It's hard to imagine that this simple re-working of the humble Hex could have caught on so well, but these superb units are now a mainstay on everyone's rack.
ROCKCENTRIC on DYNEEMA - SIZE 4
Rockcentrics were one of Mark Vallance's last creations and have created a fitting legacy and testimony to his foresight that it is sometimes the simplest steps forward that make the biggest impact. This was a simple step that no-one had taken but which had a dramatic effect. And obviously, with Wild Country being the company that replaced original flat-sided nuts with the curved Rocks it seemed the logical step to do the same with these.
A best seller from day one, the Rockcentric's success can be attributed to the combination of: curved sides seating much more effectively than the flat sided nuts, the all-around ease of placement or removal and the light weight compared to the original Hex.
As people replaced these old Hexes on their racks, they noticed the other big plus point for the Rockcentric was its versatility, in that one nut can provide four placement modes. And as of two of these were 'camming style placements', they made an effective starter tool for those who couldn't afford or weren't confident using cams.
As well as this, the fact that Rockcentrics were on pre-sewn 12mm Dynnema meant confidence in their rating of 12kn compared to threading up Hexes with rope of indeterminable strength.
This Dyneema also meant flexibility, it would go over edges better and generally didn't need lengthening. This allowed a single krab to be used rather than a QD reducing the overall weight of the climber's rack.
Now Anodised for ease of selection (and colour coordinated with the Friend and Rocks range) there isn't really a rack which Rockcentrics don't suit, from the eager beginner, to the gnarliest winter freak, to the trad climber wanting to push the boat out with less weight on the their rack.
Finally, Rockcentrics are easy to select, easy to place, and their place amongst the best selling kit of all time is testament to their enduring usefulness.
Wild Country: At the Cutting Edge of Climbing
Wild Country have been at the cutting edge of climbing for 35 years.
Ever since the Friend was invented by U.S. climber Ray Jardine – who found a manufacturer in like-minded British-based enthusiast Mark Vallance – Wild Country have gone from strength to strength by creating the highest-quality rock climbing hardware on the planet.
Born in a tiny factory in the heart of the Peak district in 1977, Wild Country have been building their success on the back of the climbing world’s best Friend – shortly followed by their renowned Rock – ever since.
Their name is now synonymous with hard climbing, with higher safety margins and ease of placement top of their agenda.
Ray Jardine’s simple cam concept had been six years in the making before taking off on BBC’s Tomorrow’s World programme.
Just two years later they launched the Rock, the first ever curved nut which has become what is probably the best-selling piece of climbing equipment of all time.
The success of the Friend and the Rock has turned Wild Country into a legend, revolutionising the climbing world with a host of innovative ideas that have now become the industry standard.