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squishy
Mountain climber
sacramento
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 10, 2009 - 01:28pm PT
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Lots of choices, what do you guys think are the best all around small cams?
C3's, Zero's, Mastercams, TCU's, Slitters and Aliens...
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GDavis
Trad climber
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Jun 10, 2009 - 01:31pm PT
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the C3's have a stiff trigger bar, but once you get them placed actually i find them to work the best. They are also truly 'narrow' since they are single stem rather than U-stem (no swages on the sides like the TCU's). Used WC zeroes, too wide for the smaller sizes - with most small cams I'm using them in pockets and seams and the three cam style always works the best, the odds are highest that they will fit.
Haven't used the master cams but i suspect they would be similar to the aliens, which I like only slightly less than the C3.
Get C3's, they are light, small, and hold really, really well. That, and you won't have any problems finding them...
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Nefarius
Big Wall climber
Fresno
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Jun 10, 2009 - 01:31pm PT
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Guys are gonna piss and moan, but I still prefer the Aliens to all the other small cams. Actually, the majority of the climbers I know still do. I use nothing else, up to a red alien.
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nb3000
Social climber
the ass-end of nowhere
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Jun 10, 2009 - 01:41pm PT
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aliens
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Jun 10, 2009 - 01:41pm PT
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aliens and alien hybrids
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Haggis
Trad climber
Scotland
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Jun 10, 2009 - 01:46pm PT
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Zero cams are useless, far to big and they don't inspire confidence.
sounds dumb because I know they are well made but you need to feal good about the gear you use and I know a whole bunch of people who don't feal good on the suckers.
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rectorsquid
climber
Lake Tahoe
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Jun 10, 2009 - 01:50pm PT
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I love Aliens but since most of them appear to be defective, I'm not sure I'll ever use them again. Due to inconsistencies in the locations of the axle holes, they are unpredictable.
Dave
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kev
climber
CA
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Jun 10, 2009 - 01:51pm PT
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Aliens, aliens, aliens, and hybrid aliens. Blue-Red then Camalots.
I have a 00 TCU and a tiny WC Zero which I like.
The new single stem Metolious is not a god of the pin scare liek the alien.
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GOclimb
Trad climber
Boston, MA
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Jun 10, 2009 - 02:03pm PT
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I used to say Aliens, but will do so no longer. Now, I dunno.
Maybe Metolius TCUs? They seem okay. I've used Zeros, hate 'em.
GO
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Ain't no flatlander
climber
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Jun 10, 2009 - 02:03pm PT
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After trying the rest, here is another vote for Aliens. I'm convinced the bashing on RC.com is more about generating controversy and traffic than any real issues. Lame testing standards done to achieve a desired outcome and then flaming anyone who questions the "results" doesn't really appear to be a "safety" issue.
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Prod
Trad climber
A place w/o Avitars apparently
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Jun 10, 2009 - 02:04pm PT
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I've always used Metolius TCU's. I am interested in the new Master Cams as well. Never used the C#'s but I thought I heard they were heavy?
Prod.
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GOclimb
Trad climber
Boston, MA
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Jun 10, 2009 - 02:05pm PT
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Oh, and before you commit to the new Metolius MasterCams, make damn sure you're comfortable with the trigger wire setup, and how it'll work over an edge. Scares the sh#t out of me, but ymmv.
GO
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John Mac
Trad climber
Littleton, CO
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Jun 10, 2009 - 02:09pm PT
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I've had problems with some of my c3's. The trigger mechanism has become twised while aid climbing on them and the action has been affected. The cams no longer snap back into position.
I was hoping BD would be able to fix it, so I contacted them and they told me that the trigger mechanism was unrepairable. And also it wasn't covered under any warranty since I damaged them by climbing with them.
Hence I've gone back to using aliens for clean aid and c3 for free climbing.
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Greg Barnes
climber
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Jun 10, 2009 - 02:11pm PT
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Even die-hard Aliens fans like me are thinking twice now. Can't even drill the friggin axle hole even close to the right place?!? Incomplete brazing even of some of the very old ones? Lying on the internet about it instead of fixing the problems? Seems like they are only one interested lawyer away from being sued out of existence, and maybe even setting themselves up for criminal prosecution.
I admit that I'm using my old TCUs for key pro and avoiding using Aliens, even having bounce-tested them. Reaching for the Alien, then pausing and grabbing anything else - not a good sign, and I know i'm not the only one.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Jun 10, 2009 - 02:15pm PT
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I got used to Metolius TCUs early on. The C3s seem beefier and more stable, but there are places (with narrow openings) that Metolius, which has the thinnest cables, fits better. For that reason the 3 smallest TCU sizes (silver, purple, blue) are on my default "light rack."
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originalpmac
Trad climber
Ouray, CO
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Jun 10, 2009 - 02:22pm PT
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"Zero cams are useless, far to big and they don't inspire confidence.
sounds dumb because I know they are well made but you need to feal good about the gear you use and I know a whole bunch of people who don't feal good on the suckers."
shut up, Magnus.
this guy wears a pink helmet while climbing, and schoeller pants while waiting tables. GO BACK TO RC.COM!
I have taken falls on a purple metolius TCU and it worked just fine. Bomber placement in a pin scar though.
hehehe, just messing with you Magnus, how is Utah?
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Ottawa Doug
Social climber
Ottawa, Canada
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Jun 10, 2009 - 02:28pm PT
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Aliens and alien hybrids are the best to place. When I need to be sure that the piece will not fail I reach for a C4.
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squishy
Mountain climber
sacramento
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 10, 2009 - 02:49pm PT
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good stuff in here guys, thanks for the input...How about the worst small cams? Are those Aliens as well?
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malabarista
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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Jun 10, 2009 - 03:06pm PT
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Everything I hear about aliens is negative, but they comprise the majority of my rack. It's very hard to give up something with such a superior design even if the manufacturing process is flawed. Somebody needs to step up to the plate and create an adequate alternative or fix the CCH process definitively.
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