Key takeaways
- A hex is passive protection — a hexagonal metal chamber on a wire/cord, wedged into a crack.
- Its asymmetric shape lets it cam (rotate and grip) under load, not just wedge.
- Cheaper and lighter than cams; good in irregular and larger cracks.
- Largely replaced by cams for convenience, but valued on budget racks and certain placements.
Short for 'hexcentric' (hexagonal eccentric).
What a hex is
A hex (short for hexcentric) is a piece of passive, removable trad protection: a hollow hexagonal metal chamber on a wire or cord. You slot it into a crack where it wedges, and because its shape is asymmetric, it can also cam — rotate and grip against the crack walls — when a fall loads it. It has no moving parts, unlike a spring-loaded cam.
Pros and cons
- Pros: cheaper and lighter than cams, nothing to break, and good in irregular, flared, larger, or even icy cracks.
- Cons: slower and fiddlier to place than cams, less versatile in parallel cracks, and noisy (‘clanking’) on the rack.
Building a budget trad rack, a new leader carries a set of hexes instead of expensive large cams — slotting one into a flared crack where it both wedges and cams securely, getting solid protection at a fraction of the cost.
Hexes vs cams vs nuts
All are trad protection: nuts wedge in tapering cracks, cams grip parallel cracks (fast but pricey), and hexes wedge and cam in larger or irregular cracks at low cost. Cams’ convenience made them dominant, but hexes still earn a spot for budget racks and specific placements when building anchors.
The bottom line
A hex is passive, budget-friendly trad protection — a hexagonal chamber that both wedges and cams in cracks, with no moving parts. Cheaper and lighter than spring-loaded cams and handy in irregular or larger cracks, it's been largely displaced by cams' convenience but remains a solid choice for budget racks and certain placements. Trad climbers mix nuts, cams, and sometimes hexes to cover every crack.
Frequently asked questions
What is a hex in climbing?
A hex (short for hexcentric) is a piece of passive, removable trad protection — a hollow hexagonal metal chamber on a wire or cord. You slot it into a crack where it wedges, and because its shape is asymmetric, it can also cam (rotate and grip) against the crack walls when a fall loads it. It has no moving parts, unlike a spring-loaded cam.
What are the pros and cons of hexes?
Pros: they're cheaper and lighter than cams, have no moving parts to fail, and work well in irregular, flared, or larger cracks (and even icy cracks where cams can struggle). Cons: they're slower and fiddlier to place than cams, less versatile in parallel cracks, and can be noisy ('clanking') on the rack. Cams' convenience has made them more popular, but hexes still have their place.
Hexes, cams, or nuts?
All are trad protection: nuts are passive wedges for tapering cracks, cams are active spring-loaded devices for parallel cracks (fast but expensive), and hexes are passive pieces that wedge and cam in larger or irregular cracks at lower cost. Many climbers carry mostly nuts and cams, with hexes appealing for budget racks or specific placements.
Sources
- Protection & trad gear — American Alpine Club
- Climbing protection — UIAA