What are climbing cams?

Climbing cams — also called Spring Loaded Camming Devices or friends — are active protection for trad climbing. Unlike passive gear such as nuts or hexes, they have spring-loaded moving parts that expand to grip parallel-sided or slightly flared cracks.

When you place a cam, you compress the lobes, slot it into the crack, then release it so the springs push the lobes outward against the rock. This creates a secure anchor point where fixed protection doesn't exist and where passive gear won't hold.

Which camming devices do I need?

Your choice depends on the routes you climb and the rock you're on. Start by considering the typical crack widths you encounter — different cams cover different size ranges, and you'll often carry several to cover the placements a route demands.

If you're building a rack from scratch, a set that spans the common crack sizes gives you versatility. Many climbers carry duplicates of mid-range sizes, as these placements come up frequently. Check what other climbers use on your local crags or consult route descriptions for guidance.

• Narrow-range cams suit specific placements or topping up an existing rack
• Wide-range cams reduce the number of units you need to carry
• Consider the cam's stem design — rigid, flexible or hybrid — based on how placements sit in horizontal or flared cracks
• Lighter cams matter on long routes where every gram counts

Wild Country cams and other brands

Wild Country, Black Diamond, DMM and Totem all manufacture cams, each with different lobe profiles, stem designs and size ranges. Some climbers prefer a particular brand's feel or performance in certain rock types, while others mix brands across their rack.

What matters most is that you understand how your cams behave in different placements. Familiarise yourself with their expansion range, how they walk under load, and where they perform best. No single brand suits every crack or every climber.

Buying your first cam set

A cam set gives you several units across a size range, often at better value than buying individually. Sets typically cover the mid-sizes that appear most often on popular routes, though you may need to add smaller or larger cams depending on where you climb.

Before committing to a full set, consider trying a single cam or borrowing from a climbing partner to see how the brand feels in your hand and how it places. Some climbers find certain trigger mechanisms or stem stiffnesses more intuitive than others.

Cam size and placement

Each cam operates within a specific expansion range, usually marked with colour coding or numbering. You'll place a cam in the middle of its range whenever possible — this gives the springs room to work and keeps the lobes at their optimal angle against the rock.

Over-camming (placing a cam at its minimum size) or under-camming (at its maximum) can compromise holding power or make retrieval difficult. Learn to gauge crack width by eye and match it to the right cam size. Our Cam Size Comparison Chart helps you compare ranges across brands.

Looking after camming devices

Cams need regular inspection and maintenance. After each climbing season, check for worn slings, damaged lobes, gritty or stiff trigger mechanisms, and bent stems. Clean dirty cams with water and a soft brush, then lubricate the moving parts sparingly with a silicone-based lubricant.

Retire any cam with deep gouges in the lobes, frayed slings, or mechanisms that don't spring back smoothly. Your life depends on this gear, so replace anything that shows significant wear. Rock+Run's cam maintenance guide walks you through the inspection process.