Ode to a Pink Tricam

Oh Pink's the one I love to place
when I'm alone way up in space
on some exposed and airy face.

They sink where other gear won't go.
When all you've got is manky pro,
This tricam saves your butt from woe.

But it's often hard to get them out;
They make your second moan and shout
And wave his nut tool 'round about

But that's why you're the one on lead
Your problems are a different breed
As long as someone does the deed...

"Oh quit your whimpering," you rumble,
"And get it out or there'll be trouble"
"Get to work now, on the double!"

Although it sometimes takes a while,
They do come out with vim and guile,
(or chiselling and curses vile.)

Pink will do what all the rest.
Won't do when they're put to the test.
Oh pink tricams are just the best!

-- Charles "Pinky" Danforth

These are the best. Learn to place them - they fit where nothing else will, they're light (yeah, the big sizes are great too!), and as fusionboy points out - pink is the best. Especially when you're 50 ft. above your last piece on easy slab and the only hole in the rock is a little pocket thing (Whitehorse anyone?).

Way, way, way better than hexes for large pieces in the mountains, unique placements that are irreplaceable in the small sizes. Get some.

Most folks only have the first four or five, the new super small ones look freaky but beat the hell outa trying to stack RP's in a horizontal feature - which is probably where these little fellas excel! If $ and weight are an issue these are the best! Also, go down to the electric supply store and buy some heat shrink tube, cut it to fit about 2/3rds of the sling and heat it with great care. It makes 1 handed placement a snap and protects the sling very well!

Love these. Work great in a multitude of placements. Tri-cam placements give me a special pleasure. Great for adding a little something to your warm-up, keeping the multi-pitch rack light, or for building belays. Have taken a few falls on these and tough they can be hard to clean, they hold great.

These are a staple of any great top-roping rack. And necessary for anyone climbing in horizontal crack country. I love them, and they fit a wide-variety of placements. And they're well-priced.

... is how I feel about tri cams... esp the little ones. I rarely manage to place the larger ones but the new little white one and the old favourite pink have made me feel very comfy. Recommend practicing to get a feel for them but once you get it they are a very versatile, dependable part of any alpine rack.

I'm a big fan if tri-cams. They're simple, always ready to do their job, and can be placed in many different positions and features. They're also basically maintenance free. The downside is you really need to know how to use them and place them properly. You can't just take them up the wall and throw one in a crack like you can a spring loaded cam. I carry the smallest four as part of my basic trad rack (.5 pink, 1, 1.5, 2). Larger than that, buy them and use them if you have specific needs for large cams.

I never leave home without these guys. The pink tri fits everywhere I need it to. I have yet to take a whipper on one of these guys, but just having it jam into place in active or passive mode puts my mind at ease. Perfect for those weird pockets that a cam or nut won't do.

Never leave home with out it. Double up on your small sizes.

TriCams are great for places that cams or nuts just wont fit, fairly light, the smallest sizes are most useful.

Tri-cams should be a standard on anyones' rack. They work well in shallow horizontal cracks. Don't place too deep for your partner to retrieve, and make sure they know how to take them out. I've lost two red, in two separate incidences where my partners whaled on the pieces trying to get them out, when in actuality they were set. I don't use anything bigger than a 2.0.

They are extremely versatile. I use them a lot when setting up top ropes, especially in cracks that run parallel to the edge of cliff.

Great for NC trad, i love them.

I bought my Tricams to help me get up and down some tall dry falls in the canyons here in southern Nevada.(we all don't hang in casino's) Bigger ones work better for me, but I too love the pink one!

These Camp USA Tri Cams definitely have their place. They work great in horizontal placements and in many cases will fit in placements where passive pro or cams won't. The four smallest sizes are the most useful (pink, brown, red, and blue). Any placements bigger than those and you should be able to get something else in. The larger tri cams are heavy and you might as well buy Camalots.