Piton
Encyclopedia
In climbing
, a piton (icon; also called a pin or peg) is a metal spike (usually steel) that is driven into a crack or seam in the rock with a hammer, and which acts as an anchor to protect
the climber against the consequences of a fall, or to assist progress in aid climbing
. Pitons are equipped with an eye hole or a ring to which a carabiner
is attached; the carabiner can then be directly or indirectly attached (through more equipment) to a climbing rope.
Pitons were the original form of protection
and are still used where there is no alternative. Repeated hammering and extraction of pitons damages the rock, and climbers who subscribe to the clean climbing
ethic avoid their use as much as possible. With the popularization of clean climbing
in the 1970s, pitons were largely replaced by faster and easier-to-use clean protection, such as nuts
and camming devices
. Pitons are still found in place (as 'fixed' pitons) on some established free-climbing routes in places where nuts or cams do not work; and are used on some hard aid climbs.
With the 1950s and 1960s climbing exploration of the hard granite in Yosemite Valley
, it was found that soft pitons did not work very well. The long routes developed in Yosemite made it impractical and costly to fix routes, and the soft pitons were not durable enough to be placed and removed more than a few times. Pitons needed to be removed and used again on subsequent pitches, sometimes many times. Leaving gear in place went against the ethics of many climbers. John Salathé
pioneered designs using hardened steel which were much tougher than the European pitons. Salathé's pins, which he developed for a climb of the Lost Arrow
, resisted deformation and were easier to remove and reuse, and were durable enough to be reused indefinitely.
Climbing
Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet to ascend a steep object. It is done both for recreation and professionally, as part of activities such as maintenance of a structure, or military operations.Climbing activities include:* Bouldering: Ascending boulders or small...
, a piton (icon; also called a pin or peg) is a metal spike (usually steel) that is driven into a crack or seam in the rock with a hammer, and which acts as an anchor to protect
Protection (climbing)
To make climbing as safe as possible, most climbers use protection, a term used to describe the equipment used to prevent injury to themselves and others.-Types of climbing:...
the climber against the consequences of a fall, or to assist progress in aid climbing
Aid climbing
Aid climbing is a style of climbing in which standing on or pulling oneself up via devices attached to fixed or placed protection is used to make upward progress....
. Pitons are equipped with an eye hole or a ring to which a carabiner
Carabiner
A carabiner or karabiner is a metal loop with a sprung or screwed gate that is used to quickly and reversibly connect components in safety-critical systems. The word comes from "Karabinerhaken", meaning "hook for a carbine" in German.-Use:...
is attached; the carabiner can then be directly or indirectly attached (through more equipment) to a climbing rope.
Pitons were the original form of protection
Protection (climbing)
To make climbing as safe as possible, most climbers use protection, a term used to describe the equipment used to prevent injury to themselves and others.-Types of climbing:...
and are still used where there is no alternative. Repeated hammering and extraction of pitons damages the rock, and climbers who subscribe to the clean climbing
Clean climbing
Clean climbing is a rock climbing term that describes techniques and equipment which climbers use in order to avoid damage to the rock. These techniques date at least in part from the 1920s and earlier in England, but the term itself may have emerged in about 1970 during the widespread and rapid...
ethic avoid their use as much as possible. With the popularization of clean climbing
Clean climbing
Clean climbing is a rock climbing term that describes techniques and equipment which climbers use in order to avoid damage to the rock. These techniques date at least in part from the 1920s and earlier in England, but the term itself may have emerged in about 1970 during the widespread and rapid...
in the 1970s, pitons were largely replaced by faster and easier-to-use clean protection, such as nuts
Nut (climbing)
In rock climbing, a nut is a metal wedge threaded on a wire, used for protection by wedging it into a crack in the rock. Quickdraws are clipped to the nut wire by the ascending climber and the rope threads through the quickdraw. Nuts come in a variety of sizes and styles, and several different...
and camming devices
Spring loaded camming device
A spring-loaded camming device is a piece of rock climbing or mountaineering protection equipment. It consists of three or four cams mounted on a common axle or two adjacent axles, so that pulling on the axle forces the cams to spread farther apart...
. Pitons are still found in place (as 'fixed' pitons) on some established free-climbing routes in places where nuts or cams do not work; and are used on some hard aid climbs.
Styles and shapes
Pitons are sized and manufactured to fit a wide range of cracks. From small to large, most common are:- RURP - for Realized Ultimate Reality Piton, currently made by Black Diamond Equipment - a tiny piton the size of a postage stamp used in thin, shallow seams. It was designed by Tom FrostTom FrostTom Frost is a rock climber from California, best known for big wall climbing first ascents in Yosemite Valley. He is also a photographer and climbing equipment manufacturer.-Rock climbing and mountaineering:...
and Yvon ChouinardYvon ChouinardYvon Chouinard is a rock climber, environmentalist and outdoor industry businessman, noted for his contributions to climbing, climbing equipment and the outdoor gear business. His second company, Patagonia is known for its environmental focus...
in 1959, and manufactured by Chouinard Equipment in the 1960s. It is not a strong piece, and is mainly used for aid climbingAid climbingAid climbing is a style of climbing in which standing on or pulling oneself up via devices attached to fixed or placed protection is used to make upward progress....
, although it can feature as protection on extreme free routes (e.g. Rurp The Wild Berserk (E6 6b) at The Brand, Leicestershire, UK). More recent versions of the RURP include Bird Beaks and Peckers. - Knifeblade - also known as Bugaboos (made by Black Diamond), are a thin straight piton, that work in thin, deep cracks.
- Lost Arrow - designed by John SalathéJohn SalatheJohn Salathé was a pioneering rock climber, blacksmith and the inventor of the modern piton....
and Yvon Chouinard, now made by Black Diamond, are a hot-forged, tapered piton that performs well in medium-size cracks. - Angle - A piton made of steel sheet bent into a "U", "V", or "Z" shape; work well for larger cracks, where the steel deforms elastically as the piton is placed.
- Bongs - The largest pitons are angles made from aluminium sheet called bongs, named for the sound they produce while being hammered into place, or the sound they make when dropped. Bongs have become rare with the advent of camming units, which protect the same wide cracks more easily, and without causing damage to the rock.
Materials and evolution
Early pitons were made of malleable iron and soft steel and would deform to the shape of the crack when driven into the rock, which worked well in the irregular cracks found on European limestone. Soft pitons are difficult to remove without damaging the piton, so they were frequently left in place, and became fixed anchor points on a climb.With the 1950s and 1960s climbing exploration of the hard granite in Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of California, carved out by the Merced River. The valley is about long and up to a mile deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines...
, it was found that soft pitons did not work very well. The long routes developed in Yosemite made it impractical and costly to fix routes, and the soft pitons were not durable enough to be placed and removed more than a few times. Pitons needed to be removed and used again on subsequent pitches, sometimes many times. Leaving gear in place went against the ethics of many climbers. John Salathé
John Salathe
John Salathé was a pioneering rock climber, blacksmith and the inventor of the modern piton....
pioneered designs using hardened steel which were much tougher than the European pitons. Salathé's pins, which he developed for a climb of the Lost Arrow
Lost Arrow Spire
The Lost Arrow Spire is a detached pillar in Yosemite Valley, California, located immediately adjacent to Upper Yosemite Falls. The structure includes the Lost Arrow Spire Chimney route which is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America...
, resisted deformation and were easier to remove and reuse, and were durable enough to be reused indefinitely.