Trad climbing

Trad, short for traditional climbing, means the leader places removable protection into cracks and pockets in the rock as they ascend, then a second climber removes each piece while following the pitch. This is different from sport climbing, where bolts are already fixed permanently into the rock.

A trad rack typically combines spring loaded camming devices that expand to grip a crack, passive nuts and stoppers that wedge into constrictions, and slings or quickdraws to extend each placement and reduce rope drag. Building a rack, learning which piece fits which crack shape, and judging whether a placement will actually hold a fall are skills that take real time and mentorship to develop.

Because protection quality varies with the rock and how it is placed, trad climbing carries a different risk profile than clipping bolts, and gear can pull out under a hard fall if placed poorly. Most trad climbers start by seconding experienced leaders and taking a dedicated course before leading their own gear protected routes.