Cam-ing Soon to a Crag Near You: Petzl Showcase their New Climbing Cam at the CWA Summit

The Climbing Wall Association (CWA) Summit in Salt Lake City is wrapping up this week, and although I wasn’t able to attend in person, Gripped Magazine has provided an glimpse into what may be coming to the climbing market next.

On 16 April 2026, Gripped Magazine posted a series of photos on Instagram from the CWA Summit, including images of what appear to be prototype climbing cams developed by Petzl. As soon as I spotted them, my interest was piqued.

Petzl is a family‑owned climbing and safety equipment company founded in 1975 by Fernand Petzl and now led by his son, Paul Petzl. Within the climbing world, Petzl has a strong reputation for technical innovation. A recent example is the Petzl Neox, released last year. The Petzl Neox is an assisted‑braking belay device featuring an integrated wheel that allows for smooth and fast rope payout.

So when the photos revealed that Petzl is developing a spring‑loaded camming device called the PurCam, I was immediately curious. That curiosity grew even further when I noticed the words “PatPend” printed on the side of the cam.

Companies often mark products with terms such as “Patent Pending” or “PatPend” as a strategic deterrent. While it does not mean a patent has already been granted, it does signal that patent protection is being actively sought. For competitors, this raises the risk that copying the product could lead to infringement once the patent is granted and enforced retroactively.

In short, this marking tells competitors to “think twice”.

After a brief search, I located French patent (FR3154159B1), granted in October 2025 and owned by Zedel, one of Petzl’s manufacturing subsidiaries. The patent relates to a new type of camming device that incorporates a textile wire element passing through a series of holes in the cam lobes.

According to the patent, this configuration reduces variations in trigger strength that can arise during manufacturing and that typically need to be corrected later. In practical terms, this could result in more consistent handling and performance across units, something climbers greatly appreciate in protection they trust with their lives.

Zedel has also filed corresponding pending patent applications in China, Europe, and the United States, all claiming priority from the original French filing.

This strategy relies on patent priority rights, established under the Paris Convention. Priority allows an applicant to file subsequent patent applications for the same invention in other countries while retaining the original filing date.

For innovative hardware companies like Petzl, this is a powerful tool. It allows them to test, showcase, and refine new products, such as by displaying prototypes at industry events like the CWA summit, while still preserving their ability to obtain broad international patent protection.

Zedel’s multi‑jurisdictional filing strategy demonstrates a clear understanding of how to leverage patent law to protect innovation on a global scale.

More than 50 years ago, one of the earliest patents for a spring‑loaded camming device was filed by Lowe Alpine Systems (US3877679). Shortly thereafter, Raymond Jardine patented the now‑iconic “Friend” cam (US4184657), which led to the founding of Wild Country, a company that continues to manufacture cams and other climbing hardware today.

Those early patents didn’t just protect inventions; they catalysed an entire industry. Over the following decades, competition and incremental innovation refined camming technology into the highly reliable equipment climbers now take for granted.

Seeing Petzl enter the cam market nearly five decades later underscores how innovation in climbing gear remains very much alive. Their new patent family which focuses on reducing mechanical variability in the manufacture of the cams suggests a thoughtful, engineering‑driven approach to innovation.

I’m looking forward to seeing the PurCam, or whatever its final name may be, out on the crag in the near future. And I can’t help but wonder what climbing protection might look like in another 50 years’ time.

Self‑placing cams, perhaps?

"Petzl cams! Rumours are true. Look for them in 2027."

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