What is trad climbing and how does it differ from other forms of climbing? The term trad climbing was coiled after the birth sport climbing or pre-bolted climbing routes. It’s a discipline of climbing where the climber places own protective gear on the wall to prevent falling. You can climb wherever you want without restrictions.
Most climbers want to know the kind of risk that the adventure of trad climbing carries. Here is a breakdown of all you want to know about trad climbing.
Trad Climbing Basics
Trad climbing has become a completely distinct genre since the onset and growth of sport and meteoric climbing. Trad is derived from the term “traditional.” However, the name may sound odd because this style of climbing has continuously evolved over the years.
Trad climbing is more about the climbing gear and how you use it. For instance, trad climbing gear often include a range of nuts, quickdraws, slings, nuts, and spare carabiners among others. Climbers like carrying vast gear to enable them to choose the specific equipment that they require for particular climbing sessions.
Are you searching for trad climbing gear ideas? Let’s get started with the standard equipment for trad climbing.
Essential Trad Climbing Gear
Helmet
Head protection is one of the most crucial climbing gear equipment. Ensure that you always carry your helmet and replace a damaged one as soon as possible embarking on another climbing mission.
Harness
A trad climbing harness consists of two leg loops and a waist belt attached to the front of the hips via a belay loop. A belay loop is a strong and permanent webbing loop that supports you during the bouldering process. However, it’s advisable to go for a top quality harness to minimize the risks of failure.
Trad Climbing Shoes
These trad climbing shoes should be tight fitting equipped with sticky soles to enhance grip and maximum precision for safety. Rock boots may feel uncomfortable if you walk in them but it’s worth noting that they are specifically designed for bouldering.
Rope
You probably understand what a rope is for if you are a rock climbing fanatic. For trad climbing, it is important to ensure that you have at least 50 meter length of rope to enable you access single pitch routes. The best rope for trad climbing completes your experience.
Belay Device
Arm yourself with an assisted or manual breaking device that you can feed the rope through creating the friction that you need in the trad climbing process.
Carabiners
These climbing equipment are D-shaped or oval metal hooks that sometimes have screwgates or snap-gates.
Quickdraws
These snap-link carabiners are often 10 cm to 25 cm in length and linked together by a tape sling.
Cams & Tri-Cams
The climbing cam is a shortened version of “spring-loaded camming devices.” Trad climbing cams consist of lobes that expand against the wall of rock cracks when navigating. These devices are the regularly used elements in navigating trad cracks.
What is Single & Multi-Pitch Climbing?
A single pitch is a climbing route that requires only one rope to navigate completely. Most trad climbers often carry a 50 meter rope to enable them access most of the single pitch venues. A single pitch is the best approach for you if you are a beginner in rock climbing because it features a simpler and more straightforward rope-work. However, single pitch routes are not always easier than multi-pitch climbs.
Multi-pitch climb entails the using multiple rope lengths making it more committing and involving. The lead climber finds a suitable stance after each pitch to establish a secure anchor as he prepares to bring the second up. The process continues as the lead climber forges ahead. Climbers avoid switching between being lead and second climbers during multi-pitch climbing sprees.
There are several multi-pitch venues for you to explore ranging from roadside crags to massive mountain routes. Massive routes may include several pitches and involve multiple walk-ins and more scrambling to achieve.
Meaning of Trad Climbing Leads And Seconds
We mentioned leads and seconds in the difference between single and multiple pitches. You may be wondering the meaning of leads and seconds if you are a beginner in trad climbing.
The lead is the individual that goes first and places the protective gear in place during climbing. The second, on the other hand, is the person that comes up after the lead climber and the individual is usually played by the lead climber.
The second cleans the route by removing the protective gear installed by the lead climber. Leading is more demanding and scarier than seconding as any mistake puts the climbers at risk of falling.
What Is The Difference Between Trad & Sport Climbing?
Many climbers regard trad climbing as the end all in climbing. It is not only clean but also the purest form of climbing that combines athleticism, skill, and deep understanding of the climbing gear and the sport.
