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We took nuts and stoppers from DMM, CAMP, Metolius, and Black Diamond and put them to the test
While some nuts are more expensive than other similar designs, they can be worth their purchase price as can offer a valuable size to complete the set.
Our climbing experts have been testing the best climbing nuts and stoppers for over 10 years and over 15 different sets. In this update, we purchased 7 of the best sets and slid them into cracks of all sizes across the United States. We tested each through a wide range of fissures, scar pins, parallel-sided cracks, around blocks, and the like. We used each while ascending wind-blown alpine summits and free climbing sunny cracks in the Valley. After carefully inspecting and testing each set, we gave each an objective performance score. Our recommendations are here to help you find the best nuts and stoppers while saving time at the computer and keeping more money in your wallet.
Work where cams just don't, fit in tight spots well, secondary axis taper good for more traditional placements, works great in more textured rock
The easiest to clean, two placement orientations adding versatility, price is nice, ribbed faces can increase purchase on more textured rock
Fits irregular rock well, lightweight
Durable, excels in pins scars, lightweight
Very useful range of sizes, anodized heads, durable, affordable
Excellent in micro pin scars and flares, good head shape for textured rock, soft metal increases integrity of placements, low profile swage, stiff cables make placing them easier
Great for pin scars and flaring cracks, versatile for other orientations, durable, great performance in textured rock
Cons
Harder to clean, less ideal in more parallel-sided cracks, expensive, no smaller sizes in this line
Set includes the most common but not all sizes, cables kink, don't work as well in flared cracks
Cables can get kinked, no smaller sizes, difficult to clean
Metal is not as soft giving them less bite in marginal placements
Not as useful in flaring placements and pin scars
Hard to clean, brass head material less durable, not for everyday climbing, fixed cables make the wire more prone to kinking, expensive
More expensive, not the best for parallel cracks, more difficult to clean than regular stoppers
Bottom Line
If you are an all-around trad climber these are the nuts to have; even if you already own a set of more traditional nuts you'll find yourself reaching for these more frequently
A solid nut that's easy to clean and performs well in more parallel sized crack, but isn't quite a versatile stand-alone set
While these nuts are difficult to clean and offer a limited size range, they perform best on irregular and textured cracks
A pin scar wizard, this nut is a great choice for those focused on aid climbing
Though not the best choice for flaring cracks and pin scars, these versatile nuts come in a variety of sizes and are easier to clean than brassys or offset nuts
These tried-and-true micro-sized pieces of protection are hard to beat for aid climbs, big walls, or any other free climb that requires serious protection
These offsets are a great choice for those planning to climb primarily on granite and especially in places that feature pin scars and flaring cracks
Work great in pin scars, flares, or other spots where cams don't work
Recessed wires on the top help them fit in tight spots
Works well along secondary axes for more versatility
One of the better options for textured or large-grained rock
CONS
Cables not super durable
Limited size range
Hader to clean than traditionally tapered nuts
Don't work as well in more parallel-sided cracks
The DMM Alloy Offset nuts are unmatched in ranking because of their overall versatility and how bomber they are in places where other pieces of protection might hold body weight only. The Alloy Offsets are designed to fit in old pin scars and small flares, and they are by far our favorite for these types of placements. This is another reason why the current cam-first generation has transitioned to offset models over more traditionally shaped curved options. Small cams have vastly improved over the years, and most climbers place far more cams than nuts on any given pitch. As a result, climbers tend only to place nuts where cams don't fit, and for this purpose, offset nuts work far better than traditionally shaped models. They also work well in a variety of rock types. With a groove cut on each side, they fit irregular or larger grained rock just as easily as smooth stone.
The DMM Alloy Offsets are okay in more parallel-sided cracks but aren't as good as traditionally-shaped curved models. Their biggest disadvantage is that they're only offered in limited size sets, meaning you need to couple them with another set with smaller sizes to have a complete collection - we recommend the DMM Peenut. While we think they are worth every penny, these nuts are one of the spendier aluminum models in our review.
