Abstract: A climbing aid having a support bar, a spindle mounted on the support bar, two pairs of cam members pivotally mounted on the spindle adapted for opposite pivotal movement from a "closed" position to an "open" position, and spring members mounted on the spindle between each pair of cam members which act to apply force to each cam member to urge it into its open position. An operating bar is slidably mounted on the support bar and is connected to each cam member, there being at the opposite end of the support bar to the spindle an attachment point for a climbing rope. A downward force on the operating bar puts the cams into the "closed" position so that the climbing aid can be inserted into a crack formed in rock or the like. The bar is then released and the spring members force the cams into their "open" position to lock the climbing aid within the crack. The support bar may also include means to hold the operating bar in a position where the cam members are in the "closed" position.