As such carrying the Blue, Silver and Purple Dragonflys in addition to the Blue, Silver and Purple Dragons is a serious consideration. Seeming good build quality, options of extendable and non extendable slings, I've use them alongside my Totem Basics for a few years now and rate them both. With up to 30% less head width than any other micro cam, they fit in more places, more securely. Check out the chart to see how the members of the Camalot family overlap. Another question I have since I've got some old BD Camalots:
Red: Thin Hands (painful feet)
What's the verdict? 6082 alloy does have a slight advantage over 6061 in that it has increased corrosion resistance. It does not flex as much as the Dragonflys, Zeros or Totem Basics but it does a good job of solving the flexibility vs stiffness conundrum. There is some movement horizontally but almost none vertically. New for 2020, the Black Diamond Z4 range replaces both the C3 and X4 ranges and offers some interesting options to the micro cam (and above!) All Rights Reserved. I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. Not only is a cam with a smooth action more pleasant to use, it also often correlates with the individual lobes moving in unison, making the cam easier to place. How to use Black Diamond Camalot C3, care, maintenance, lifespan, inspection and retirement with instructional pictures. We'd always choose a narrow-headed cam over one with a wider head (we imagine there are some strength/manufacturing concerns here which mean there is a limit to how narrow you can go). So, what exactly is it that we're looking for in a micro cam? Even after a few uses some of the cams are bent along the stem, both to the side and twisting, and in some cases the stem is bent at a slight angle where it joins the thumb loop. However, on paper there's no difference. Wild Country is now introducing the new Offset Zeros the ultimate weapon for wild climbing adventures and thin flared cracks. This is actually quite a big consideration as, with the smallest sizes of micro cams, you're often placing them in very small and shallow placements, and this is going to either prevent you from using the shallowest placements or compromise the security of the cam in a shallow placement. One good thing to mention as well is the jargon often attached to crack-size when looking over a topo- eg. Finally, as a replacement for the C3, the Z4 will be of interest to aiders. Thought they would be a nice addition to your article: Nice! Up To 30% Off Backcountry MTB Apparel .css-1081t4c{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Shop Now, Basecamp Under The Stars Shop Coolers, Camp Furniture & More. At the larger end, Blue, Silver Purple overlap with smaller Dragons, so with the full range of six you're really well covered. As they're such solid units, including the stems, and they aren't subject to the same bending or deformation as the more flexible cams on test. Whilst you would expect a micro cam to have a narrow head, the Dragonfly sizes which overlap the regular Dragon also benefit from a narrow head width and this is a welcome addition: it means that they are not only beneficial because their sizes overlap the regular Dragons and therefore offer additional placement options, but also because they are much narrower, again differentiating the placements which the two cams fit. Over the last yearSimon Verspeak has thrashed them on a wide range of rock types. *While Black Diamond provided both Width/Range min and max and Operational Range figures, other makes did not, therefore it was hard to know which figure to compare. *The blue Dragonfly is actually smaller than the 00 Dragon (only at full contraction of the Dragon and minimum contraction of the Dragonfly do they overlap!) This makes them especially suited to free-climbing, where dinking around can make the difference between reaching the anchors, falling or yelling, "Take!". The Master Cams also feature the Metolius range finder in sizes 2 up to 8. Did BD change some of their cam ranges over the year? Rob, off topic, but which sizes of Totem are you using on Peak Lime? Perhaps it is of comfort that BD's Kolin "KP" Powick has administered the Neanderthal test, "We freeze it and beat the crap out of it with a hammer" alongside more conventional technical testing. I know the Evolutions were a bit of a dud but all of the quality issues seem to have been corrected with the Revolution cams. This version of the Camalot C3 0 is officially retired.You've found a page of history! Master Cams are a really solid set of cams - which is both a plus point and their downfall. Our reviewer always carries the Black, Blue and Yellow sizes on his harness and would place much more trust in the Black Totem than an equivalent sized micro cam due to its construction and holding power.
