Key takeaways
- A tricam is a metal point-and-rails piece on webbing that places passively or in a camming mode.
- In camming mode, loading the sling rocks the point into the rock to grip.
- It excels in pockets, solution holes, and horizontal cracks where other gear struggles.
- It's light and cheap, but takes practice to place well and can be fiddly to remove.
From its three-point camming action.
This is general educational information, not instruction. Placing protection is life-critical — learn it hands-on with qualified instruction.
What a tricam is
A tricam is a versatile piece of climbing protection — a metal head with a pointed end and a curved, grooved ‘rails’ platform, on a loop of webbing — that can be placed two ways: passively, wedged like a nut, or in a unique camming mode.
The camming mode
Set with its point in a small depression or against one wall and the rails against the opposite wall, the webbing is positioned so a downward pull rotates the head, driving the point into the rock and pressing the rails outward — a gripping, camming action with no moving parts, where the load itself does the work.
Reaching a shallow pocket in limestone where no nut seats and no cam fits, a climber sets a tricam in camming mode — point biting into the pocket — and weights the sling to lock it, getting protection where nothing else would work.
When they shine
Tricams excel in pockets, solution holes, horizontal cracks, and shallow or irregular placements where nuts and cams struggle, and they’re light and cheap. The downsides: they take practice and feel to place confidently, can be fiddly to remove after loading, and are slower than a cam. Many climbers carry a few as specialized additions, alongside passive and active protection.
The bottom line
A tricam is a clever, versatile piece: a point-and-rails head on webbing that places passively like a nut or in a no-moving-parts camming mode where loading the sling bites the point into the rock. It excels in pockets, solution holes, and horizontal cracks where cams and nuts struggle, and it's light and cheap. The catch is it takes practice to place and can be fiddly to remove.
Frequently asked questions
What is a tricam?
A tricam is a versatile piece of climbing protection made of a metal head — with a pointed end and a curved, grooved platform (the 'rails') — attached to a loop of webbing. It can be placed two ways: passively, wedged into a constriction like a nut, or in a camming mode, where loading the sling causes the point to rock and bite into the rock, gripping it.
How does a tricam's camming mode work?
In camming mode, you set the tricam with its point in a small depression or against one wall and the rails against the opposite wall, with the webbing positioned so that a downward pull on the sling rotates the head, driving the point into the rock and pressing the rails outward. This creates a gripping, camming action without any moving parts — the load itself does the work.
When are tricams especially useful?
Tricams shine in places other gear struggles: pockets and solution holes (common on limestone), horizontal cracks, and shallow or irregular placements where nuts and cams don't seat well. They're also light and inexpensive. The downsides are that they take practice and a feel to place confidently, can be fiddly or stubborn to remove (especially after being loaded), and are slower to place than a cam, so many climbers carry a few as specialized additions to a rack.
Sources
- Trad protection — American Alpine Club
- Protection & placements — The Mountaineers