I’m getting into trad climbing, after quite a few years of indoor and outdoor sport and bouldering. I’m very aware that trad climbing involves more risk, especially if you climb above your ability and/or are bad/inexperienced at placing runners. Does anyone here have tips on how best to practice protecting a route to the point where you feel safe enough to climb a difficult crux with only trad protection below you?
The most obvious advise would be: find a mentor (somebody more experienced) to show you the ropes (pun intended).
Next best alternative is to do a course that teaches you the basics and then take it slow from there.
In terms of practising trad climbing, you can sometimes find bolted routes where you can still place your own gear. Climb these routes like you normally would but also place your own gear. Now you can take test-falls to see if your gear holds. If not, you will still have clipped the last bolt so you won’t just fall to the ground.
In terms of practising a route before committing to sending it on gear only, looks for routes where you can set up a top-rope anchor and practice it on top-rope first until you are either confident that you won’t fall or that your gear placements will hold.
All great advice. To add to this, eventually you may want to start climbing on-site. When/if that day comes be sure to start slow. Climb easy, low commitment lines with good gear and protect them well. If there’s at all a chance of falling you should be confident you know how to protect it adequately.