Best nuts climbing trad. While there are certainly differences between the major models, any standard set of nuts will serve you well in the long run. Very overwhelmed on where to start. I also run DMM offsets, I feel okay about them. They are weaker than brassies but a different shape. We tested each through a wide range of fissures, scar pins, parallel-sided cracks, around blocks, and the like. Group your nuts by size with small nuts (including brass and copper micros) on one carabiner, medium nuts on another, and big nuts on a third (if you’re carrying more than 16 nuts). Jun 4, 2025 · How to Protect Sport and Trad Climbs Sport climbs use bolts that are already drilled into the rock face Trad climbs use removable protection like cams and nuts for protection In sport climbing, bolts are drilled into the rock face and climbers then clip quickdraws into these bolts. Great I was actually leaning mostly towards DMM! They seem to have more going than BD nut wise, I'll mostly be climbing trad in Sand Rock and the Red most likely, super siked! (Ocassionally around NC, the Linville Mummy was the first climbing route I ever saw). So I'm seeking potential burner nuts or replacement for the Trango Offset Nuts My immediate group of climbing partners obsess over offset nuts. Choose the right climbing protection gear to get your started with trad climbing. Most climbers carry wires of a similar size on Karabiners in lots of 5 - 10 wires Free UK delivery for orders over £60 | Buy trad gear online from Sgùrr Shop. The local climbing guide books would be my first choice for information on this topic but they are often too vague. Traditional Routes follow Cracks and Slabs. For nuts and other climbing hardware, check out the deals at GearSnag. Learning how to place trad gear is an essential skill as you progress as a climber. My gym is blocking the trading of soft gear and helmets; so I'm only looking at hardware. The rope is clipped into the quickdraws for protection in case the climber falls. May 21, 2020 · A climbing harness filled up with trad climbing gear, including nuts, cams, locking carabiners and slings. These pieces are relatively inexpensive because they feature no moving parts. . Instead of clipping bolts, you are looking for natural features, cracks, or constrictions to place traditional climbing equipment like nuts and cams. Specifically thinking about free climbing and understand the placements would easily blow in a whip but May 29, 2020 · New to trad climbing? Our Beginner's Guide to Trad Climbing breaks down everything you need to know to get started trad climbing today. Getting one without guide mode limits your options for belaying and rescue situations. info, featuring the top 10 best climbing helmets for 2023. I'm still pretty new at trad climbing and I was a hex sceptic until the other day - I went climbing somewhere different to my usual haunt - a rather exposed cliff where the erosion had scooped out the most marvellous hex placements - absolutely bomber! Discover the top three nuts for trad climbing in 2023. Learn about nuts, hexes, cams and other equipment you may need. Trad climbing, often regarded as the purest form of rope climbing, demands not only physical strength but also a strategic mind and a deep understanding of rock formations. What is trad climbing? What is trad gear? How do you learn trad climbing? Find out the basics about becoming a trad climber from an AMGA-certified Rock Guide. 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. Jun 24, 2025 · An instructor's complete guide to trad climbing gear — from buying your first trad climbing harness to choosing the best climbing helmet. Aug 22, 2024 · These classic nuts should be the backbone of any trad climber’s rack. Oct 29, 2021 · We field tested 7 of the best climbing nut tools in 2025 from top brands like Metolius and Black Diamond. In trad climbing, a trad Nov 8, 2024 · Pre-Black Friday has begun! Head to the EpicTV Shop to see whats on offer 👉 https://bit. This will teach you far more about trad climbing strategy, placing gear and the intricacies of placements on different rock types and routes, than A large selection of nuts for a long trad route in Morrocco Nuts, wires, stoppers, chocks, wedges, whatever you want to call them, have been around for a long time. Today’s standard is 60 or 70 meters for a “do everything” rope. Narrow cracks are best protect by nuts on wire (commonly known as Wires). Getting into leading trad routes? Learn how to choose types of passive protection, such as chocks, nuts and hexes. They are made of a flexible wire which is threaded through a hard 'nut' of metal. As early as the 1920s, British climbers had carried pebbles in the pockets of their knickers, slotting these stones into wide spots in cracks and tying them off—with scary-looking hemp cord—for pro. Friends who don’t have any trad gear but are solid climbers and willing to follow me up any trad climb are equally as good. Here’s what you need to know about trad gear and tips to build your first trad climbing rack. The 5th loop holds all of my nonsense gear that I carry for non climbing/emergencies. Sport climbing is designed to push the athletic envelope of the