Climbers advised to check Tri-Cams for defect

By LFTO Gear Team

Gear news

03 April 2008 16:00

The British Mountaineering Council has advised climbers with Tri-Cam climbing aids to check them carefully after a defect was found in one unit.

The BMC conducted an investigation into a Tri-Cam, made by Italian firm Camp, after a climber reported that his had a loose pin. He had used the Tri-Cam three or four times but discovered the problem during a routine check of his gear.

He sent the Tri-Cam to the BMC for checking. Its report concludes that the problem was down to a “manufacturing error”, as the hole in which the pin sat was too big.

A Tri-Cam consists of a metal block that is inserted into the rock. It is then connected by a pin to a sling, onto which the climber clips his rope. The loose pin could have been jerked from the hole with minimal pressure, meaning the device may have failed on the rockface.

Cautious

BMC Technical Officer Dan Middleton told LFTO: “It’s most likely that this was a one-off, as the UK distributor has checked its stock and found no problems, but obviously we have to be cautious.”

The BMC's report actually recommended a recall of the product, although the body has since retracted this advice following consultation with Camp.

However, climbers are advised to check their gear for problems.

For more information, contact Dan via email at dan@thebmc.co.uk or by phone on 0161 438 3326.

If you're concerned about your own Tri-Cam, find out how to check them by clicking here.