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| Messages 1 - 8 of total 8 in this topic |
Ryan D.
Intermediate climber
Sacramento (SLO)
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Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 12, 2002 - 05:17pm PT
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Which brand of "micro" cams do you all use and why? I guess what I'm looking for is, in your opinion, which are the best in terms of strength and price (weight is not much of an issue with me; if it saves my life, I'll haul it a mile and a half vertical if need be).
I was thinking of buying a set of aliens (CCH) but I am a loyal Black Diamond customer.
What do you all think?
--Ryan
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DS
Novice climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 12, 2002 - 05:32pm PT
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Depends what you're going to use them for. For aid climbing...Aliens rule! For free climbing I prefer the wide working range of the BD micro camalots. Metolious TCUs are also very nice for both aid climbing and free climbing and might be a good compromise if you only want to go with one set right now.
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Rob
Intermediate climber
San Mateo
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 12, 2002 - 06:05pm PT
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I love the Ailens I've got a double set of blue to red and a couple offsets, I mainly use them for free climbing and some aid (seems I'd rather free than aid). The red Ailen is the same size as the purple(.5) Camalot. I've heard lots of stories of Ailens being too flexable but I got my first one aver 5 years ago and its still a great piece, taken a short leader fall (6 to 8 feet) on the blue Ailen and no problem there, but I would not want to take a big fall on a blue Ailen. The offsets are awesome in the pin scars, and come in handy in the Valley all the time. I also have Met. tri cams and I would take a Ailen any day, but each piece has its "best" place. For larger pieces go Camalots all the way.
You won't be dissapointed with the Ailens.
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Rob
Intermediate climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 12, 2002 - 06:10pm PT
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I want to add that I like the Ailens over the BD micro's, I have a .4 BD and its hardly scratched, the Ailens are well worn. I feel that the BD's are more prone to trigger wire damage and get stuck easier on other pieces in the rack, the ranges are quite similar. Check out www.shorelinemtn.com they have charts for each brand and you can do some comparing there.
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DS
Novice climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 12, 2002 - 07:56pm PT
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Just to add some more to this geek talk regarding cams. Looked up the specs and...
The working range of the .5 Micro Camalot is 0.8" - 1.3". The working range of the red Alien is .77 - 1.35 "
I stand corrected then...it looks like the range is the same for both BD's and Aliens. The BD are the only ones with 2 axles so in theory they are stronger and the only ones that would hold in an expanded position but I don't know how much good that would really do ya in the real world.
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Rob
Intermediate climber
San Mateo
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 12, 2002 - 08:09pm PT
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Maybe geek talk, but we all love it!
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tom
Advanced climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 12, 2002 - 08:21pm PT
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The aliens are great aid tools. I don't have any above the red one. This is because above that they do get a little to fexible for my likeing. The alien hybrids also rule. They are worth having. I find that I use the one I have just as much as the other small cams in its size. The tcus are also pretty good. I perfer them for free and the aliens for aid. But don't get me wrong tcus still work great for aid.
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Novice climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 13, 2002 - 04:54pm PT
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Keep your BD loyalty, Ryan. They make great products. For cams under 2" - especially if you plan on clean aid climbing - you'll love the Aliens. Alien Hybrids, especially the two middle sizes, are super useful. Use your Camalots as bomber "leaver" pieces and the Aliens (which fit where Camalots won't) for progress until you have to leave em. Green/yellow/red are the most useful Alien sizes - 3-4 each of these is not outrageous in your clean aid wall rack. Below that, I'd intersperse some Metolius or Wired Bliss TCUs (down to #00 for some routes). Maybe those new Wild Country micro cams are worthy (?).
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| Messages 1 - 8 of total 8 in this topic |
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