sport. On short gritstone and granite outcrops this may be enough when combined with wide crack protection. Before the nut there was… Climbing nutcraft evolved in Great Britain about a half century ago, but its roots go back even further. They span a range of difficulties and styles, from moderate classics to testpieces, and are located in some of the America’s top climbing destinations. Nov 14, 2019 · Trad and Sport are forms of both Free Climbing and Lead Climbing Trad Climbing is an older style of climbing, focusing on adventure. Title says it really. This is a pretty gear-intensive endeavor, and some of what you carry comes down to personal choice Dive into the ultimate guide on TravelEssentials. Jul 24, 2025 · Before your trad rack is complete however, consider adding a least one set of stoppers, also called nuts, for your passive protection. Feb 23, 2020 · Purchasing a set of nuts doesn’t have to be an arduous, time-consuming chore. 3 (range of 0. Get ready to conquer new heights! Learning how to place trad gear is an essential skill as you progress as a climber. Climbing nuts, also known as wires, rocks or stoppers are thin wedges of metal that are slotted into constrictions in cracks to provide protection when climbing traditionally outdoors. Understanding Traditional Sep 12, 2024 · Complete Guide to Trad Climbing Gear Trad climbing is one of the most historical forms of climbing, shaped over the years by different approaches, gear, and ethical guidelines. Apr 3, 2025 · Buying used climbing gear? Here are the red flags to look for and tips for ensuring the gear you buy is safe. In today's gear show we catch up with @WildCountryClimbin Shop for Nuts at REI - Browse our extensive selection of trusted outdoor brands and high-quality recreation gear. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Related: The 6 Best Tips for Becoming the Worst Trad Climber Meanwhile, in the alpine, it may be impossible or too inefficient to build a 12-point anchor. 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. 7). Some of these sets I've mentioned include really small nuts that aren't rated for free-climbing fall forces; I've only ever used those sizes to back up really weird belay stances. While they are high-grade nuts and have many positive features, they don’t quite measure up to the DMM Wallnut and Offset. One of my trad friends says his BD #1 stopper is his most useful one. These reliable and durable metal objects are essential for your outdoor rack. We have all kinds of really cool cams, and other styles of chocks/nuts/whatever. Jun 21, 2020 · Multi-pitch trad climbing enthusiasts flock from across the globe to enjoy the best Eldorado Canyon Climbing. This article teaches you how to place stoppers and cams. Helmets - even more essential than in sport climbing, as there is a higher risk of falling debris in the form of dropped gear (and trad climbing is more likely to take place on chossy rock) Speciality pro suited to the style of climbing at your preferred crag, such as: Offset nuts and cams - great for flaring cracks Micro cams - great for small Oct 1, 2020 · The very best trad climbing shoes are fantastic for trad, but really not so great for other kinds of climbing, especially steeper sport or boulders. Mar 8, 2017 · Passive protection devices—nuts / stoppers, hexes, and tricams— form the basis of any trad climber’s gear rack. If you need to add some new climbing protection to your rack, check out our comprehensive climbing nuts review and climbing cam review. For example, the terrain might force you to build a two-piece anchor. Here are our in-depth reviews! May 9, 2024 · The Best Climbing Nuts and Stoppers Based on our research and testing, we think the DMM Alloy Offsets are the best Climbing Nuts and Stoppers on the market right now, for anyone looking to play hard outside. Knowing what gear to rack and how to rack it can create a more efficient experience when starting out. 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. If you place gear properly and choose routes that are easy to protect, trad climbing can be just as safe as sport climbing. Nuts are the staple of any trad or aid rack as they provide solid protection when placed correctly. If you don't want to deep dive into the gear rabbit hole, here is a summary of some of our favorite pieces of gear. This Oct 31, 2024 · Our climbing experts have been testing the best climbing nuts and stoppers for over 10 years and over 15 different sets. Apr 5, 2023 · Trad climbing is an important skill for rock climbers to have if they’re going to explore routes that aren’t fully protected with fixed gear. A climbing rope. Wild Country also colour codes the nuts, making for easy size identification. 8 I recently took an intro to trad class and want to begin learning to trad climb. For more of our top climbing gear recommendations, check out the Best Climbing Nuts. Free UK delivery for orders over £60 | Buy climbing equipment online from Sgùrr Shop. Trad climbing opens the door to the adventure of starting a climb well before the sun comes up and stumbling back to the car way after the sun goes down. A minimum for beginners would be a full set from 1 - 10. Trad climbing can be a huge amount of fun, but the nature of the protection makes the leader entirely responsible for his or her safety. 