingdraws plus the winter-specific stuff like pegs, 'hogs and screws. Two to four of the latter in small to medium sizes suffices until higher grades, buy second hand or after winter.

In reply to blackcat:

Use wires and hexes followed by cams (not tri-cams...too fiddley for me). And unless I know it is an ice route, will rarely carry more than 2 warthogs and 2/3 ice screws.

Normal rack: set wires, 3 or 4 hexes, 4 cams, 5 pegs, 1 or 2 warthogs, 3 ice screws, lots slings, extenders etc. If I knew it was an icey route, 8 screws minimum. And would carry a deadman if i thought useful (eg on Orion Direct).

In reply to blackcat:
I would second the advice given by BnB.


Torque Nuts

Full Set nuts

Loads of slings

a couple of pegs

Abalakov threader + tat

Depending on route turfy = warthogs, icy = ice screws.

I personally don't take cams in the winter I don't trust them or my placement skills

Andy Kirkpatrick winter rack article here pretty much sums it up for a punter like me.


http://www.andy-kirkpatrick.com/articles/view/winter_rack


Good luck and lets hope for a good winter

cheers

Gaz

In reply to blackcat:

Nuts - doubles in mid sizes for harder mixed.

Hexes - I prefer small hexes over equivalent sized nuts in winter.

Cams - 5 for harder mixed - they don't provide a 'get out of jail free' card like they can do on summer rock but I wouldn't like to climb mixed above V without them. Still plenty of times when you can find bomber placements for them.

120 slings - I only carry 1 in summer but take 3 in winter as threads/spikes seem more in abundance.

Pegs - On well travelled mixed I wouldn't bother taking any to be honest, there will most likely be in-situ ones anyway. For a venue like Meagaidh i'd probably take 2 or 3 (knife blades are the only ones i've ever actually placed)

Screws - obviously on ice routes only although I'd take a stubby for late season mixed. 8 is probably enough for most gully style routes, although I took 9 on Poacher's Fall and felt like having 10-12 would have been useful as we belayed off screws on 2 pitches and only had 5 for a 50m pitch.

In reply to CMcBain:


Plenty of slings are useful but I probably wouldn't take that many.

In reply to planetmarshall:

I sometimes take 240 slings too

In reply to blackcat:

Small wired hexes if not already mentioned

In reply to iksander:

Once noticed with interest a local guides rack on the Ben.. consisted entirely of wires, screws and a small selection of wired hexes.(Plus slings, tat, quickdraws)

In reply to CMcBain:

Amateur hour! 400 cordlette are where it's at. Although they do make fig fours slightly tricky: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/29/article-1223911-0701387B000005DC-...

In reply to blackcat:
In the Cairngorms, for mixed and easy snow gullies, big slings and hexes on dyneema cord.

In reply to blackcat:
About two-thirds as much as many other current climbers seem to carry and what many are suggesting here.

Slings, medium wires and mid-size hexes.

I'd strongly suggest ordering a copy of Martin Moran's Scottish Winter Mountains online. Second hand copies are easily available for a few quid and amongst loads of other amazing advice and information he gives some brilliant advice on what gear to take on different grades and styles of route.