Trad climbing allows you to see beautiful simple lines and complex rock structures as you navigate the rocks. Besides, it enables you to establish a deep connection with the rock walls as you search for an ideal place to accept the protection. Your skills and passion let you enjoy the best during trad climbing.
So, how is trad climbing different from sport climbing? Here is a look into trading climbing vs. sport climbing.
Is Trad Climbing Safe?
One of the frequently asked questions is whether trad climbing is more dangerous than other forms of climbing. Generally, the answer is Yes and no. A slightly extended version of this answer will be; the safety of trad climbing depends on you.
The risks are higher in trad climbing but the level of danger depends on other factors such as the protection placed in place and the route.
You need more time to learn trad climbing because of the elaborate nature of knowledge and assessment required before mastering this art. Gear placements become more consistent and reliable once you learn how to place the gear perfectly. Every form of climbing comes with a handful of risks and trad climbing is no exception.
The joy that comes with trad climbing is that it places the responsibility of your safety on your hands. You are at liberty to determine how and where to install the climbing gear. For instance, you can enhance your safety by installing as many pieces as you want in areas that you feel are hard and risky to navigate.
A simple fact worth noting is that quality climate and strong rock combined with appropriately placed bolts can withstand several falls without fatalities for years. Falling instances are scarier in trad climbing because of the following reasons;
Run-outs can occur in instances where it is not possible to install gear for a long section where big falls are likely to happen. The piece below is more likely to pull out as the force exerted increases. Multiple pieces may pop out if a piece that creates greater force pulls out.
However, trad climbers don’t push their grade limits like their sport climbing counterparts. Trad climbing is suitable for longer multi-pitch climbs for climbers in quest of quenching their climbing passion. It would help if you use a more soft approach combined with your local knowledge about climbing skills and the essence of protection in seeing you through.
Trad Climbing Tips For Beginners
Any form of outdoor climbing comes with risks making it vital to equip yourself with solid foundations of climbing. Here are a few trad climbing tricks as you prepare for the outdoor experience.
Speak To An Instructor
It is important that you speak to an experienced trad climbing instructor before embarking on the activity. An instructor will acquaint you with crucial information such as how to place robust protection besides helping you realize the areas that you need to strengthen.
Learn And Trust The Gear
Take your time to master all aspects of the basic and complex trad climbing gear. Familiarizing yourself with these equipment and tools will help you learn how to use them perfectly.
Find A Partner
Find a trustworthy trad climbing partner to go out on a climbing spree with. You can start with the local climbing club or gym and visit an instructor to assess your skills with your partner.
Frequently Asked Trad Climbing Questions
How do you start trad climbing?
The easiest way to start trad climbing for beginners is finding a local club or gym to learn the basics. You can also reach out to a willing friend or speak to a professional instructor to help you learn the basics of trad climbing.
What class is trad climbing?
Trad climbing falls in the 5th climbing class with different levels of grading. The U.S trad climbing and sport grades are the same and measured by their levels of difficulty. The 1st to 4th classes range from flat walks to scrambles. Trad climbing is classified in the 5th class.
What are some knots used in trad climbing?
One of the fundamental trad climbing skills is working with the rope. There are several trad climbing knots that you need to know as a climber but the most essential include; climbing knots, hitches and bends. One approach that allows you to complete fundamental tasks is securing the rope to a harness and building anchors.
Is trad climbing on limestone safe?
Limestone may be good for sport climbing and bouldering but not trad climbing. Limestone is vulnerable to rapid erosion and wet acidic climate making it unsuitable for most climbing sprees. Avoid using it unless you are an intermediate or advanced climber and never use it for trad climbing.
Conclusion
It is important to understand how the shiny and rustle new hexes work before hitting the hills for trad climbing sessions. Get in touch with an experienced instructor to learn the critical anchoring skills to enhance your safety. Spend more time on the ground practicing and learn how to trad climb before navigating the rock walls.
Theo H
Theo is the co-founder of Climbing Gear Hub. As an avid climber of trees, rocks, and boulders with over 10 years of experience, he enjoys writing about all things climbing. When he's not testing out new climbing gear or sending a route, you can find him out surfing or riding his motorcycle along the coastline.