Cams and nuts for climbing. The Abalak can settle into rock.


  1. Cams and nuts for climbing. The core of the cam rack for any trad climb. Eshop with climbing equipment of Czech Republic. They’re easy to use and contract to fit a variety of crack sizes. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee The most common types of passive protection are nuts or stoppers. To be clear though, what is a standard nut? Ball Nuts also work in pin scars and small flares where even modern micro cams simply won’t fit. Play safe folks! Learn how to place hexes; how to use them passively (like a nut) or actively so they cam into cracks. From cams to carabiners, nuts to nut tools, there are so many options for traditional climbing gear that it’s hard to know where to begin. Most gear covers 8-12 kN or 1,798-2,698 lbs That is an insane amount of gear. I can’t currently justify keeping them on my rack, even while aid climbing. Nuts are an essential for every trad climber. Learn the skills to stay safe and have confidence when climbing. 3mm. They can be placed passively (like a nut) or actively (like a cam), depending on the orientation and features in the rock. 12, 5. Remember to check out our selection We have evolved the celebrated Dragonfly Cam range to include the Dragonfly Offsets, which alongside the Dragon Cams create the ultimate cam family. Discover high-quality climbing protection gear. Passive Protection Nuts Nuts come in a range of sizes and most nuts are colour coded for quick identification. Apr 27, 2022 · In the 1920s, British climbers carried pebbles in their pockets, slotting them into cracks and tying them off (with hemp cord) for pro. Shop for Cams at REI - Browse our extensive selection of trusted outdoor brands and high-quality recreation gear. This will translate to making you a better all around climber, as well as better at placing all forms of protection, not just nuts. But if you’re new to trad climbing, how do you make sure that you’re getting the best climbing nuts? With climbing experience, you build your own personal preference. Ball‐nuts are a low‐profile form of protection, and are very light. By spring of the following year, Jardine’s prototypes—which would later become Friends—were Nuts and cams are essential types of climbing protection devices used to create anchor points on rock walls. We also cover placing gear on traditionally protected climbs, backing up suspect placements, and selecting your climb. Gear up for your next climb with our range of climbing cams, nuts, and hexes. The brass used for the head of the nut is soft enough to bite into placements, but hard enough to resist deforming and pulling through. … Read More However, if you’re on a route where nuts work as well as cams, you’re better off leaving the smaller cams at home – especially on routes where weight matters such as aid climbing and alpine climbing. Build bomber anchors, boost confidence & climb safer. Aug 31, 2022 · Metolius recently added to their line of passive climbing protection with the simple and accurately named “ Metolius Big Nuts “. Shop for climbing cams at Rock+Run for all your climbing equipment needs. They’re commonly used in trad (traditional) climbing , aid climbing , and big wall climbing to protect climbers from falls by anchoring the rope to the rock. With the pull of a Dragonfly Micro Cams provide versatile protection for narrow cracks and pockets. Hexes, tricams, ball nuts and big bros could be either essential or useless depending on the area. Zinc based alloy ensures high strength and sufficient adhesion to the rock structure. Jan 8, 2024 · I started climbing at the Avon Gorge, where cams are definitely not recommended as a part of a starter rack. Advanced nut placement techniques Part III. According to several mechanical engineers, climbing hardware (biners, cams, nuts) is almost always safe unless it displays obvious faults such as cracks, deep gouges, or doesn’t function smoothly. At GearLab, we've tested a wide variety of climbing gear over the past decade+ and have recommendations for every climber, from beginner to expert. May 26, 2025 · Learn Mastering Gear Placements: Cams, Nuts, and Slings in Trad Climbing. Jun 23, 2024 · In conclusion, the evolution of sport climbing equipment from nuts to cams has greatly impacted the climbing industry. The Dragon's striking TripleGrip cam lobes feature an increased contact area with a raw aluminium finish and additional bite points. Cams are reliable and versatile pieces of trad protection that are designed to be placed in parallel sided cracks, where nuts won't work. Set your own price!This e-book will teach you how to: Place cams, nuts and other trad climbing gear Build trad anchors Use different belay methods (including guide mode) Equalize and extend gear effectively Understand forces on climbing gear Abseil safely (including using a prusik knot) Climb with half ropes Test rock quality Prepare for your first