At first glance, the limited size range of the DMM Peenut leads you to think they are a niche piece and that you don't need them. We quickly learned this was not the case. These are some of the most heavily used nuts on our rack. While the largest one is considered a small nut to most, they pair perfectly with the larger DMM Alloy Offsets. Any smaller options are micro-sized pieces that are usually only found on aid racks or placed on very scary technical leads. Other smaller options aren't as strong and might be hard to trust comparatively. We found the size run of the Peenuts to strike a nice balance of having the sizes most used by the majority of trad climbers while maintaining strength and durability. While their aluminum heads don't “bite” as well as brass models, they are way more durable. Also, their cables kink far less than brass nuts because the cables aren't swaged in the head.
The drawback is they need to be paired with a larger nut to make a full-size run for most trad climbs. That said, we found these were the absolute best-performing smaller aluminum nuts regarding durability and strength. We would recommend brass nuts for most aid routes, like the DMM HB Brass Offsets, but we love bringing these on El Cap routes because they're so tough. Their narrow aluminum heads open your eyes to the places they fit, which trad climbers at any level appreciate.
Soft metal deforms to rock, increasing the integrity of placements
Low profile swage lets them squeeze into tight spots
Stiff cables make placing them easier
CONS
Hard to clean
Brass is less durable
Not for everyday climbing
Cables fixed in the head make wires prone to kinking
Expensive
Tiny brass climbing nuts are considered mandatory for any thinly protected route, from steep El Cap aid lines to Eldorado Canyon sketch-fests, and the DMM HB Brass Offsets are our review team's pick for the best micro nut. Like their aluminum counterparts, they are the most updated version of a tried and true classic. They come in micro sizes, and the large “scope” in the side of their heads accommodate more textured and larger-grained rock nicely. The cables are swaged into the head, minimizing extra material and allowing them to slot into the tightest of spaces.
Their brass heads are softer than aluminum models, which have pluses and minuses. On the plus side, the softer brass metal deforms to the rock, facilitating better bite that hopefully translates into better holding power - and something we certainly appreciate in these smaller sizes. The downside is the soft heads get beat up faster and are consistently harder to clean. Their thin cables also require extra care and kink more readily if you clean them carelessly. However, we found the CAMP USA Pro Nut to hold up a bit more.
Two well-designed orientations make it very versatile
Reasonably priced
Ribbed faces add better “bite” in textured rocks
Durable heads
CONS
Pin scar performance is low
Set includes the most common sizes but isn't quite a stand-alone size run
Cables kink easier than others
Walks easily
The CAMP USA Pro Nut are a new take on an old design. They've taken a classic curved nut, slightly increased the curve and taper, and added grooves/ribs onto the main face for better “bite”. While we didn't find that the ribs help significantly, they certainly don't detract from the Pro Nut's holding power, and in more featured rock, may provide for a slightly better bite. These nuts offer even more curve than most, helping make them one of the most stable nuts out there. The heavily curved design facilitates always having three points of contact on the rock instead of two, which is inherently more stable. CAMP also rounded the heads more than most models, which makes them the easiest model to clean, which can be appreciated by anyone cleaning the pitch, especially a new climber.
The cables of this model are worth noting. They are slightly lower gauge than other options we tested, relative to their size, which has advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side, it's lighter and more flexible, so they are less likely to pull out due to rope drag while you are leading a pitch. The biggest downside is the cables are marginally more prone to kinking than other options, but not enough to take away from their overall performance. The other drawback is their size run; though this set includes seven commonly used sizes, it's not quite enough to be a stand-alone set. We think this run is great for alpine climbing or complementing other nuts you may already have on your rack, but may be lacking somewhat for an all-around trad rack on their own.
The Metolius Ultralight Curve Nut are among the lightest nuts we tested. The cables are embedded in the nut head, eliminating a swage and some cable, a technique mostly reserved for brass nuts. This makes these nuts lighter and less bulky, but it also makes their cables more prone to getting kinked. However, we aren't particularly worried because their cables are noticeably thicker (and thus more durable) than the typical brass nut.