92 inches) to the #8 (covering 7. Aug 21, 2020 · Beginning Trad Rack: What to buy! Here is the long awaited update to one of my older blogs on buying and building a trad rack. Rocks are built with durable 6064 aluminum and a stainless steel cable, ensuring decades of dependable use. Are they really that good? Is this obsession just my immediate environment or is it because offset nuts are really that great? Jan 24, 2023 · Trad climbing involves a wide array of gear, including nuts, hexes, cams, Big Bros, and more, to ensure climbers stay safe. Affordable and quality climbing gear from Kouba and essential rock climbing equipment. Climbing nuts exert very little outwards force on the rock, unlike cams. At these prices, double up on the mid-sizes so you can always have the right nut on hand when climbing those long pitches. I have small offset nuts but what do people think about normal small nuts. Oct 18, 2021 · Trad Climbing is the classic way of climbing outdoors - using some cool gear, a cool head, and a lot of knowledge. These cams are the best option when you are just starting out trad climbing and building your first trad rack. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee Mar 20, 2025 · By adopting these best practices, climbers can significantly reduce risks associated with anchor failures and enhance their overall climbing experience. I've recently started trad climbing as well and am using DMM nut set 3 (includes a set of nuts, offsets and hexes). In short, trad climbing, more formally known as traditional climbing, is a form of rock climbing that requires placing your own gear for protection, rather than solely relying on pre-placed bolts. Sport climbs ascend Roofs and Vertical walls. Nuts are an essential for every trad climber. Trad Climbing Essentials Is hand jamming your jam? Read on for our favorite trad gear. To start, you need Trad Climbing Gear > Nuts This 'Climbing Nuts' article is part of the book - Trad Climbing Basics. Trad climbing nuts and passive protection to build up your trad rack. If you have a color scheme preference that’s probably good enough reason to go another way. Check out our recommendations for essential gear you need to start trad climbing. Climbing Nuts 101 will help you make that decision when you're getting your first gear for trad climbing. Sail Away 5. What do you like about hexes? What are your favorite hexes? What features do you look for? I am interested in them and want to learn from people with experience (and no one I know is into them or uses them). Trad climbing requires a lot of gear, and it can be quite confusing knowing exactly what you need and what you should buy. May 19, 2023 · Check out our picks in our best climbing harness review. Jan 31, 2023 · A trad rack can be a climber's greatest pride. Apr 14, 2025 · Best Climbing Nuts Buyer’s Guide Hey fellow rock scramblers and vertical adventurers, So, you’re in the market for some shiny new climbing nuts, eh? Well, let me guide you through the twisted maze of options with some pearls of wisdom (and humor) from my own rock-bottomed experience. Trad uses removable protection like cams, nuts, and Friends with full trad racks are the best kinds of friends. Here's what you need to know. Keeps the front 4 loops clear for cams/nuts and slings while I climb. And I really love them nuts. In Choosing Climbing Nuts, Paul offers some useful advice on what type to choose and how to rack them. In this update, we purchased 7 of the best sets and slid them into cracks of all sizes across the United States. 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. In its most recent form—since the introduction and exclusive use of mobile protection—it has also been called "Clean Climbing," emphasizing the low-impact nature of this style, which avoids damaging or leaving A lot of gear is needed for trad climbing: cams, nuts Get tips and tricks for your first trad climbing equipment! Neil Gresham gives us a masterclass in the basics of placing nuts as Trad climbing protection. From what I’ve been hearing, don’t place nuts in horizontal cracks and place cams instead. They are cheap, light and durable. Trad Climbing Gear > Ball Nuts This 'ball nuts' article is part of the book - Trad Climbing Basics. Building your first trad rack made simple and easy. What nut sets do you own? And your opinion of it. I'm running old Tango "made by Hudy Sports" nuts, and I recently realized that they are actually offset in one plane and parallel in another plane. We have been climbing for a while, guiding professionally Feb 2, 2024 · Our Runner Ups for the Best Climbing Nuts for Trad Climbing While these nuts didn’t quite make the cut into the favorite’s position, they are still recommended by many trad climbers as well as having positive reviews from many experts. Anyone who wants to do traditional rock climbing needs a few things: A climbing harness A climbing helmet, to protect against loose rock falling from above. Are you a beginning climber trying to put together a trad climbing rack? Climbers are asking all the time what pieces of trad gear should I purchase first? Jul 28, 2022 · The Gear You Need for Trad Climbing That’s a lot of gear! Traditional or “Trad” climbing involves placing your own protection as you climb. This article explains everything about using climbing nuts: placing, racking and removing them. In conclusion, understanding the various types of climbing anchors, their applications, and best practices is vital for enhancing safety in climbing. Initially made from actual machine nuts with the internal thread drilled out, they have undergone several stages of development in the last few decades, resulting in the wonderful colour-coded super-strong designs we have today. 