Why Carrot Bolts Are a Bad Idea 🥕❌

What Is a Carrot Bolt?

The typical Australian "carrot" is a 10mm diameter hex-head machine bolt, either:

• Bashed into an undersized hole (like a piton), or

• Glued into a larger hole.

They require a portable keyhole hanger (also called a removable hanger, bolt plate or bracket) to be used. For more detail, refer to this Climbing Magazine article.

Why They're Unsafe: A Summary of Problems

Here are some key reasons carrot bolts are no longer acceptable:

1. Not Compliant with Safety Standards

Carrot bolts don’t meet EN 959 and UIAA 123, the internationally recognised safety standards for climbing anchors.

2. Improvised, Non-Specialised Materials

These bolts are not designed for climbing. They’re often sourced from generic hardware stores, with inconsistent materials, especially poor-quality stainless steel from unreliable suppliers.

3. Fails Best Practices for Land Managers

Land managers expect anchors to meet industry-standard practices. Rebolting efforts funded by climbing organisations (like Safer Cliffs) must meet professional standards to ensure continued access and safety.

4. Weak Removable Hangers

Removable bolt plates (keyhole hangers) snap under ~10 kN - less than half the minimum for standard fixed hangers and ringbolts. (Source: 1999 CSIRO test for VCC)

5. Unreliable Performance

• On steep or overhung terrain, hangers can unfold around the bolt head under relatively low loads.

• Hex-head sizes vary (14mm to 17mm), which causes compatibility issues with hangers and unpredictability for climbers.

• Wire-gate and narrow-nose carabiners (e.g. Petzl Spirits) can unclip from the bolt plate.

• Sharp hanger edges can cut into aluminium carabiners, leading to premature wear - unlike the smoother surfaces of ringbolts or U-bolts.
  
  

6. Sudden Failure

Bash-in carrots can fail without warning. Their only point of contact is a small taper within the hole. If that fails, the bolt can slide out under bodyweight. In contrast, glue-ins or expansions loosen visibly before failing.

7. User Errors & Inexperience

International and interstate climbers often:

• Don’t know what keyhole hangers / bolt plates are.

• Use unsafe combinations (e.g. wiregates or upside-down hangers).

• Have even used accessory cord - or shoelaces - to attach quickdraws.
  
  

8. Cannot Be Stick-Clipped

Because they lack a fixed hanger, climbers can’t pre-clip the first bolt, increasing the risk of ground falls in the event of a slip.

9. Limited Manufacturing

Removable hangers are produced by only one small Australian company (PFH)—which, as of January 2025, may have ceased operations. As carrots are being phased out, continued hanger production is uncertain.

10. Unsafe Retreat Options

You can’t bail from a carrot without leaving behind both a hanger and a carabiner. This encourages risky decisions - like pushing on through dangerous terrain rather than retreating safely.

11. Logistical Problems

If a climber runs out of bolt plates, they may be forced to skip bolts. This is especially problematic in areas like the Blue Mountains, where mixed bolting (rings below, carrots above) can be misleading.

12. Difficult to Identify

It's hard to distinguish a glued-in carrot (relatively safer) from a bash-in one (unsafe). Even experienced climbers have misidentified them—sometimes with tragic consequences.

13. Tamper Risks

A standard hex-head bolt can be easily unscrewed with basic tools. Malicious bolt removal has occurred in the past.

14. Corrosion and Material Issues

Many glue-in carrots are made from 304 A2 stainless steel instead of the more corrosion-resistant 316 A4. This makes them vulnerable to sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and corrosion-related failures—several of which have occurred in Australia and overseas. For more information, see this article.