The unique aspect of these climbing nuts is their double offset design. Their double-curved faces are great in irregular cracks and are extremely stable when placed since they always have three points of contact regardless of orientation. Unfortunately, they are also more prone to getting fixed and stuck, and they're just generally harder to clean, usually requiring a nut tool and some patience. If you are in the market for some light and versatile pieces to add to your rack, we think you should consider the Metolius Ultralight Curve Nut.
Two well-designed orientations add to their versatility
CONS
Poor pin scar performance
Less useful in moderately tapered cracks
Walk easily
The Black Diamond Stopper is one of the oldest designs around. They are so ingrained in climbing history that many people refer to all climbing nuts as “stoppers”. Their time-tested design is very durable and easy to clean. You can easily slide the cable through the nut head, which is handy if you have to loop these over a bolt with a missing hanger. We like both of the orientations that this nut can be placed in, adding to its overall versatility.
That said, there is a reason why most other nut shapes have evolved so much; the basic design of the BD Stopper does not perform well in pin scars or irregular cracks. They work in parallel-sided cracks, but as today's climbers end up protecting any given pitch with mostly cams, they will benefit from a nut that works better in places where cams won't. They are easy to clean, but we also found rope drag causes them to walk and pop out more easily. We think you can buy better, more complementary nuts for the current cam-first generation.
Showing the Profile of a #11 Black Diamond Stopper
Credit: Ian Nicholson
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Why Trust GearLab
We always kick off each testing season with extensive research on each product that we are reviewing. We searched the market to determine the top-performing nuts or stoppers before purchasing seven different sets for this category. In order to properly evaluate the individual performance of each stopper set, we climbed in a variety of locations. From the smooth glacial polished stone in Yosemite Valley to the textured rock found in Joshua Tree National Park, we carefully noted the designs that allowed for the best placements in flared cracks and pin scars, parallel cracks, those that were more difficult to clean and those that would be best for body weight placements only. Throughout testing, we took several falls, noting which wires were able to withhold their original shape or those that started to curve in the direction of fall. Finally, we gave a little extra credit to those designs that could be utilized in other orientations, offering a touch more versatility than the traditional placement.
From high on El Capitan to Eldorado Canyon to Joshua Tree, our testers had tons of fun evaluating the various stopper designs in order to identify the best application for each individual shape.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Our climbing nut testing is divided across six rating metrics:
Flared Cracks and Pin Scars (25% of total score weighting)
Ian is internationally licensed by IFMGA/UIAGM and has spent over 3,000 days guiding in the European Alps and the Pacific Northwest. Ian has guided over 1,000 clients, many of whom he has assisted in selecting gear for climbing, backpacking, and ski trips. Next up is the founder of OutdoorGearLab Chris McNamara, who holds countless ascents and several speed records on El Capitan. Bringing several years of climbing experience to the category is Trish Matheny who is a current member of Yosemite Search and Rescue. Spending most of the year in the park, Trish has a plenty of opportunities to carefully evaluate stopper placements, whether pushing routes on El Cap or hoping for the best in Tuolummne Meadows.
Our testing team evaluated each stopper set in a variety of locations in order to determine the best application for each individual set.
Analysis and Test Results
This review focuses on climbing nuts used for protecting traditional free climbing routes as well as for aid and big wall routes. We tested all of the products in our review in a variety of rock types in places like Squamish, Eldorado Canyon, Yosemite Valley, the North Cascades, Smith Rocks, Red Rock, Joshua Tree, Zion, and more.
To offer the best recommendations, we've compared these climbing stoppers side by side so that we can evaluate each set based on six separate grading metrics. We found that offset stoppers can often provide the best placements in flaring cracks and pin scars, while more traditional designs offer better placements in parallel-sided cracks. We noted which designs were easiest to clean and those than performed best in textured rock. In the articles below, you'll find more insight into our testing parameters in addition to how to select the best nut for your future climbing objectives.
The pitches just below the boulder problem on the Salathe sure had a lot of nut placements, and dare we say that we were grateful not to test any of them on this particular pitch.
Credit: Vinny Catino
What's the Best Value?