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. Elsewhere, most leaders would double up on wires or at least on the smaller sizes. We recommend focusing on the most used nuts for trad climbing and avoiding the aid-only micronuts until you’re ready to start aid climbing. Learn how to place hexes; how to use them passively (like a nut) or actively so they cam into cracks. Harness isn't bulky but holds a lot of gear and is padded enough to be comfortable on multi pitch. Having your How do climbers protect a fall with our little wired pieces of metal? In this episode I cover the complete basics of nut placement and the thought process be Jul 10, 2024 · Trad climbing is a form of rock climbing that involves placing your own protection gear as you climb. Whether you’re a seasoned regular at the Creek, a casual dabbler visiting the Gunks, or the dedicated trad dad spreading the word, you need a hefty collection of gear for trad climbing. True Climbing routes in the Dolomites, around Cortina, feature imposing vertical limestone walls — a first-class playground for rock climbers. It Oct 25, 2024 · The Alloy Offset from DMM is our review team's favorite overall nut for all-around trad climbing because of their versatility and how perfect they are where most other pieces of passive protection or cams are adequate at best. Apr 27, 2022 · This article originally appeared in Climbing in 2013. Jul 16, 2025 · The Black Diamond C4 is the gold standard for climbing cams. I find the hexes and offsets tend to have the strongest placements and get placed more often but I definely still use the nuts a lot. Also see some examples of gear-racking options. Learn how to build your first trad rack with Chockstone Climbing Guides. Mar 13, 2024 · For sport climbing, you want full-size, wear-resistant biners on stiff, beefy slings (think Petzl Express or Trango Smooth draw). Trying to master my gear placement though. Trad climbing 101 Learn everything you’ve ever wanted to know about trad climbing including the skills, gear, and popular destinations. Jul 16, 2025 · Climbing nuts are one of the first pieces of trad protection climbers will purchase. Here’s how it is done. Nuts Buying Guide Double Cap Read Time - 9 minutes May 2020 Standard nuts are the backbone of any traditional climbers rack. These will give you a good range of sizes. 5 and 5. Trad climbing involves placing removable protection gear in cracks and features, requiring technical skill and risk management. The Black Diamond Offset Micro is one of the best options available for protecting incipient seems and razor-thin cracks. During the summer I bought lightweight screw carabiners by DMM, and color coded carabiners for my cams, which truly felt like a revolution for me. All of our testers love the “ scopes ” on either side of this nut. Find out how to start now! They're an essential part of any climber's trad rack, but what makes the best climbing nuts? There's many different styles and brands to choose from when deciding on which ones you're going to buy. Always check local conditions, gear requirements, and access regulations before attempting. 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. For trad, however, much lighter draws work better—featherweight biners on thin, supple slings to reduce bulk and weight and provide a more flexible attachment to nuts (think Black Diamond Oz). Since it'll Get tips on what cams, nuts and other gear to take rock climbing and how to organize it all. The best way to rack these is on two or three oval carabiners with six to eight nuts per biner. In the beginning of your trad climbing career you should focus on building a solid nut rack and learning to place them well. I climb mostly in Utah in rock canyon and Ibex with the occasional moab trip. However, building one takes time and needs to be tailored to your style. Photo: Graham Zimmerman on the North American Wall, Yosemite, CA. Aug 8, 2022 · With no moving parts (hence, “passive protection”), nuts are inexpensive, lightweight, and sturdy. But really, once you’re ready to start buying gear, your first investment ought to be a set of nuts. What is stopping be from using a nut on a horizontal for at least some pro. B… I haven't been able to trad climb in a couple of weeks due to the weather (I live in Norway and it is the end of the season), and since I am constantly thinking about trad climbing. Small meaning Black diamond 1-4 stoppers or DMM micro wallnuts. Learn the skills to stay safe and have confidence when climbing. Nuts are usually sold in sets of