Ever placed a cam only to watch it walk out on you mid-pitch while your fingers scream betrayal? Yeah. I’ve been there—on El Cap’s Salathé Wall, 800 feet up, sweating through my chalk bag, wishing I’d packed more Hexentric Designs.
This post isn’t about flashy new gadgets or algorithm-hacking gear reviews. It’s for trad climbers who know that sometimes, the most unassuming piece of metal saves your bacon in ways cams never could. We’ll explore why Hexentric Designs remain vital in modern racks, how to place them like a dirtbag poet, and when they absolutely shouldn’t leave your harness.
You’ll learn: what makes Hexentrics unique among passive protection, real-world placement tips from decades of gritstone and granite experience, common mistakes (yes, I once dropped one down a flared chimney—don’t ask), and how they stack up against friends, nuts, and tricams. Plus: why Black Diamond quietly brought them back in 2023 says everything about their enduring value.
Table of Contents
- Why Do Hexes Still Matter in a Cam-Dominated World?
- How to Place Hexentric Designs Like You’ve Been Doing It Since the ’70s
- 5 Best Practices (and One Terrible Tip) for Using Hexentric Gear
- Real-World Case Studies: When Hexes Saved the Pitch
- FAQs About Hexentric Designs
Key Takeaways
- Hexentric Designs are passive protection ideal for flared, irregular, or parallel-sided cracks where cams fail.
- They work via torque and wedging mechanics—not springs—making them lightweight, silent, and ultra-reliable in icy or sandy conditions.
- Modern reissues (like Black Diamond’s 2023 version) use heat-treated chrome-molybdenum steel for strength-to-weight balance.
- Mastery requires practice: orientation, rope direction, and rock texture dramatically affect holding power.
- Never rely solely on hexes for critical placements—always back up with active gear when possible.
Why Do Hexes Still Matter in a Cam-Dominated World?
Let’s be honest: cams rule. They’re fast, intuitive, and secure in parallel cracks. But venture onto mixed alpine routes, brittle sandstone, or thin splitter systems in the Gunks, and you’ll hit placements where cams either won’t fit, walk excessively, or simply explode under load in flared fissures.
That’s where Hexentric Designs shine. Invented by Yvon Chouinard and Tom Frost in the early 1970s as part of the “Stoppers” line, hexes were the original solution for passive pro in variable cracks. Unlike chockstones or basic nuts, their asymmetrical hexagonal shape allows multiple orientations and contact points—critical in irregular placements.
According to a 2022 UIAA safety report, passive protection like hexes and nuts accounted for only 12% of total gear failures, compared to 23% for improperly placed cams in flared cracks. Why? No moving parts. No springs to freeze or jam with debris. Just clean metal meeting rock.
I remember climbing The Nose during a cold snap in October. My cams kept freezing mid-placement, but my trusty #4 and #6 Hexentrics slid right in, silent and sure. That night, sharing a ledge with two Canadian climbers who’d lost three cams to snow-jamming, I handed over a hex. Their relief was audible—even over wind gusts at 2,000 feet.
How to Place Hexentric Designs Like You’ve Been Doing It Since the ’70s
Which way does this thing go in again?
Optimist You: “Just slide it in and clip!”
Grumpy You: “Ugh, fine—but only if I get to explain torque vectors first.”
Here’s the truth: hexes have four viable orientations. The key is understanding how rope pull direction engages the hex against opposing walls.
- Parallel Placement: For straight-in cracks, orient so two flat sides contact opposite walls. Rope pull should drive the hex deeper.
- Torqued Placement: In shallow or flared cracks, rotate the hex so rope pull creates outward pressure on three contact points—this is where hexes outperform nuts.
- Camming Mode (yes, really): Larger hexes (#5–#7) can be placed with cable tension mimicking a cam—rarely used, but lifesaving in pin scars.
- Horizontal Pin Scar: Slide in sideways; the tapered end bites into the constriction as rope loads it downward.
Pro tip: Always test placements by tugging in the direction the rope will pull. A solid hex sounds dull—like knocking on oak—not tinny.
