Firstly - apologies for my ramblings!
I've enjoyed reading through the thread started by Basemetal looking at his winter kit. One thing it has bought to light for me is the amount of rack I carry. So, for those who know, is this too much / about right?
For context I have climbed quite a lot as a weekend warrior over the years. I can usually climb IV 5 any day, V 5 / V 6 most days, VI 6 on good days, VI 7 on very good days (I've led 3 or 4) and VII 7 when everything is going amazingly (I've climbed one having had a good run up of routes.) So, if I'm leading a V 6 mixed route in less than ideal conditions / weather, I'm actually probably getting quite close to my limit although I've led a couple of notches higher than this. Bearing in mind that this may happen most times I go out I've always thought it better to take a bit too much rack and live with the weight, than save weight on gear and chance getting properly run out. With all this in mind, is my mixed rack too big? -
- Up to 16 light weight quickdraws of various lengths, some being short slings trebled up and a couple with revolver crabs on one end. (I've always thought these are pretty light and pitches tend to be longer in winter. I've got close to getting through / got through all of these on some pitches)
- 2 x sets of walnuts 1 - 9 plus a single 10 and a single 11 (on three crabs)
- Dragon cams 00 - 5, and an old friend 00 (8 cams in total)
- BD wired hexes 8, 9, 10 & 11
- three pegs - blade, small lost arrow and small angle
- 1 x Bulldog, 1 x terrier
- Belay plate with screw gate
- 3 x screw gates
- 2 x longer slings
I add more hooks / warthogs if I think things are going to be supper turfy, (some Southern Highlands venues) and wont take the pegs if they are popular routes - Northern Corries for example. If its Ben style icy mixed I'll take some short screws, leave out the hex 11 and thin the cams down so I'm carrying 4 or 5.
(Not that it's what I've asked, but my Ben Nevis style ice routes rack is usually eight quickdraws, ten screws, pegs, one set of walnuts, one hook, three hexes and three cams.)
And as an additional sub question I aspire to do some bigger mixed routes a long way from the road (think Mitre Ridge) where weight will be an issue. For those who have done these sort of routes what would you leave out?
Thoughts welcome!