Our testing team realizes that the initial investment for rock climbing can be very expensive, and with that in mind we hope to guide you to the best purchase based on your specific objectives. While sport climbing can be a little easier on the wallet, traditional climbing gear, and even more expensive gear for big walls can really add up. For climbers getting into traditional climbing, there are some critical factors. The size range is important. Having your nuts extend to over one and a quarter inches can be the right way to start on the cheap, using larger nuts to cover sizes some people might cover with cams.
If money isn't an issue, the most common combination for the Yosemite climber is one that covers all of the sizes. Combining the DMM Alloy Offset with the DMM HB Brass Offset sets will get you pretty far in terms of aid climbing and more difficult free climbing. However, you can take it one step further and purchase a single red Black Diamond Offset which is the only size you need in order to cover every size from the smallest brass offset to the largest alloy offset.
Climbing ranger Jonah Durham displays the size range from the largest DMM Brass Offset to the red BD Offset to the smallest DMM Alloy Offset. This combination is clutch for covering every size range available.
Credit: Trish Matheny
With that said, for less money, we still really like the size, versatility, and durability of the Black Diamond Stoppers. These tried and true pieces offer two super useable axes with versatile and easy-to-clean shapes. They are sold in several different-sized sets, meaning you can start with a partial set and fill it in later, or buy the whole thing and double up on the most common sizes.
Some models like the CAMP Pro Nut as seen here offer all the most commonly used sizes but are produced in the very smallest or largest ends of the spectrum meaning you likely have to couple them with another set. This is mostly for specific routes rather than everyday use.
Credit: Ian Nicholson
How Climbing Nuts Work
Before we get into the nitty gritty of each individual stopper set, we thought we'd take the time to explain exactly how the design works when placed correctly into various cracks and fissures. The hold or “bite” of each climbing nut works in slightly different ways, depending on the design and the nature of the crack. They are all, however, considered “passive protection.” This is because they don't press any force, use springs, or apply any mechanical advantage. They are simply set in a crack that constricts to a point smaller than the nut being placed, and (as long as the crack doesn't break), the nut can't fit through. This is different from spring-loaded camming devices, more commonly called cams, which are considered “active protection” because they actively expand into the crack they're placed in and use mechanical advantage to push out on the rock and stay in place.
In the most standard placement of a nut, the head is too big to fit through the crack below the placement. That is why all models have some taper and aren't just a square; instead, they're thinner on the bottom and broader on top. Different amounts of taper allow more or less surface area to contact the rock depending on the crack, which is the key to its holding power. This is a foundational rule of passive protection - the more surface area in contact with the rock, the more secure the hold.
As a crack becomes more parallel or irregular, a curved nut design helps in two ways. First, the curve creates three points of contact (rather than two), which makes the nut more stable and, to a certain extent, allows the nut to cam into place. The second benefit of a curve is that it can potentially allow more surface contact with irregular and textured rock. All climbing nuts have a slightly different curve and taper, with each offering certain advantages and disadvantages. Of course, the magic is in figuring out what nut shape fits the greatest number of cracks that climbers want to use. The answer is complicated, but we'll go through it in our testing metrics below.
How a nut works is simple: simply slot into a crack where the head is too big to fit through the crack below it. This is why all models have some level of taper and aren't just a square. This helps to maximize surface area in a constricting crack, which is the key to holding power.
Credit: Andy Wellman
Nut Shape
Offset Taper
The offset taper is slowly becoming the most popular shape for general-purpose trad climbing. This is a change from years past, where curved nuts were the most popular. Offset models are best for flares and pin scars for which they are specifically designed. This is why offset models are becoming more popular, but it also has to do with cams. Small camming devices have made significant strides over the past decade and are now significantly better and more versatile than they once were. This means most climbers are more likely to carry and use far more cams than nuts on any given pitch.
An “offset” shaped head has become the new most popular shape as they fit in pin scars and small flares far better than a cam would. The “offset part” is instead of a more traditional nut that features a trapezoidal shape they are thinner on one side and wider on the other along two of their axes.