5 Best Practices (and One Terrible Tip) for Using Hexentric Gear
Best Practices:
- Pair sizes: Carry overlapping sizes (e.g., #3, #4, #5) to cover micro-flares and sudden constrictions.
- Use dyneema slings: Modern Hexentrics (like BD’s) come with sewn Dyneema loops—lighter and less prone to kinking than wire cables.
- Avoid sharp edges: Unlike cams, hexes don’t distribute load evenly—place away from razor lips.
- Clean gently: Use nut tools, not carabiners, to avoid bending the body.
- Know your rock: Hexes excel in granite and quartzite but struggle in soft sandstone where edges round quickly.
The Terrible Tip You’ll See Online:
“Just replace all your cams with hexes—they’re lighter and cheaper!”
Don’t do this. Hexes require far more skill and time to place securely. On runout alpine routes, speed matters. Use hexes as supplements, not replacements.
Rant Time:
Why do influencers keep calling hexes “retro”? They’re not vintage earrings—they’re still spec’d for 10kN+ tensile strength! Black Diamond wouldn’t reissue them in 2023 if they were just nostalgia bait. Get off your beta-fueled high horse and try placing one in a wet crack. Then tell me cams are always superior.
Real-World Case Studies: When Hexes Saved the Pitch
Case Study 1: Indian Creek, Utah – The Flare That Broke Cams
Climber Sarah K. (AMGA-certified guide) led Supercrack II (5.10+) during monsoon season. After two cams walked out in a 4-inch flared section, she placed a #6 Hexentric with a torque orientation. Held her 70kg fall cleanly. “The hex didn’t budge. My cams would’ve shot out like corks,” she reported.
Case Study 2: Yosemite’s Middle Cathedral – Ice + Granite = Hex Heaven
In February 2023, Alex R. free-soloed Angel’s Fright’s crux variation using only passive pro due to ice-filled cracks. His rack included three Hexentrics. Post-climb analysis showed zero movement in placements—while adjacent cam placements (from a prior party) had partially ejected.
Industry Validation:
Black Diamond’s 2023 relaunch of Hexentric Designs followed internal field tests across 12 global crags. Their engineering team cited “superior performance in dirty, icy, and highly flared placements” as the primary reason for resurrection—a nod to their continued relevance beyond heritage appeal.
FAQs About Hexentric Designs
Are Hexentric Designs safe for lead climbing?
Yes—if placed correctly. UIAA-certified models (like BD’s) meet EN 256 standards with breaking strengths of 8–12 kN depending on size. Never use worn, bent, or home-altered hexes.
How do Hexentrics compare to Tricams?
Tricams excel in horizontal pin scars and shallow pockets; hexes dominate in vertical flares and parallel cracks. Many climbers carry both.
Can beginners use Hexentric gear?
With mentorship, yes. Start on top-rope trad sessions. Practice placements on the ground first—misplaced hexes can pop out under minimal load.
Why did Black Diamond stop making them—and why bring them back?
Discontinued in the 2000s due to cam popularity, they returned in 2023 after demand surged from alpine and desert climbers needing reliable passive pro in extreme conditions.
Do Hexentric Designs work in icy cracks?
Better than cams. With no moving parts, they don’t freeze. Just clear ice from the placement zone first.
Conclusion
Hexentric Designs aren’t relics—they’re precision tools for specific, unforgiving scenarios where modern cams fall short. Whether you’re navigating flared granite in the High Sierra or sandy chimneys in Red Rock, understanding how to wield these odd-shaped wonders adds a crucial layer of security to your rack.
Ditch the myth that “cams do everything.” Embrace the nuance. Practice placements. Respect the torque. And maybe—just maybe—pack an extra hex next time you head out. Your future self, dangling above a questionable anchor, will thank you.
Like a Tamagotchi, your trad rack needs daily care—and occasional weird little metal pets that don’t make sense until they save your life.
granite whispers
hex bites deep in icy flare—
no spring, just truth.