In reply to tobyfk:
> For sure you can get Tricams and hexes to hold their own bodyweight in a vertical parallel-sided cracks. But that doesn't make them reliable.
In my still somewhat limited experience of tricams I'm amazed at how totally resistant to being 'un-cocked' they are by rope movement. The ones I tried had these short stiff old school nylon slings that are semi rigid. These seemed like a totally bad idea, but the more I used them the more it seems that they never release once pulled into the caming position.
I will try and test your theory with the torque nuts when I get out next and see if I can shake them out of horizontal cammed placements. With vertical parallel cracks (lets say of the British grit type - I don't reckon many people will be trying Supercrack with a rack of torques) I guess they are more likely to stay in those sort of placements than a old type hex - so although they might not be "perfect" there, I suppose the Torque nuts will be "better".
I do see your point, but I think anyone who thinks like will very quickly be dissuade of that idea when they first try to place one in a parallel crack. They simply aren't as good as cams for that.
On the other hand I've done quite a few routes in recent years - mainly in the easier grades - where I haven't had hexes of any type and have had to place cams in vertical widening cracks where there is a real danger of them walking up past they max expansion range. That clearly isn't great either - and I remember thinking - "bollocks - I could do with some hexes here".
When did you last place a hex anyway? When we were in Norway?