trad lead Plus much more A cornerstone of climbing since 1987, the Camalot C4 is the standard for trad climbing. Learning to defend correctly is an important ability when you advance as a business climber. Kouba Kouba is a Czech climbing company found ed in 1991 and have been precision manufacturing active and passive protection for over 20 years. These features work together to increase friction between the cam lobe and the rock it's placed in. The designing, engineering and assembly of their gear all takes place exclusively in the Czech Republic and with the assistance of their Czech suppliers. Our climbing protection is the trusted industry standard and we're always improving performance. From what I’ve been hearing, don’t place nuts in horizontal cracks and place cams instead. If I climbing on the East Coast, my standard rack is nuts 4-11, 7 cams, and maybe micros. The Abalak can settle into rock fissures that have parallel sides either horizontally or vertically. For more of our top climbing gear recommendations, check out the Best Climbing Cams. Featuring light sculpted lobes and our innovative trigger keeper for compact racking with sizes #4-#8. Aug 27, 2025 · Climbing nuts are one of the first pieces of trad protection climbers will purchase. Climbing Cams & Nuts are vital pieces of equipment for rock climbing and offer passive protection when traditional climbing. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee Aug 20, 2025 · This category includes devices like cams, nuts, and hexes. May 5, 2022 · Hands down, the best place to send used climbing cams, nuts, and other gear for a re-sling, trigger wire repair, or tune-up is the original manufacturer. What is stopping be from using a nut on a horizontal for at least some pro. Easily compare different types of climbing gear! Including cams, nuts, hexes, and more! While cams are often easier to place and clean, nuts are much cheaper and will vastly increase your total possible gear placements. These anchors are essential in traditional climbing where climbers must place protection rather than relying solely on fixed gear. Today, nuts are still widely used—and feature such advents as ultralight nuts and offsets—but only in cracks smaller than about one-half inch. Our collection includes a variety of sizes to suit different climbing conditions, ensuring you have the right gear for every adventure. Explore a wide range of products to ensure safety and confidence on your next climbing adventure. The state-of-the-art cams. Exclusive design which offers superior holding capabilities. . Come by Naomi Market for Secondhand Climbing Gear Harnesses, Hardware, Helmets, Bags, Cams, Nuts, Shoes etc. The Abalak can settle into rock Feb 2, 2024 · Often times, the gear that you start with is the gear that you will recommend as the best. There’s also the question of how much gear you actually need to get started. climbing protection: when to use cams vs. com. Halfnuts excel in shallow placements, pin scars and situations where every gram counts. It’s common to see beginners racked to the nines with “kit,” as they call trad pro in the U. Hands down, the best place to send used climbing cams, nuts, and other gear for a re-sling, trigger wire repair, or tune-up is the original manufacturer. Learn how to place, remove and rack climbing hexes. My question is, if I’ve used all my cams earlier on a climb. These essential pieces of equipment provide reliable protection as you ascend to new heights. Recently, we also covered the best cam set for trad climbing, which you can read about here. Wires are soldered directly into the nut head, allowing a thicker wire to be used and increasing overall strength. 2452 EpicTV Climbing Daily 292K subscribers Subscribe Alloy Offsets protect irregular and flared cracks that regular nuts cannot. There are three main types of protection you can use: Active Protection: refers to devices that rely on mechanical Sep 17, 2025 · How To Place Climbing Cams. When weighted, the paddle is pulled down while the ball So I’ve recently started trad climbing and have only led 2 very easy ones (5. 11s, 5. Before we dive into the specifics, let’s In rock climbing, a nut (or chock or chockstone or wire for the smallest versions) is a metal wedge threaded on a wire that climbers use for protection by wedging it into a crack in the rock. I climb mostly in Utah in rock canyon and Ibex with the occasional moab trip. There are two types of protection used in climbing: Passive protection: Gear without moving parts. micro nuts, offset nuts, brass nuts, cams and more. In this article, we discuss when to use a climbing nut versus a cam, plus how to place climbing nuts for your safety and confidence on the crag. Top quality, great selection and expert advice you can trust. Then go for the cams. May 6, 2022 · Keep these things in mind when researching used climbing gear and also when assessing your own rack each season. Check out