Standard Trad rack

I am looking to get started into trad climbing and I have noticed that a lof of climbs on here state that they just need a "standard" trad rack. What does this include? And is someone out there willing to spend some time teaching me about setting protection and trad-ing?
Thanks

Hey Nich, if your going to be around for awhile pm me and we can get out and climb. I've got the standard rack and more.

"Standard Rack" varies from place to place, usually by cam and nut numbers/sizes, but also specialty pieces and slings. By far the 'desert rack' is the biggest outlier, and I noticed you're from Utah.

Sounds like you got someone to show you the ways, I'd take him up on that offer. And buy him beer. Being able to use other peoples racks before purchasing your own is a great gift. Buy him beer.

Nich,

Here is what works well for me in the wasatch as far as a "standard" trad rack goes...

1 set of cams from 00 metolius to #3 camalot. Possibly double up on some of the tips to hand size cams as the budget allows...
1-2 sets of nuts...
12 quickdraws/runners (I prefer extendable alpine style quickdraws)
nut tool...

This rack will get you up almost anything in the cottonwoods and surrounding areas.

Hope this helps...

I've always read 'standard rack' as single cams .75" to "3, a full set of stoppers and some slings. Personally, i don't feel complete without adding to that a tricam set (pink-blue), my Empire Robot micro set (4pcs) and maybe and extra #1 & .75 camalot.

You'll see the term 'light rack' used quite a bit as well but i can't see a rack being any smaller than the standard i described above (without my add-ons). You probably won't see 'heavy' or 'large rack' used but instead, you'll see beta like "doubles of 1-2 inch" or something like that.

Definitely take Robert up on his offer if you can. I think one of the best ways you can learn trad is to follow a route and while doing so, study each piece, clean it and then place it again where it just was. Then (if your partner/mentor is really patient) place it higher/lower/backwards/upside-down and see why that wasn't as good. Did he extend the sling? Why? Did he leave gear hanging from the piece? Why? Especially learn to use tricams. They tend to work where nothing else may in things like pockets.

Lurk the trad threads here. Lots of good tips to be found.

i think a standard rack in the wasatch is a full set of cams(bd .3 to #30), with doubles from bd size .5 to #2, and a full set of nuts with doubles on the smaller ones. i climb with that and the red, yellow and green bd c3s and sometimes wish i had another bd # 3 sized piece.

I can teach you how to trad climb, too, and I've got way more than enough gear. I'm always looking for more trad climbing partners. PM me or something (I think we have a mutual friend: Jake Welch? Do you work with him? You can get my number from him). I'd say that a standard beginner rack is a set of cams (I prefer Camalots) from .3 to #3 or #4 and a set of nuts. I agree with Tosh Peters as to what a standard established trad rack should be, though I'd also add a set of microcams (C3s or TCUs or whatever) in.

Someone else mentioned tricams. They're cool when you really need them, but I've only encountered one or two places where a tricam worked and nothing else would, and that was aid climbing in the desert. I wouldn't get any if you're just starting out, though someone else will probably tell you to only get tricams...

-Tristan

A standard rack is how ever much gear you can afford without affecting your standard of living. Trad gear is an obsession that once you start you can never stop, and then suddenly you end up with 5 purple tri-cams without even knowing it. It also depends on how spicy you like things when you climb. My buddy still climbs to this day with a partial rack of cams, random stoppers and some tri-cams.

PINKEY PINKEY DON'T LEAVE THE BELAY WITHOUT IT....