around ten. I am somwhat confused about the places of hexes in a modern trad setting. Apr 3, 2018 · The rock may force you to use four, five, or even six pieces to achieve your objective. So I’ve recently started trad climbing and have only led 2 very easy ones (5. Here are five of the world’s best trad climbs, selected for their quality, historical significance, and appeal across skill levels. Explore trad climbing gear and protection for your trad rack including nuts, cams, hexes and abalaks ready for your next mountain adventure or chilled day at the crag. Explore a range of trad climbing nut sets and stoppers, including micro nuts, brass nuts, hexes and offset nuts. May 26, 2024 · TL;DR Colorado has a rich climbing history and culture, with hundreds of named climbing areas and diverse rock types. Nov 8, 2024 · Whether you want to fine-tune gear placement, anchors, or crush your first multi-pitch, this comprehensive guide to trad climbing has it all. Our gear suggestions should be taken as a starting point for your first trad rack, but we highly recommend you follow along with our Learning to Trad Climb series on YouTube for best practice on how to start out. 6 Mar 22, 2021 · Yes, all the language of trad climbing is vaguely sexual, so if you haven’t cracked any jokes yet — er, go nuts. Thoughts?? I don’t have much experience with other nuts but I feel fine climbing above them when placed correctly. Affordable active and passive trad gear from Kouba Climbing. We really hope you find it useful. I'm going to be mock leading trad climbs for a while before I actually begin to rely on my gear. Soaring routes with fantastic positioning have earned classic status. Nov 18, 2016 · The trickiest—and most important—parts of multi-pitch trad climbing are placing solid gear and building safe anchors fast. Jan 6, 2020 · Comparing these options, we'd say the Peenuts are a better all-around trad climbing nut, while the DMM HB Brass Offset is best for aid climbing and the tiniest, trickiest to protect traditionally protected routes. May 17, 2024 · What you really need to know, and buy, to start trad climbing. To put it bluntly, choosing the best climbing nuts can feel like being halfway up a pitch only to realize Apr 14, 2021 · So, looking at these estimates above, we are looking at $745 for a basic trad climbing rack with a set of nuts, a handful of the most used cams, a safe number of alpine draws and some equipment to build anchors and a nut tool. Stuff like prusiks, gloves, belay plate and a nanotrax+tiblock for rescue. We have New trad climbers often get in a fairly dogmatic frame of mind about "nuts go in constrictions and cams go in parallel cracks" when in practice, most of my placements are cams in constrictions. Adjama Is my go to as well. My question is, if I’ve used all my cams earlier on a climb. Safety considerations, environmental stewardship, and adherence to local regulations are essential for climbing in Colorado. 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. Been trad climbing with some buddies for a while now and ready to commit and buy my own rack. Oct 28, 2016 · From cams to nuts to hexes, learn the basics of trad gear with tips for buying your first rack. Recently I have started to think about the best carabiners for Trad Climbing Essentials Is hand jamming your jam? Read on for our favorite trad gear. The best belay device for trad climbing is an ATC with a guide mode function. Learn how to place, remove and rack climbing hexes. Dec 15, 2023 · You can’t climb trad without a trad rack, though, and like most components of climbing gear, trad equipment is expensive, and building your first rack can seem daunting. Placing nuts are intuitive, they are inexpensive, and will last you a long time. This guide features Gearhead® tested and approved gear to help you rack up. My gym is hosting a gear swap soon, and I'm thinking about buying some used trad gear at the swap to start my rack. ly/4emoFry. If you’re new to trad climbing, then you want to purchase the most common sized cams and nuts to build a “go anywhere” rack. But some shoes are versatile enough to let you climb a variety of terrain, though they won’t have the features of a dedicated trad shoe, like high tops or toe padding. Jan 7, 2020 · Not durable enough for everyday trad climbing but pretty much required for big walls, aid climbs, and sparsely protected free routes. 54 – 0. The smallest C4 comes in at 0. There are various types of nuts available by many brands in all sorts of colours, shapes and sizes. 6 – 12. Your trad rack, and how you rack it, can be very personal and specific to the type of rock you climb and the type of climbing you do. Explore expert reviews and recommendations to ensure you choose a helmet that prioritizes safety and comfort for your climbing adventures. They’re the best starter camming device because they’re affordable, durable, and there’s a huge range between sizes. Jul 24, 2025 · They're an essential part of any climber's trad rack, but what makes the best climbing nuts? There's many different styles and brands to choose from when deciding on which ones you're going to buy. jgkcvb hjgdn nhiiuzet dhn drc lhry snup rrlij jyuva smjsaut