The other notable feature of the Dragonflys are their extendable slings which reduce the amount of quickdraws you need to take, and help prevent the cam walking when the sling is deployed. Camalots are as lovely to use as they are beautifully built. There is precious little to fault and yet, somehow, I often found myself reaching for other units first. The two sides of the stem are pinched together in the plastic sleeve and swaged into the head to give the handling of a single stem but the weight saving of a double stem. Right now I have eight of these units on my rack. But even Honnold has to thrust his body into deep fissures from time to time:"Many of the most classic routes in the world, As climbers we strive to make UKClimbing the kind of website we would love to visit, with the most up-to-date news, diverse The ribbed trigger and thumb rest are grippy and even the #000 fit my big mitts. The stem comprises a wire cable construction (single to avoid buckling and reduce trigger profile for sizes 0-0.2 and double twisted for uniform flex on the 0.3 and above) with a plastic sheath spiralling around. Taxes and shipping fee will be calculated at checkout. I love my aliens. Welcome wilder one, you have successfully subscribed! As well as the purely practical nature of this consideration, there is also a psychological one: if you know that the piece of gear is technically strong enough to hold your fall, you will feel much more confident in it than if not, and given that the vast majority of trad gear placements are not fallen on, the confidence-inspiring ability of a micro cam is often very important. If you were to compare the total weight of X4 range and the Z4 range, the Z4s would come in at 44 grams lighter, and you would have an extra cam. Whats not to like. single annual BD Athlete Alex Honnold has never been a fan of wide cracks, or as he puts it a little more bluntly: "Offwidth climbing sucks". However their tiny size makes them extra sensitive to the vagaries of camming devices - holding power, walking and deformation. It's mentioned as important in the Dragonfly section, then not mentioned again? I've been gradually been learning on sight what cams fit what sizes, but I'm slow to connect the actual model # to the size since I'm not really a numbers & details sort of person. As such, when they're tugged by the rope on a wandering route, they're susceptible to walking - more so than a regular cam. On first look the patent-pending RigidFlex stem is a curious thing. Pros: Great trigger; long stem; double axle gives the best camming range in review; outstanding offwidth sizes; anodized heads; cam stops. Don't worry though, we have a lot more .css-1bz53a7{transition-property:var(--chakra-transition-property-common);transition-duration:var(--chakra-transition-duration-fast);transition-timing-function:var(--chakra-transition-easing-ease-out);cursor:pointer;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;color:var(--chakra-colors-txt-link);}.css-1bz53a7:hover,.css-1bz53a7[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:var(--chakra-colors-txt-primary);}.css-1bz53a7:focus,.css-1bz53a7[data-focus]{box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-outline);}Camming Devices in stock than that. let firstScriptTag = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
The narrow head width of the Green and Purple sizes in particular is exceptional as it opens up so many placement options and so, if you're going to be carrying two sets of cams on a route, the Zeros are an obvious choice. Anecdotally they hold well in a variety of rock types. This review focuses on two new sizes at opposite ends of the range. A large, textured thumb catch and trigger bar give slip-free placement and allow for independent cam manipulation. You will find that the cam head width on the smallest Z4 camming unit (size 0) is same size as the C3 equivalent (size 000). But as you go slightly bigger, you will find that the Z4 units are slightly bigger than the C3s. In grams and ounces, the weight, as stated by the manufacturer/brand. if (!$('script[src="https://www.youtube.com/iframe_api"]').length) {
The downside of the Totems in this test is that they don't go as small as the rest of the micro cams, although that's where the Totem Basics come in. It's also great to hear that Wild Country are setting up a re-slinging service in Europe as this is something that has previously been missing from their offering. Thanks to a uniquely narrow head profile, the Camalot C3 fits in places where other cams simply won't go. At 5kN the smallest size isn't too strong but that's what you might expect from a micro cam. Though this has not been tested as part of this group, the qualities of the Z4 stack up to make it a credible option on paper. The worlds best-selling, most trusted cam just got better. Perhaps we'll try again, as it'd be interesting to see how they compare. Comparing the strength rating with the cams from the C3 range, we can extract from the below table that the C3s are stronger. But to generate anything more than 5kN in climbing, you are talking about a fairly serious fall. I personally think Black Diamond are well ahead of the game when it comes to cams. Ever improving them. Camalots are designed to provide protection across the full spectrum of crack sizes, from small incipient seams, to perfect hands, to full-on offwidths. If you know where to find this online in the US, let us know, and well add the link. As such you want the best quality you can get: in this test we take a look at some of the main micro camming devices currently available on the market. However, it is much better than no cam at all and many other cams won't get in spots so small. I'm a very visual person, so with my leading so far I'm just used to eyeballing the crack and then eyeballing the pro.
