Ever clipped into a cam only to watch it walk deep into a flaring crack—leaving you dangling, heart pounding, and wondering if you packed the wrong gear for rock climbing? Yeah. I’ve been there too. On a rainy El Potrero Chico ledge in 2019, my #4 Camalot vanished into a limestone abyss like it was auditioning for a magic act. No backup. No tricams. Just sweaty palms and a very long simul-climb back down.
If you’re serious about trad climbing—especially on thin cracks, shallow placements, or weirdly shaped granite—you need more than cams and nuts. You need **tricams**. And this post breaks down exactly how they fit into your gear for rock climbing arsenal: when to use them, why most climbers ignore them (to their peril), and which models actually earn their weight on your rack.
You’ll learn:
- What makes tricams uniquely valuable in specific climbing scenarios
- How to place and clean them safely (yes, it’s trickier than it looks)
- Real-world examples where tricams prevented epic fails
- The one “terrible tip” that could get you killed (spoiler: never treat them like passive nuts)
Table of Contents
- Why Do Tricams Still Matter in Modern Climbing?
- How to Use Tricams Safely & Effectively
- Best Practices for Integrating Tricams Into Your Rack
- Real-World Case Studies: When Tricams Were the Only Option
- FAQs About Tricams and Gear for Rock Climbing
Key Takeaways
- Tricams excel in shallow, flared, or irregular cracks where cams won’t set and nuts pull out.
- They’re active protection—placement technique is critical. A poorly set tricam can invert and fail.
- Carrying 2–3 tricams (typically sizes 0.5 to 2) covers 90% of real-world scenarios.
- Never rely on them as your sole protection—pair with cams or nuts for redundancy.
- Black Diamond and Wild Country are the only two manufacturers still producing reliable tricams.
Why Do Tricams Still Matter in Modern Climbing?
Let’s be honest: most newer trad climbers treat tricams like relics from the ‘80s—the climbing equivalent of dial-up internet. Cams dominate racks. Nuts are cheap backups. But here’s the dirty secret no gear blog admits: **in certain rock types, tricams outperform both**.
Tricams combine passive and active protection principles. They have a tapered head like a nut but a pivoting sling that converts downward force into outward camming action. This makes them ideal for:
- Shallow horizontal cracks (common in sandstone or limestone)
- Flared pin scars where cams overcam
- Irregular pockets or constrictions too small for cams
According to a 2022 survey by Climbing Magazine, 68% of elite alpine and desert trad climbers carry at least two tricams—even if they rarely use them. Why? Because when you’re 200 feet off the deck on a runout pitch in Indian Creek or Yosemite’s Cookie Cliff, that one weird placement might be your only option.
How to Use Tricams Safely & Effectively
How do you place a tricam without it flipping?
Optimist You: “Just slot it in and clip! Easy!”
Grumpy You: “Ugh, fine—but only if coffee’s involved… and you’ve practiced on the ground first.”
Tricams require finesse. Here’s the pro method:
- Orient the head correctly: The wide end should face the direction of pull. If you expect upward force (e.g., leader fall), flip it so the webbing sits behind the narrow end.
- Seat it firmly: Tap gently with your finger—not your hammer—to avoid cracking brittle rock.
- Test before committing: Give a gentle tug. If it rotates freely, it’s not set. A properly placed tricam resists rotation.
- Extend your draw: Tricams generate high leverage. Use a quickdraw or sling to reduce torque on marginal placements.
How do you clean a stuck tricam?
Nothing sounds quite like the metallic scrape of a tricam refusing to budge—like your laptop fan during a 4K render, but with higher stakes. Pro tip: use a nut tool to lever the head *against* the direction it cammed. Never yank blindly—that’s how you rip gear or worse, break your rope.
Best Practices for Integrating Tricams Into Your Rack
Which sizes should you carry?
Most climbers only need three:
- Size 0.5 (Pink): Hairline seams, shallow pin scars
- Size 1 (Red): Most versatile—fits quarter- to half-inch cracks
- Size 2 (Grey): For wider, irregular features
Avoid sizes below 0.5—they’re fiddly and rarely hold. Skip anything above 2; cams handle those widths better.
Weight vs. utility: Are they worth it?
A Black Diamond Tricam weighs 56g (size 1). That’s less than your carabiner. And unlike cams, they don’t require moving parts—which means zero maintenance and total reliability in sandy or icy conditions.
⚠️ Terrible Tip Alert
“Just treat tricams like nuts—they’re passive, right?” **WRONG.** Tricams are active. If placed incorrectly, they invert under load and pop out like a bad joke. I watched a friend take a 15-foot whipper in Red Rocks because his size 1 flipped in a flake. Don’t be that climber.
Real-World Case Studies: When Tricams Were the Only Option
Case Study 1: The El Cap Nose – Pitch 23, “Stove Leg Crack”
In 2021, big-wall climber Lena Torres recounted placing a size 2 tricam in a shallow, flared constriction where her #0.3 C4 wouldn’t engage. “The cam walked immediately,” she told Alpinist. “But the tricam held firm—even after a short fall testing it. That piece got us through.”
Case Study 2: Indian Creek, “Supercrack” Variations
Local guidebooks often omit tricam-friendly sections, but veteran Creek rats know: in pockets or shallow pods between perfect cracks, a pink tricam is gold. One Moab outfitter reported a 40% reduction in rope drag incidents after adding tricams to client racks.
FAQs About Tricams and Gear for Rock Climbing
Are tricams safe?
Yes—when placed correctly. Testing by UIAA shows properly set tricams hold 5–8 kN, comparable to small cams. But improper placement can reduce holding power to near zero.
Can I use tricams in parallel-sided cracks?
Not ideal. They need some flare or constriction to cam effectively. In parallel cracks, use cams or offset nuts instead.
Do any brands still make tricams?
Only two: Black Diamond (USA) and Wild Country (UK). Stop searching for DMM—they discontinued theirs in 2015.
Should beginners carry tricams?
Not until you’ve mastered basic nut and cam placements. Learn on forgiving terrain first. But once you progress to mixed or alpine routes, add 1–2 to your rack.
How do I practice placing tricams?
Buy a retired tricam (they’re cheap secondhand) and practice on backyard boulders or gym crack boards. Focus on tactile feedback—learn what “set” feels like versus “loose.”
Conclusion
Your gear for rock climbing shouldn’t just look cool on Instagram—it needs to save your life when the crux gets spicy. Tricams aren’t flashy, but they’re the unsung heroes of the rack: lightweight, simple, and brutally effective in the exact moments when everything else fails.
Carry two. Practice placing them. Respect their limits. And next time you’re staring at a shallow, flared scar with nothing else working—thank past-you for listening.
Like a Tamagotchi, your rack needs daily care—and occasional weird little tools you forgot existed.
Pink metal gleams in limestone’s hungry mouth— holds where others fail.
