Trad Climbing Rack: Complete Beginner's Guide to Building Your First Rack
- Stephen McCall
- Nov 7
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 8
If you're making the leap from sport climbing to traditional climbing, or taking your first step from inside to out, congratulations! You're about to discover one of the most rewarding and adventurous forms of rock climbing. But before you head out to tackle your first stunning trad routes, you'll need to build your climbing rack.
As an WMCI-qualified instructor who's spent years climbing across Scotland's classic crags, I've seen countless beginners struggle with the same question: "What gear do I actually need?" This guide will help you build a versatile summer trad rack without breaking the bank or carrying unnecessary weight.
Understanding Your Trad Climbing Rack: The Basics
Traditional climbing means placing your own protection as you climb, rather than clipping pre-placed bolts. Your rack is your safety system, and choosing the right gear is crucial. The good news? You don't need everything at once.
Essential Trad Climbing Rack Components
Nuts (Wired Stoppers)
What you need: A full set from micro to large (typically sizes 1-11)
Nuts are the foundation of any trad rack. They're affordable, lightweight, and incredibly versatile on Scottish rock. A standard set will cover most placements you'll encounter on classic routes.
Pro tip: Invest in quality brands like DMM or Black Diamond. Cheap nuts can have poor cable swages that fail when you need them most.
Hexes
What you need: 3-4 hexes in mid to large sizes
While many climbers overlook hexes in favour of cams, they're brilliant for Scottish climbing. They're passive protection that works exceptionally well in parallel cracks and can save your cams for more technical placements.
Camming Devices
What you need: 6-8 cams covering small to medium sizes
This is where your budget will stretch, but cams are game-changers. For your first rack, focus on the sizes you'll use most frequently.
Suggested range:
2x small cams (0.5-0.75 sizes)
2x medium cams (0.75-1 sizes)
2x larger cams (1-2 sizes)
Having doubles in popular sizes lets you build anchors and protect longer pitches without running out.
Brands to consider: Black Diamond Camalots, DMM Dragons, or Wild Country Friends are all excellent choices.
Quickdraws
What you need: 10-12 quickdraws in various lengths
You'll need a mix of short draws (12cm) for direct placements and longer alpine draws (60cm) for reducing rope drag on wandering routes.
Suggested mix:
6x standard quickdraws (12cm)
4x alpine draws (60cm)
2x longer draws (optional)
Slings and Carabiners
What you need:
4x 60cm slings
2x 120cm slings
6-8 spare screwgate carabiners
Slings are essential for extending placements, building anchors, and slinging natural features like threads and blocks. Dyneema slings are lighter and less bulky than nylon.
Belay Device and Locking Carabiners
What you need:
1x belay device (ATC-style or "guide plate")
3-4 HMS screwgate carabiners
Don't skimp here. Your belay setup is critical.
Nut Tool
What you need: 1x nut tool
Essential for removing stuck nuts and cleaning placements. Attach it to your harness with a carabiner and keeper cord so you don't drop it mid-route.
What You Don't Need (Yet)
When building your first rack, resist the temptation to buy everything:
Micro cams: Useful but specialized. Wait until you're climbing harder grades.
Big cams: #3 and larger are heavy and expensive. Rent or borrow for specific routes.
Offset nuts: Great for flared cracks but not essential initially.
Tricams: Love them or hate them, they're not beginner-friendly.
Smart Shopping Strategies
Buy in stages: Start with nuts and hexes, then add cams gradually as your budget allows.
Consider used gear: Climbing shops often sell second-hand gear that's been inspected. Cams and metal protection can be excellent value used, but always buy new slings and carabiners.
Rent before you buy: Many climbing centres and outdoor shops rent gear. Try before you invest, especially with expensive cams.
Bundle deals: Some retailers offer rack packages that can save you 10-15% compared to buying individually.
Building Confidence with Your Rack
Having the gear is just the beginning. Learning to place protection confidently takes practice:
Practice at ground level: Find boulders and practice placements before you're on a route.
Climb with experienced partners: Watch how they build anchors and place gear.
Take a course: Guided instruction accelerates your learning and builds solid foundations.
At Scottish Rock & Water, our rock climbing courses focus on building real-world trad skills on classic Scottish routes. We provide all technical equipment, so you can learn proper placement techniques before investing in your own rack.
Final Thoughts
Building your first trad rack is an investment in adventure. Start with quality essentials, add gear as you progress, and most importantly, get proper instruction on how to use it safely.
Scottish crags offer some of the finest traditional climbing in the world, from the granite of Cairngorms to the gabbro of the Cuillin Ridge. With the right rack and solid skills, you'll be ready to explore them all.
Ready to develop your trad climbing skills? Our experienced MCI-qualified guides can help you build confidence on Scotland's classic routes. Check out our rock climbing courses or get in touch to discuss your goals.
Happy climbing, and see you on the crags!
Best wishes, Stephen Scottish Rock & W #RockClimbing #BenNevis #Cairngorms
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