The Crescent Cam

Benefit

In rock climbing, a spring-loaded camming device (a.k.a. SLCD, camming device, cam) is a piece of protective equipment that expands and contracts to fit within the cracks of a rock wall. When a climber falls, the cam holds them in place.

Climbers need to quickly place cams while climbing. To place cams, a climber has to first unclip the camming device from their harness or rack, then change their grip on the cam to 'load' it by pulling the trigger, and then finally place it into the crack in the rock. Climbers usually put the cam in their mouths to change their grip on the device before placing it. This wastes time and energy and runs the risk of dropping equipment and damaging teeth.

The Crescent Cam reduces the risk of a climber dropping a cam by eliminating the need to change the grip on the cam between unclipping and placing it. The trigger that retracts the lobes of the cam is integrated into the mechanism that releases the cam from the harness. As a result, when the lobes are fully retracted, the trigger engages with the release hook and can be easily removed from the harness. Thus, when placing the gear, the climber's hand is already in the correct position on the trigger to retract the lobes. The Crescent Cam thus conserves time and increases the climber's efficiency in what are often stressful and delicate situations. By eliminating the hassle between removing the cam and placing it, climbers can focus more on the climbing than the cams, leading to further enjoyment in their activities.

Commercializing this technology helps climbers focus on their craft while ensuring safety and efficiency in rock climbing.

Market Application

As this technology is specific to the climbing community, it could easily be integrated into the climbing equipment industry.