New skill unlocked

Recently, my climbing partner and I were doing some traditional climbing. Just simple routes to get used to the gear and understand how everything works.

Why is this type of climbing called “traditional”? It’s simple.

In the past, there were no prepared routes. Climbers depended solely on their own strength and self-organized belay points.

In the last few decades, equipment has advanced significantly. Now, traditional climbs can be done using friends (as seen in the video), which fit into rock cracks.

But sometimes friends aren’t enough or the diameter isn’t suitable. In such cases, more traditional elements are used—like placements (as seen in the photo).

Obviously, all this equipment is super strong and goes through special certification. And it’s also expensive ‍♀️. Basically, that’s the main downside of traditional climbing.