I only own a few of these because I've bootied them, and don't actually use
them. However, I have climbed with them enough to have decided that I really
don't like them as much as Black Diamond Stoppers. (Before I bought my first
set of Stoppers, Aaron and I of course always climbed entirely with his rack,
and his nuts were old Wild Country Rocks that his dad had handed down to him.
Not surprisingly, Will Hobbs also had a set of these, and one or two times
that I climbed with him we used them instead of my Stoppers.) Other than the
fact that they are longer, which obviously makes them less likely to be able
to be placed in some small/tight spots, there's just something about their
shape that I find makes them less user-friendly. I remember being amazed, on
the first two climbs that I did after buying my Stoppers (Dream of Wild
Turkeys and Sour Mash at Red Rocks), how easy and bomb-proof the nut
placements seemed on those routes. I soon decided it wasn't just the
placements, but rather the difference between Stoppers and Rocks, an opinion
that has been reinforced several times since then.
Items:
- Wild Country Rock, #1 (non-anodized)
- Bootied: Sunday, September 19, 2004
Bootied this right at the crux on Braille Book. Its placement didn't seem real
secure to begin with, and it came out easily, so I took it. Upon further
inspection later, I noticed that some of the wires were frayed. I deemed it in
poor condition, and retired it without ever placing it.
- Retired: Sunday, September 19, 2004
Old climbing proverb: Small booty makes good rear-view-mirror decoration.
- Wild Country Rock, #3 (silver)
- Bootied: Sunday, August 16, 2009
I found this just lying on a ledge about 1 pitch up the Long Climb at
Tahquitz. There must be something about this route that just makes gear fly...
a few years ago, I found a #6 stopper lying on a ledge slightly higher up, and
not long after finding this one, I sadly contributed my own #7 stopper for the
next guy to find lying on some ledge (or more likely among the talus at the
base). This nut appears to be in good condition, fairly new, but well-used.
Trying two or three times later in the day to place it and never being too
happy with these placements reminded me that I really just don't like Wild
Country Rocks that much. Also the size of this nut is closest to a #5 or #6
stopper, of which I already have two each. So I'll keep this, but I'll
probably rarely (if ever) carry it on my rack.