UKH

In reply to UKC Gear: You don't sound like you found them that great... I personally now don't leave home for winter crags without them - they are the dogs danglies for winter and help you get the most bizare placements which would just never work with anything else. Which is useful when you're run out and slowly going blind with terror However I think you ambivalence probably stems from only trying them on Granite - why would you bother with a tricam when you have splitter cracks and could just stuff a cam in? I shouldkeep them and deploy them in specific circumstances...

In reply to mike kann: What sizes do you have Mike? I only tested up to green. I did think that for winter climbing some of the slightly bigger ones would be good complements to or replacements for hexes in the mid ranges.

You're probably right thought that granite isn't the best rock for them as I didn't find many places where they worked where nothing else would - but in pocketed rock I could see that being the case.

In reply to TobyA:


I have used them a bit in the past, but couldn't get on with trying to cam them one handed when rapidly getting pumped - a right fiddle, at least when compared to 'plugging in a unit'.
Doubtless they will fit where other gear won't but that could be said for any random shaped bit of metal!

Chris

In reply to TobyA: I think exactly what you tested actually. They do get fiddly in the smaller sizes but in winter you can use the pick of your axe to remove and place them. I would go so far as to say they are more useful than hexes... I still carry hexes aswell but tricams are great for (waitfor it) splitter granite cracks, when they're iced and a hex won't do and a cam would be death on a stick... Funnily enough I'd say carrying them in the summer I'd not bother with most of the time unless you're on particularly break loaded rock or you are mountaineering and just want a super light rack... Your piccy of youtricam belay amused me though - looks exactly like the one I put in on Left Twin

In reply to TobyA:



They are used in the Gunks, NY a lot - probably due to the many horizontal breaks on that type of granite.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Quartzite Mick, not granite.

In reply to John2:

Woops. Looks and feels like granite - very white though. Standing proud on those ridges above New Paltz .

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: I was reminded of Tremadog by the big rectangular blocks. Nice rock.

In reply to mike kann: Looked at mine - I've got 1-4 in wholesizes...

In reply to UKC Gear:
Always (!) extend your tricams!

In reply to UKC Gear:

from your review...Many particularly recommend them for pocketed rock where they will fit placements where nothing else does...

I have a set of Wild country super rocks that work just as well in pockets, the only thing that the tri-cams have over the super rocks in this situation is that if you're not careful or don't extend the super rocks with a long anough extende they could lift out. But as for the camming action, they're superb..