Credit: Ian Nicholson
It's this new cam-first generation of climbers that benefit the most from offset stoppers than in decades past. As most climbers are more likely to place cams anywhere they can, they are better off carrying nuts to fit where few cams will. This tends to be in flared cracks and pin scars where more traditionally shaped models and cams are mediocre but offset models are more appropriate tools.
While there are few “bad” designs, our testers prefer offset models for general purpose trad climbing. Because small cams have gotten so much better, most climbers place far more cams while offset nuts tend to work amazingly where cams just don't. Here Austin Hill sinks a nut on the second pitch of “Thin Air”, Smith Rocks, OR.
Credit: Ian Nicholson
Most offset climbing nuts, like the DMM Alloy Offset, the DMM Peenut, and the Black Diamond Offset don't do as well in more parallel-sided cracks, but that's okay as most people are more likely to place a cam in these places anyway. Offset models are also generally harder to clean because they are asymmetric - they don't want to rotate upwards and instead more frequently have to be backed up.
This photo shows the classic “curved” design, where one of the two primary contact sides has a curve. This helps to accommodate more featured rock and helps maintain three points of contact to make the piece more stable.
Credit: Ian Nicholson
Curved Design
This is still the most common design used today, though offset models are gaining popularity. Their curve allows for three points of contact, giving greater stability to the piece while still letting it clean easily. The curve, which is generally only on one side, also helps the nut to bite even when placed in irregular or highly featured rock. An example of a curved model is the Black Diamond Stopper.
A photo showing a great example of how a curved nut accommodates more featured rock and doesn't need a perfect constriction in order to work effectively. While we slightly prefer offset models we still like more tradionally curved designs.
Credit: Ian Nicholson
Straight Taper
The straight taper has been nearly phased out, but there are still a handful of models with this design. For example, the Frost Works Sentinel Nuts feature a straight taper that was used on hundreds of first ascents throughout North America in the '60s and '70s and still holds well in a classic bottleneck. It is the most straightforward design for checking placement quality. The straight taper is not nearly as stable or versatile in flaring or parallel-sided cracks, though, and doesn't fit as well with irregular rock with sizeable crystals, as it doesn't have any clearance. While they are less versatile, they are still the easiest to clean.
Graham Zimmerman contending with several funky pods that can only be protected by offset nuts on the second pitch of “The Passenger”, Washington Pass, WA.
Credit: Ian Nicholson
Flared Cracks and Pin Scars
After describing how the nut designs work and the various options available, we can now address each of the six testing metrics, the first metric being flaring cracks and pin scars. We did the majority of our testing in Yosemite National Park due to the extensive opportunities on formations from El Capitan to Half Dome to the Manure Pile. Yosemite is also perfect for flaring and irregular crack systems, offering interesting and thought-provoking placements and often requiring a little creativity to properly protect yourself on the pitch. On these pitches, offset nuts are practically worth their weight in gold. They are perfectly tapered to fit old pin scars and are bomber, where a more traditional nut is just marginal and potentially not worth your time to try and place.
For those not familiar, pin scars result when pitons are hammered into the rock. These scars are common in climbing areas throughout North America, from Yosemite to Eldorado Canyon to White Horse and Cathedral Ledge. Smaller pin scars are places where traditional cams don't work very well nor do curved nuts. Offsets, however, are specifically designed for these scars and are frequently bomber in these locations where nothing else will even hold body weight. All the offset models we tested work pretty well in these types of cracks: the DMM Alloy Offset, the Black Diamond Offset Stopper, and for smaller spaces, the DMM Peenuts and DMM Brass Offset. They all fit perfectly in pods and flared crack systems where other nuts are terrible.
Here is a classic example of a crack where offset models are bomber and a more traditional nut would be just mediocre. This is because the crack itself is subtly flared. Because of this, offset models will get more surface contact as they are tapered to fit these types of cracks.