our great prices and latest deals! Single wire lightweight nuts that increase your protection options. These pieces must be placed differently according to the application desired. However, we have met climbers who swear by them. May 27, 2020 · The cam is a wonderful invention. The size 1 Dragonfly is our smallest certified climbing cam. The maker of the equipment is usually the best place to send a piece that is in need of some love. Also see some examples of gear-racking options. See full list on rei. With advancements in technology and design, climbers now have access to more efficient and reliable gear that enhances safety and performance on the rock. K. Compare their sizes on cam comparison charts. The wires they are mounted on are set into a recess to reduce wear, while larger sizes have holes that reduce weight. Cams Nov 22, 2021 · How safe are cams in climbing? When placed correctly, cams and nuts (gear used for trad climbing) are safe to fall on. Single wire lightweight nuts that increase your protection options. Trad Climbing Gear > Cams This article about climbing cams is part of the book - Trad Climbing Basics. We don't have a lot of experience with sliding ball-nuts, as they generally substitute small cams and nuts, and can be difficult to remove. Apr 4, 2025 · If you plan on trad climbing, cams are essential. Friend Rock Climbing Cams - Lightweight, Active Protection for Trad & Alpine Climbing Add to cart Compare different climbing cams. Sep 12, 2014 · The least useful BallNutz sizes were the largest, which could be bested by cams in nearly every situation, and the placement of smaller sizes needs pretty specific circumstances. Having more gear is never a bad thing, especially if you are a newer trad leader, so carrying a set of nuts is super important. They are comprised of two halves: one half is a paddle and the other is a flat ball which tracks up and down a central groove on the paddle when the trigger is pulled or released. Oct 7, 2024 · Deciding when to retire gear is tough. Active protection: Gear with moving parts. Every size of Alloy Offset has a robust 12kN strength rating. Personally, I started with a set of BD nuts and a yellow and orange Metolius power cam. Add to cart Last items in stock Cams and Nuts Shop rock climbing protection from Black Diamond. Nuts and hexes are much more useful as a beginner (maybe not hexes as much). Cams use a spring system that presses the jaws into the sides of the rock crack to hold their position firm. Add to cart Last items in stock Cams and Nuts Cams, nuts and slings are used at most climbing areas. If you're starting on Granite splitters as mentioned above however, cams end up being safer and a more useful way to protect. Learning how to place trad gear is an essential skill as you progress as a climber. Jun 27, 2023 · In this article, we cover the main principles of safety when lead climbing—both when clipping bolts and learning to place cams, nuts, hexes and tri cams. By curating expert opinion and crowd-sourcing preferences, we have come up with the best climbing nuts for trad climbing. From cams to carabiners, nuts to nut tools, there are so many options out there that it’s hard to know where to even begin. Each of these are described below. Since they weigh so little, many advanced trad climbers keep a #2 and #3 on their rack at all times. Dec 7, 2017 · Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. The colour coded swage gives Link Cams are the most sophisticated and modern camming devices in the world. Thoughts?? Oct 28, 2016 · From cams to nuts to hexes, learn the basics of trad gear with tips for buying your first rack. But don’t underestimate the benefits of their counterpart: the nut Rock climbing friends / cams, cam sets & rocks & stoppers & more Wide range of products FREE shipping options! Wild Country® USA. Jardine, an aerospace engineer by training, had already tinkered with new climbing gear for a couple of years when he first saw the Cam Nut in 1973. Moved PermanentlyThe document has moved here. 8mm – 28. This is necessary gear when you climb a route with mostly thin cracks. This increases holding power and reduces walking, particularly in slick or soft rock types and marginal placements. Aug 8, 2022 · Part I: An introduction to nutcraft Part II. What are the 3 Types of Protection in Trad Climbing? Trad climbing: short for traditional climbing, it’s a style of rock climbing where climbers place their own protection, such as cams, nuts, and other devices, into natural features of the rock to protect against falls. In order to give you the best experience when out climbing, we've got cams in Sep 6, 2013 · The Tricam is a puzzling piece: It’s delightfully simple, with no active—or moving—parts, yet it has more potential uses than either a spring-loaded camming device (SLCD) or a standard nut. Losing half your rack to an unplanned escape is one thing, but decommissioning gear is quite