This could be expect for extremely small and light cams, and they're certainly still usable without any detriment to performance. This allows us to provide a consistent comparison to a single size of cams. payment or a more substantial payment paid monthly or yearly which includes full access to Rockfax Digital and discounts on Friends are the most iconic protection ever made. Being tiny things, micro cams naturally don't weigh much, but it's always worth considering the weight of each piece of your trad gear. The difference in holding power is probably negligible to non-existent but it did mean that the single axle units inspired me with a tiny bit more confidence. Not a lot of people know this but, internally, a Camalot is a twin-stemmed device. i did have a red Alien but had to retire it after I fell 50 ft onto it. The extendable slings, when deployed, also really help to prevent walking and add to the flexibility in use of the Zeros. We haven't fallen onto a Dragonfly in isolation, but we have fallen on clusters of gear which included Dragonflys and they've held fine. I recently was deciding which size of C3 to buy, and one thing led to another, and I created the following 2 tables. The Dragonflys have the same camming angle of 13.75 as the Dragons, which, say DMM, provides "the optimum balance of holding power and range". The upside of this is that it enables the Zero to be flexible, but simultaneously rigid when straight to make it easier to place and retrieve. Wild Country Zeros offer an excellent set of micro cams which have the second narrowest headwidth in this test, although in terms of range they don't go quite as small as the Dragonflys or Z4s. If you're looking for a very solid set of micro cams and don't need to worry about flexibility, the Master Cams are a good choice. Plus, it features a modern design that improves on the old tried-and-true Camalots. I like the design, but they are not very flexible, and sizes 1 and 2 do not seem to fit as well as the Metolius TCU equivalent. The Dragonfly comes in six sizes, and overlaps in the upper end of the range with the standard Dragon cam: ReviewDMM Dragonfly Micro Cams
I'll be getting more BD cams as I expand my rack in the smaller range, so it is nice to have some schema by which to get familiar with my gear. On fast-and-light missions and smash-and-grab ascents when weight really matters, the Black Diamond Camalot Ultralight presents a 25% weight savings over the Camalot. This is a big let down for a micro cam as it means that there is nothing to compensate for the pull on the rope on the cam, and so it's more likely to walk out of its placement than a cam with a flexible stem. DMM did manage to increase the friction of the lobes their smallest cams with TripleGrip, however. Due to the nature of the safety gear, we cannot accept returns for change of mind or incorrect size choice on the following safety gear and equipment: All personal protective equipment, harnesses, rope, all load bearing equipment and accessories, helmets, slings, carabiners, belay devices and hardware for life support such as ascenders, fall arrestors and descenders. And speaking of racking, were introducing a new innovative trigger keeper on sizes #4, #5, #6, #7, and #8 that keeps the big guys contracted for compact racking and immediately release when youre ready to place. Rather than the thumbloop which is typical of the microcams on this test the Master Cams have a pig nose to hold with your thumb. They are, without doubt, my micro-cam of choice. Anecdotally, the Zeros hold well. All of the Black Diamond Z4 cams are a single stem cam, where on the 0.3 and larger sizes the wire has been twisted. This allows them to bend in all directions for maximum flexibility. The sizes 0, 0.1, and 0.2 have only a single wire. This means they perform to the same flexibility as the larger units. *conditions apply & not applicable to sale items. Black Diamond have taken their smallest cam unit and their most flexible unit, thrown them together. I consistently got the right size first time, even though I am more used to other units, which is probably the extra range at work. Summary: Camalots are strong, versatile, and always reliable.
Sitemap 30