Credit: Ian Nicholson
We love the DMM Peenuts. We appreciate that there's a little more mass to them and that they're easier to clean. However, for aid routes and big walls, it's hard to beat brass models. The DMM Brass Offset are made of brass, which is a softer metal than aluminum and thus deforms to the rock to give you better leverage and connection. This deformation means they aren't great for everyday trad climbing — but for scary, thinly protected trad leads and aid climbs where every little bit matters, they definitely offer a better bite.
With any nut, you want maximum contact with the head in order for the placement to be solid and be able to hold a fall. Here the nut is in a constriction which is good but the fact that only one half of one side of the head is in contact with the rock means the placement isn't particularly stable and more prone to popping out with rope drag.
Credit: Ian Nichlson
Parallel Cracks
After assessing these stopper designs in flaring cracks and pin scars, we sought out other parallel-sided cracks in order to determine which sets performed best for this type of stone. Of note, all climbing nuts need some sort of crack constriction in order to function, however, we compared how different models perform in more parallel-sided cracks versus heavily tapered or flaring spaces.
The Metolius Ultralight Curve Nuts is one of our top choices for parallel-sided crack performance. Their double curve design allows three points of contact pretty much no matter what, which makes them far more stable in these types of fissures. Other notable options include the CAMP Pro Nuts, which excel because of their high curvature along the side-to-side axis (the most common placement), helping the nut cam to remain more stable. Another option to consider for straight-forward crack placements is the Black Diamond Stopper that still features a tapered design yet offers better performance than the offset varieties.
This photo is a good example of how classically curved models do better in more parallel-sided cracks by maintaining three points of contact. A CAMP Pro Nut is shown here.
Credit: Ian Nicholson
Most of the offset models didn't do as well in parallel cracks. The more parallel the cracks were, the worse they performed. While they're not totally worthless in more parallel-sided cracks, they're just not as solid as curved models. Of note, the offset models are generally better in parallel-sided cracks than the curved nuts are in pin scars.
All pieces of protection need to strike a balance of being able to stay in the rock in the event of a fall, but also not be impossible for the second climber to remove. The role of the person putting the piece of protection in is certainly important but so is the design of the nut.
Credit: Matt Bento
Performance in Textured Rock
Though many places offer opportunities to evaluate the performance of these climbing nuts in placements with a well-traveled smooth texture, we also wanted to evaluate performance in areas that feature a more textured rock.
If you climb in an area with heavily featured rock like Smith Rock, Joshua Tree, or the Canadian Rockies, the CAMP Pro Nut or the Metolius Ultralight Curve Nut both stand out. These models excel in irregular and larger crystallized rock because of their more heavily curved shapes, which create more clearance to accommodate large crystals better than others, and they can maintain three points of contact even against textured rock.
Yet another reason the DMM Alloy Offsets are one of our favorite climbing nuts is due to their versatile performance in various rock types. Their outer rim bites well in smooth granite and the hollowed-out interior of the sides allows for a nice grip in more heavily textured rock such as “grainy” granite and limestone. Similar to the Alloy performance is the BD Offset which also features an outer rim that bites well into textured stone, along with a hollow-out section, side grooves, along with a shorter wire design.
While the Black Diamond Offsets (left) are quite similar to the Alloy Offsets (right), one of the key differences is the cut-outs in the side of the heads. We like the DMM's more because they perform better in more textured rock.
Credit: Ian Nicholson
Ease of Cleaning
Ease of cleaning is an important metric to consider as it can often require more time and effort to clean a nut placement, especially after weighting the placement or taking a large fall onto the passive pro. This is where modern cams really shine as they can be purchased in offset sizes and are often far easier to remove. That being said, climbing nuts with more rounded edges or slightly more pronounced trapezoidal shapes are slightly easier to clean. However, it is challenging trying to give a single nut an “easiest to clean” designation.
Overall we think the CAMP Pro Nuts and Black Diamond Stoppers are the easiest to clean of the traditional models. The Stoppers feature a nice trapezoidal shape, while the Pro Nut offers more curved edges. These are significantly quicker to clean than any of the aluminum offset models.
Balancing placing a nut that will hold you if you fall but isn't so challenging for your second to remove is an important skill of any trad climber.
