What is the difference between sport climbing protection and traditional climbing protection?

• A. Sport uses pre-placed bolts; traditional relies on removable gear (nuts, cams) placed on the route to build anchors.
• B. Sport uses cams; traditional uses bolts
• C. Sport requires no protection
• D. Traditional uses pre-placed bolts

Answer: (A)

Sport climbing protection is fixed to the rock along the route; bolts are installed ahead of time by route developers, and climbers clip their rope to quickdraws attached to those bolts as they climb. Traditional climbing protection, on the other hand, uses removable gear that the climber places into natural features (like cracks and pockets) as they lead, and they build anchors from that gear at belay stations or at the top. This difference in how protection is installed and used is why the correct answer states that sport relies on pre-placed bolts while traditional relies on removable gear such as nuts and cams placed on the route.

The other descriptions mix up the gear roles or claim there’s no protection, which doesn’t fit how sport or trad climbing actually works.