another. Dragonfly Micro Cams provide versatile protection for narrow cracks and pockets. Jun 30, 2022 · How to place cams and nuts / wires so they stick! The video also covers the basics of organising gear on your harness and considerations when placing kit into the rocks. These Alloy Offsets are tapered Been trad climbing with some buddies for a while now and ready to commit and buy my own rack. What are rock climbing friends? Like other climbing devices such as belays, carabiners and quickdraws, harnesses, a climbing friend or cam is also an essential safety piece used for secure holds when climbing. Check which types are most commonly used at your chosen climbing area before you commit to buying a full set. Ball nuts are a seldom used type of climbing gear which offer protection in thin cracks, filling the void where even the smallest cams are too big to fit. This article explains everything about using climbing nuts: placing, racking and removing them. Cams, Stoppers and Nuts, Rock EmpireThe Abalak, a version of the English tricam, is a ROCK EMPIRE passive protection device and among the simplest and most eccentric of anchors. Bring in YOUR OWN items to sell! Prices vary depending on brand, item, quality etc. Free shipping on many items | Browse your favorite brands | affordable prices. com Oct 31, 2024 · 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. Super (ish) advanced nutcraft This article originally appeared in our print magazine in 2013. This article teaches you how to place stoppers and cams. Any suggestions on what a good “starter pack” would look like as far different cam/nut sizes? and then I can experiment and add to it based on need from there. Very overwhelmed on where to start. nuts TRADITIONAL CLIMBING, ALSO CALLED TRAD CLIMBING OR JUST “TRAD,” is a particular style of roped climbing that involves placing your own protective equipment as you move up a climb, then removing it when you’re done. Cams & Expansion Devices Also known as Friends, "Cams" are complex active protection devices that use springs, cables and cam lobes to lodge in crevices in the rock, and which enable protection of parallel sided and even slightly flared cracks, rendering safe routes that were virtually protectionless prior to their invention. Brass Offsets are crucial for protecting small flared cracks, often fitting perfectly where nothing else will go. 14s on sandstone and granite; also, by being much quicker and easier to place than Dragonfly Micro Cams provide versatile protection for narrow cracks and pockets. Abalak is well suited to small holes and fissures and, often, it is the only stopper that will work in such situations. Black Diamond, Metolius, Totem, and others offer repair and re-slinging services for a small fee. At GearLab, our roots are in rock climbing, as the website started as an offshoot of SuperTopo. Cams have taken over for all larger cracks. Here’s what you need to know about trad gear and tips to build your first trad climbing rack. Our expert team has a combined 40 years of climbing experience and has field-tested the best climbing gear since the inception of our site Sep 8, 2022 · Knowing how to place climbing nuts for the best protection allows you to save your pricey cams for when you really need them, getting more mileage out of your climbing gear. This opened up a huge swath of new terrain—5. If you need to add some new climbing protection to your rack, check out our comprehensive climbing nuts review and climbing cam review. The smallest active protection in the world! Color-coded for fast identification Narrow depth fits shallower cracks than traditional camming units Jan 6, 2020 · As small cams have improved, more climbers have chosen to carry and place far more cams on a pitch than nuts, and it's this generation's cam-centric climbers that have thrust offset nuts into the limelight. Worked perfect to cover plenty of placement options and get me comfortable before going full trad. Jul 24, 2025 · Variety is best, so if you’re going to buy two sets, make sure they’re different brands. Nuts Or Cams? James Pearson’s Trad Climbing Tips | Climbing Daily Ep. Grab a set of nuts to start and practice placement. Manufactured in 6 sizes. Sep 9, 2022 · The next major improvement came in 1979, when the RP, a tiny brass nut, was brought to America from Australia. Tailor your rack to suit each climb. May 19, 2023 · Check out our picks in our best climbing harness review. Introduction to Building Your Climbing Rack Building your climbing rack is an essential skill for any rock climber. The six cams in the range cover placements from 7. Aug 27, 2025 · We tested all the best climbing cams available in 2025 and, like all rock climbing gear, we found that the best piece of gear for you will Feb 12, 2024 · Ray Jardine’s new idea The inventor of the modern SLCD was Ray Jardine, who was inspired by the constant-camming-angle concept in Lowe’s Cam Nut. ROCK EMPIRE’s Hex stoppers are great for wider cracks and offer a wide range of placements for many climbing conditions. They are composed of two parts: a thin wedge of metal with a grooved track, and a hemisphere attached to a wire. This is because offset nuts are at their best where cams don't work at all, namely in pin scars, less parallel-sided cracks, and small flaring pots. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced climber, having the right gear is crucial for a safe and successful climb. There are three main types of protection you can use: Active Protection: refers to devices that rely on mechanical The Virtues of Ball Nuts Ok, you are still skeptical that these are going to be useful for you? Consider the following for Ball Nuts when compared to the popular Metolius Master Cams in comparable sizes 0 and 00: Ball Nuts… are considerably lighter are significantly stronger have greater size range are much narrower and therefore fit in more places are more compact on the rack and in the Payable by donation. According to climbing data, approximately 70% of trad climbers use removable anchors extensively during their climbs. Buy cams and nuts online today! 3 days ago · The move from nuts / cams to just cams - SuperTopo's climbing discussion forum is the world's most popular community discussion forum for people who actively climb outdoors. Handmade from Petr Kouba. If you're using climbing nuts, you'll probably want to purchase a nut tool to help retrieve wedged nuts and stuck cams. Hexagonal wedges (hexes), Tri-Camming Units (tri-cams), and even Spring Loaded Camming Devices (or SLCDs or cams) can all be used as either active or passive protection. Shop for Climbing Protection at REI - Browse our extensive selection of trusted outdoor brands and high-quality recreation gear. 7). DMM passive protection and active protection for trad climbing, and ice and winter protection. Kouba specialise in trad climbing gear, notably cams, nuts and abalaks. Feb 25, 2015 · Due to their moving parts, cams fall into a classification of climbing gear known as “active protection,” as opposed to “passive protection,” which would be pro such as nuts, which contain no moving parts. Kouba care strongly about Neil Gresham gives us a masterclass in the basics of placing nuts as Trad climbing protection. While the original unit had two placements (one passive, one active), the Get the best deals on Climbing Cam when you shop the largest online selection at eBay. This will teach you far more about trad climbing strategy, placing gear and the intricacies of placements on different rock types and routes, than plugging cams will. Climbing cams increase your safety, acting as anchor points in cracks and crevices where bolts are lacking. In this section, we will introduce you to the basics of building your climbing rack, focusing on cams and nuts. Trying to master my gear placement though. Shop rock climbing protection from Black Diamond. Tag: cams Trad Climbing Gear > Cams This article about climbing cams is part of the book - Trad Climbing Basics. This will give you more placement options. Get tips on what cams, nuts and other gear to take rock climbing and how to organize it all. This set is a light and affordable way to add larger protection to your trad rack. Placing nuts are intuitive, they are inexpensive, and will last you a long time. 13s, and eventually 5. A cam has three or four lobes mounted on an axle. Click to advance! Oct 18, 2023 · I. The Abalak, a version of the English tricam, is a ROCK EMPIRE passive protection device and among the simplest and most eccentric of anchors. We have been climbing for a while, guiding professionally May 17, 2024 · Trad climbing is all about the gear. It almost singlehandedly ushered in the modern free-climbing era, making it much safer to try the parallel-sided splitter cracks that had heretofore been all but unprotectable using nuts and Hexes. Designed for irregular, flared cracks and pin scars, the Dragonfly Micro Cam Offsets feature colour coded slings and thumb loops that allow you to make the correct placement when it matters most. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced climber, our high-quality cams, nuts, and The Comet is a lightweight spring loaded camming device offered in wide range of sizes. 5 and 5. Learn about the two main types of active climbing protecction (pro) including the ubiquitous cams and the less common spring-loaded wedges. Head over GearSnag, and find great deals on climbing hardware, including nuts. We cover how to inspect bolts, when to retire carabiners, best practices when clipping to avoid big falls, and managing risk. Use in conjunction with Wallnuts for comprehensive all season crack protection. Offset cams, nuts and hooks have worked perfectly fine for nearly every route I have climbed. When many people start trad climbing, cams become their new best friend. jpxya pmhit xv9gbjq xkv vmn nnrhi sj5fcl npkb yxauz blp