Credit: Ian Nicholson
The Metolius Ultralight Curve Nuts are the hardest to clean. The two sides of curves on the Metolius, while conforming well to highly textured rock, tend to get hung up on small crystals and other deformities. It makes the nut super stable but also means it takes more skill to remove.
Most nuts are best backed out of cracks either by pushing on the wires or using a nut tool to “poke” it backward. You can yank the cable upwards but this is hard on the cables of all nuts particularly offset models which can kink after doing this repeatedly.
Credit: Ian Nicholson
Durability
The Black Diamond Stoppers are the most durable overall products in our review. While we don't feel there are any truly “flimsy” aluminum-headed models, they stand out for not getting too banged up during extended cleaning sessions.
Among aluminum nuts, we didn't find a giant difference in the durability of the heads, but there is a greater difference among their cables - certain models are more prone to kinking from aggressive cleaning.
Credit: Ian Nicholson
We also evaluated how easy it is to kink a cable during the use of any of the nuts we tested. In our experience, the Metolius Ultralight Curve Nut, DMM Alloy Offset, and Black Diamond Offset Stopper all struggle with this. With the three of these, the cables became kinked just below the head after too many upward jerks. Over time, this kinking caused the cable to unravel or exhibit a sharp bend just below the head, making them more challenging to place properly.
If you look closely at the nuts in this photo, you can tell the one that we placed the most, the blue DMM Alloy has a kinked wire and a curved design after lots of jerks in the upwards direction while cleaning.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Most of the non-aluminum models we've tested are either brass or a copper-iron blend exhibiting similar overall characteristics. For example, the DMM HB Brass Offset proved noticeably less durable than aluminum options. Their brass heads are designed to deform to the rock for better “bite,” hopefully increasing the nut's holding power. However, this deformity is the biggest reason that we don't think brass nuts are great for everyday trad climbing. Sure, they work great — they just don't last super long. Most of the time, you could get away with using much more durable aluminum models. Still, for big walls, aid climbing, or sparsely protected free climbs, they are pretty much mandatory.
We think the classically curved models are fine but prefer offset models for all-around trad climbing. Here one tester sinks a brass offset on the first pitch of the Central Pillar of Frenzy, Yosemite, CA
Credit: Ian Nicholson
Use in Other Orientations
This refers to a nut's ability to be placed along both of its axes, a feature of all the climbing nuts we tested. All of the products we tested are best with the most narrow axis facing out and the wider axis contacting the rock. However, some models stand out for their versatility along both axes more than others. For even more extra credit, we identified the climbing nuts that allow the nut to slide along the wire in order to utilize the wire to hook niche aid climbing protection such as machine heads and rivets before sliding the nut itself to close the gap and potentially hold a leader fall. This can also be helpful when removing a stuck cam from a placement by wrapping the wire of the nut around the trigger and sliding the nut into place so that you can use the extra length of the wire to engage the trigger and remove the cam.
The Metolius Curve Nut, with its double-curved design, provides three points of contact on either side regardless of orientation and is the best. They are easy to read, leading us to place them in both orientations more often than others. Closely behind are the Black Diamond Stoppers, which are among the most stable in their secondary position.
3 points of contact are preferred for those placements that utilize their secondary axis.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Nearly the same can be said for the DMM Alloy Offsets and BD Offset Stoppers. We applaud all of these models for their overall versatility and for being quite functional in either direction. Unfortunately, as much as we love the DMM Peenuts, they offer no real secondary options.
Smaller models like the DMM Alloy Offsets are versatile and functional in either direction, while the DMM Peenuts, offer no real secondary options.
Credit: Ian Nicholson
Conclusion
Our team of experts, led by veteran climbing guide Ian Nicholson, takes testing climbing protection very seriously. Fun is also had, but resulting from the process is the most comprehensive review of today's most popular climbing nuts. When reading through our assessments, keep in mind the type of rock you want to climb, the style you like to climb, and other factors that are important to you to get the best set for your individual needs.
Our testing team had a blast climbing with a variety of stopper designs and hope that our assessments help you to select the best stopper set for your upcoming climbing objectives.
