The Must-Have Trad Climbing Essentials

Black Diamond’s Vapor helmet continues the tradition of offering exceptional impact protection while remaining at the forefront of ultralight design. Black Diamond starts with a polycarbonate crown and adds an ALUULA Composites insert. This insert is constructed of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) that offers a 44% higher strength-to-weight ratio than the previously used Kevlar insert. The result is a 40% reduction in the weight of this component without compromising protection for the climber. The rest of the helmet is constructed with moulded Expanded Polypropylene (EPP), providing excellent impact absorption and significantly greater durability than traditionally used EPS. The Vapor’s unique lattice-like aesthetic not only offers a sleek look, but also ensures exceptional ventilation. A minimalist cord adjustment system easily accommodates a variety of head shapes, and the replaceable headlamp clips provide a secure headlamp attachment point for early morning starts or if you get benighted.

This sticky cotton-polyester blend tape is ideal when you’re taping up for crack climbing or want to protect a tweaked finger pulley. Unlike some tapes, this one is sufficiently supple to easily conform to your hands, while the sticky adhesive does a good job of ensuring the tape stays put during a long day of cragging. Metolius also includes thorough tape-glove instructions on the packaging for those who are new to the sport. Finally, the tape’s 1.5-inch width allows climbers to tear off custom-width strips to support tweaked finger pulleys and tendons.

These classic nuts should be the backbone of any trad climber’s rack. Rocks are built with durable 6064 aluminum and a stainless steel cable, ensuring decades of dependable use. Wild Country also colour codes the nuts, making for easy size identification. At these prices, double up on the mid-sizes so you can always have the right nut on hand when climbing those long pitches.

Most climbers spend their time clipping bolts, plugging gear, and occasionally venturing onto some longer multi-pitch climbs. If this sounds like you, then check out the Solution harness. This versatile harness delivers the comfort and support you need on longer climbs while still being sufficiently light and agile for desperate sport-climbing redpoints. The Solution features BD’s Fusion Comfort Technology, which consists of three rows of webbing in the waist and leg loops to better distribute the pressure when you’re hanging. BD also specs four moulded gear loops for plenty of racking space on those longer routes.

The Giga Jul may be the only slotted belay device you ever need. Capable of handling ropes ranging from 7.1 mm all the way up to 10 mm, the Giga Jul can easily handle single, half, and twin rope techniques. The device also features a hybrid construction that utilizes ultra-abrasion-resistant stainless steel in high-wear areas and lightweight aluminum everywhere else. The result is excellent long-term durability without excess weight. Perhaps the feature that is most unique to the Giga Jul is the ability to use the device as a traditional easy-to-feed slotted tube for belaying or rappelling or switch to assisted braking when catching multiple falls or projecting routes. Finally, the Mega Jul can also be set up in guide mode, allowing the leader to bring up one or two climbers.

If you obsess about every gram or simply want the latest bleeding-edge engineering, you’ll love the Camalot Ultralight cams. With the Ultralight, BD has managed to achieve 25% weight savings over the traditional (and already relatively light) Camalot C4. So how did BD shave off this much weight? Well, there’s the usual machining trickery that removes some material (and weight) from the lobes, but the most significant weight savings come from using Dyneema for the stem. This component is traditionally made from a steel cable, so the switch to Dyneema yields considerable weight reductions. The Ultralight cams also use a Dyneema sling which shaves a few more grams when compared to the conventional nylon slings on the regular Camalots.

The Torque Nut Tool does a great job of retrieving stuck nuts and cams, but it really distinguishes itself when you come across a loose bolt. Unlike traditional nut tools, this one has four built-in wrenches for tightening all the standard bolt sizes. Sure, it might not be my first choice when installing new bolts on a sport route, but during emergencies, you can sufficiently snug down a bolt to put your mind at ease once you climb above it. The Torque Nut Tool is constructed of hardened 420 stainless steel for durability and features a wire-gate end for easy clipping to your harness.

Consisting of two Photon Wire carabiners and a burly 10 mm Dyneema runner, the Camp Alpine Express draws are surprisingly light while still being easy to clip. Much of this balanced performance can be attributed to the Photon Wire’s generous proportions, which feature a wide gate opening, allowing for easy clipping even when wearing gloves. Camp specs 10 mm Dyneema slings that are light, plenty strong, and absorb less water than nylon. The ability to remain relatively water-free ensures the slings don’t become excessively heavy or freeze-up in cold temperatures.

With its massive vents and full-coverage shape, the Meteor is an excellent choice for climbers seeking side impact protection without compromising ventilation. Petzl delivers these benefits at a very reasonable price by employing more conventional EPS and polycarbonate construction. It’s worth noting that this construction was just a few years ago considered cutting-edge, so you’re, in essence, buying what would have been a premium helmet but at an average-joe price. Other features include an easy-to-adjust strap system, headlamp clips and a fumble-free magnetic strap closure.

If you’re looking for a lightweight, versatile and affordable belay device, look no further than the ATC Guide. This slot-style belay device allows you to belay and rappel with ropes ranging from 11 mm all the way down to 8.1 mm. This range ensures the ATC Guide is suitable for single-rope roadside cragging as well as more alpine-oriented adventures where twin or half-rope techniques may be deployed. As a bonus, the ATC Guide can also be used in assisted-braking guide mode (like a plaquette), allowing you to belay one or two climbers from the anchors on multi-pitch routes.

Products reviewed in this article: