It’s easy to dismiss the weight saving you get by upgrading a single piece of climbing gear in isolation. The difference between an ultralight carabiner and a heavy one can be as little as 20g, a negligible amount. However, once you start thinking about your rack overall, you start to see the value of lightweight gear. Switching from nylon 60cm slings for your alpine draws to dyneema ones saves about a half pound. Saving 10g per carabiner equates to saving over a half pound when carrying 30 carabiners. Using lightweight cams can reduce the weight of cams by 25%. The point is, small changes really add up!
When it comes to alpine trad climbing, nuts are a climber's best friend. Nuts are much lighter, and much cheaper than cams, allowing you to bring more of them. DMM makes some of the best nuts, and their Wallnuts and Offsets are hugely popular, and work really well. For alpine climbing though, you could consider the Halfnuts, essentially a Wallnut that’s been cut in half. They are 42% lighter than an equivalent rack of Wallnuts, and also work in weird shallow cracks where Wallnuts can’t go. Pretty sweet.
Not really nuts, but I’m a big fan of Camp Tricam Evos for alpine climbing. I try to avoid placing them on lead so I don’t sandbag my second, but for building anchors they offer passive and active placement options, fit where nothing else will, and are affordable.
Choosing some light cams is probably the single biggest way to reduce the weight of your rack for the simple reason that cams are heavy, and you need a lot of them. A single rack of cams will generally come in at 7-8 cams, and the total number you take will only go up from there.
My favorite lightweight cams are the Metolius Ultralight Master Cams. They’re simultaneously some of the lightest, and some of the cheapest cams on the market. Plus they place really well, and can fit places other brands have trouble with.
UHMWPE (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene) slings are a lightweight alternative to traditional nylon slings, offering impressive strength and minimal bulk. Also known as Dyneema, Dynex, Spectra, etc, these ultra-lightweight slings are made from high-strength fibers that are stronger than steel for their weight. As an additional bonus, UHMWPE slings also don’t absorb water, a big benefit anytime you’re near snow!
Choose carabiners that strike a balance between weight and functionality. Look for compact and lightweight models that are still easy to clip. My personal favorites are the Camp Nano 22, or Photon Wire. The Nano is uber light, while still easy to handle, and the Photon, while not as light, are great to clip when you have gloves on. These carabiners can reduce the weight on your rack significantly without compromising strength. Remember, the cumulative weight saved from using lightweight carabiners can make a noticeable difference during those long alpine approaches.
A sample rack I might take for an alpine rock objective would be the following:
Protection
2-7 Metolius Ultralight Mastercams, racked on Camp Nano 22 carabiners
1-7 DMM Halfnuts
7-10 DMM Offset Nuts
Metolius Feather Nut Tool
.25-1.5 Camp Tricam Evo
Slings and Whatnot
8-10 Camp Mach Express Alpine Draws
4-6 Black Diamond Litewire Quickdraws (Less versatile than alpine draws, but easier to clip. Only brought if the climbing is hard.)
2 120cm Blue Ice Mission Light Slings
DMM Pivot Belay Device
4 Locking Carabiners
2 Camp Nitro Lock, or Petzl Attache
1 Camp Photon Lock
1 Grivel Plume Screw (Lightest locking carabiner on the market!)
1 Cordelette- Made from 18ft of Sterling V-TX cord
Enough non-lockers to rack everything and build anchors- Camp Nano 22
Sterling Autoblock or Hollowblock prusik cords
Misc Stuff to Round it Out
Petzl Sirocco Helmet
Edelrid Canary Pro Dry 8.6mm, 60m
Blue Ice Choucas Pro harness for a minimal option
Or- Petzl Adjama harness for more padding and gear loops
Petzl Tibloc ascender for emergencies
Petzl Spatha knife
This list is meant to be a starting point, items can and should be added or removed depending on the objective.
When it comes to an alpine trad rack, prioritizing minimalism and lightweight gear is crucial. Ultralight nuts, lightweight cams, Dyneema slings, and compact carabiners are the cornerstones of a well-optimized alpine rack. By carefully selecting gear that combines versatility and reduced weight, you'll be able to move efficiently in the mountains and conserve energy for the technical challenges that lie ahead.
With a thoughtfully constructed alpine trad rack, you'll be ready to tackle the most challenging routes with confidence. So, pack light, climb smart, and enjoy the freedom that comes with moving swiftly and efficiently through the mountains.