[slackline]

Recently lost a WC #7 nut from my rack and have just got a nice, non-shiny anodised replacement.

Now I've had a couple of anodised nuts on my rack for a while (1 x crag-swag, 1 x replacement from friend who dropped a nut and lost it) and have to say I can't stand them.

Who's idea was it to switch from nice clear colour tags on the plastic encasing the wire closure for quick selection of the correct nut to this poncey, waste of money, anodising that is only semi-permanent.

The two that I've had for ages were blue and grey respectively, unfortunately they are now both approaching grey and it takes longer to select the correct nut as you (I) have to spend time actually reading what is written on the plastic that encases the wire closure, and I find this very annoying. Far far far easier to identify the correct nut on the older plastic coloured ones, and no doubt far cheaper to produce than the process of anodising all the nuts.

Unfortunately even the sets of "Classic Nuts" have been ruined too.  Whilst the nuts themselves haven't been anodised the plastic encasing is grey on all of the nuts and its only the small writing telling you the size of the nut that is colour coded.  Great idea, if I actually wanted to read the size I don't need it coloured in for me as its redundant by that stage.

To my mind things should be functional, and this is clearly a step-backwards. 

I guess the moral is don't loose any more nuts!

Rant over.

[webbo]

but its not a bad idea to try and get people to replace their nuts more often.what would be even better if they told you the more the colour fades the weaker the nut.

[dave]

they brought anodising in because it looks flashier in the shop and hence sells more gear to people with too much disposable income than sense. mainly people on crocktalk who're convinced that having anodised nuts will make the crucial difference between leading a long ledge lakes mountain HS and a MVS.

[SA Chris]

Anodising does actually put a thin hardened coat on aluminium, thus (temporaily) increasing wear and corrosion resistance. I only have the 11-15 sized in anodised, and really like them. A lot of my rocks are so used that the colour coding on the swages is invisible, but I caneasily recognise their size by looking at how big the head is?

[slackline]

I guess its a case of  (which I knew anyway, but just wanted a quick rant).

Yes you can look at nuts and identify their size from visual inspection but I still find this to be slower than knowing which colour to grab, particularly when in a "hurry" (i.e. pumped/scared/knackered/really need that gear in NOW) situation.

[Norton Sharley]

I guess its a case of  (which I knew anyway, but just wanted a quick rant).

Yes you can look at nuts and identify their size from visual inspection but I still find this to be slower than knowing which colour to grab, particularly when in a "hurry" (i.e. pumped/scared/knackered/really need that gear in NOW) situation.

When I were a lad they were all t'same colour.  What's with this new fangled colour coding of the sheaths then?

I only have the 11-15 sized in anodised, and really like them.

Shouldn't you be on UKC using those size nuts?   

[SA Chris]

I am. I do mountain routes and sea cliffs and find them useful? Where's the problem? You too cool for trad?

[Fiend]

Nah he's got a point, size 11-15 nuts are pretty bollox....











....small / medium hexes are more versatile at that size range, I reckon.

[galpinos]

Nah he's got a point, size 11-15 nuts are pretty bollox....


....small / medium hexes are more versatile at that size range, I reckon.

I was just about to say the same. Hexes above 10.

[SA Chris]

Can't believe we having this discussion here but I, personally, much prefer them to hexes.

[galpinos]

Fortunatly, as both exist, everyone can just buy the ones they prefer, be it nuts or hexes! 

[luckyjez]

As i worked for Wild Country for more than 2 years, hopefully i can add some facts to this discussion. The main intention of the coloured anodising was to make size selection easier across the entire range of protection (Rocks/Wallnuts, Rockcentrics and Friends/Zeros/DMM 4CU's) i.e a size 2 Friend, and the Rock /Rockcentric of the same basic size, are all Red. Obviously anodising is temporary (on a geological scale), however it will last on the sides, top, base and inside of the nut more than long enough to make the nut identifiable.
The labelling on the Classic Rock was changed because it was uneconomic to make different labels for the 2 styles of Rocks and as the new style sell a lot more, the Classics had to change. Of course the changes were also motivated by the desire to sell more products - that's the point of a business.    

[slackline]

As i worked for Wild Country for more than 2 years, hopefully i can add some facts to this discussion. The main intention of the coloured anodising was to make size selection easier across the entire range of protection (Rocks/Wallnuts, Rockcentrics and Friends/Zeros/DMM 4CU's) i.e a size 2 Friend, and the Rock /Rockcentric of the same basic size, are all Red. Obviously anodising is temporary (on a geological scale), however it will last on the sides, top, base and inside of the nut more than long enough to make the nut identifiable.
The labelling on the Classic Rock was changed because it was uneconomic to make different labels for the 2 styles of Rocks and as the new style sell a lot more, the Classics had to change. Of course the changes were also motivated by the desire to sell more products - that's the point of a business.   

Fair enough on the business front, and a case can be made for standardising across the range/persistence of colour on some parts of nuts/spend time reading the size/identify size through looking at the nut, but I would still argue that the colour coded labels are the easiest and quickest means of identifying the correct size once you've learnt which colour is which.

Shame profit has in this instance has over shadowed functionality (in my opinion).

Hadn't noticed that the colours were universal across products, but then thats probably 'cause I've mainly got DMM cams 

[milksnake]

I hav'nt climed alot of trad but what is the point of colour coding gear? it's not like they they colour the cracks you stuff them in. on the few occasions I have climbed trad, i organised my (borrowed) rack in groups by size and just grabbed a carabiner with roughly the right sized stuff on it and then compared them all with the placement. can you actually see a placement and say to yourself "ah, thats a number 2 cam placement right there"/

[slackline]

can you actually see a placement and say to yourself "ah, thats a number 2 cam placement right there"/

Yep, and the coding then makes it quicker to get the right piece first time.  I too have my gear racked up in a certain order to aid this further (wires & small nuts one one crab, larger nuts on a second and hexes on a third, then cams racked in size order, draws racked in length order).

Sometimes my judgement is off, but it improves the more regularly I climb.

[butters]

...but I would still argue that the colour coded labels are the easiest and quickest means of identifying the correct size once you've learnt which colour is which.

I would argue the opposite to be honest but that is probably because I have predominantly anodized gear on my rack so that is what I am used to - a size 4 nut is gold, size 5 is blue etc. it's just that I look at what remains of the original anodizing and work with that instead of the label.

As for Size 10 and above - hexes are king in those sizes in my opinion as they just work better.

Lastly while I loosely comprehend the fact that the colour coding on cams represents its equivalent sizing in nuts\hexes it has never been the case where I associate the two.

bluebrad

[slackline]

I would argue the opposite to be honest but that is probably because I have predominantly anodized gear on my rack so that is what I am used to - a size 4 nut is gold, size 5 is blue etc. it's just that I look at what remains of the original anodizing and work with that instead of the label.

I guess to an extent its horses for courses, and I have predominantly the older un-anodised nuts on my rack hence my preference.  Its the "what remains of the original anodising" that I find awkward, and over time thats going to become less and less.

[SA Chris]

Nah, google it. I seem to remember anodising involves submerging the aluminium in acid and running a current through it, which causes a hardened layer to form, which can then be dyed. I guess that spent acid is unenvironmental to dispose of?

[slackline]

Think it depends which process is being used, see Wikipedia - Anodising : Environmental Impact, so the question as to whether its environmentally unsound hinges on whether organic anodising is used on climbing equipment.