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pschwa
Social climber
The 9th Circle
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Jul 27, 2012 - 10:22am PT
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Here is one idea about how these X4s might be useful, and could be somewhat of an improvement over Mastercams, Aliens, and Alien clones
 if the X4s have a large enough expansion ratio (the ratio of the widest recommended placement to the narrowest), they might obviate much of the
need to rack separate offset cams for routes with a lot of moderately flared placements.
Let's assume that the "stacked axle" approach results in a similar expansion ratio on the small X4s as that achieved with dual axles on the
C4s - throughout their range (#0.3 through #6) the C4s average an expansion ratio of about 172%, based on BD's specs. This compares to an
average expansion ration for the single-axle "standard" (i.e. not offset) Mastercams of about 142%, based on Metolius's specs. Yet even for the
Offset Mastercams, if you base the expansion ratio on the widest recommended placement for the large pair of lobes as they are spec’ed for
a standard Mastercam, and the narrowest for the small pair, the average expansion ratio throughout the range is 175%. (This is actually somewhat
generous, as Metolius’s own specs for the offsets show narrower ranges than would be suggested by looking at the specs for the corresponding
standard Mastercams – for example, while a purple Mastercam has a range of 0.39 - 0.59", and a blue Mastercam has a range of 0.49 - 0.71", a
purple/blue offset only has a specified range of only 0.44 - 0.65", versus the 0.39 – 0.71” you might expect.) Off course, setting an X4 in a flared
placement would result in uneven retraction of the lobes (which while possible given the independent springs on each lobe, is not ideal),
although the X4 might still "fit" all but the most highly flared placement accommodated by an Offset Mastercam.
What could this mean in practice? One possibility is that on a long, cam-hungry route, you could go from racking two sets of standard small cams
and two sets of offsets, to racking three sets of a more versatile, wide expansion standard small cam ( like the X4s), along a single set of
offsets for use in only the most extremely flared placements. Given the widely held belief that you can never have enough small cams, increasing
the versatility of the pieces on your rack, and reducing the number of specialized pieces that work only in certain types of placement, would
effectively result, in many situation, in having more cams available to use. Another possibility is that you cut out the offsets altogether, and
climb with a smaller, lighter, more versatile rack of small cams.
There may be a lot a reasons why this argument falls apart, but I thought I’d put it out there. If it holds water, though, it could have some
significant implications on both reducing rack size and the ability to protect a route with a given size of rack.
Also, here is a video BD put out recently: http://vimeo.com/46403584
And I know, first post and all – I’m not a troll, I don’t have any connection to BD, and…
I’M GONNA DIE!!!!!!!
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couchmaster
climber
pdx
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Jul 27, 2012 - 02:06pm PT
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The proof, as they say, will be in the pudding. Hope that they work great when they do get here. I love new crap and think that as climbers: we all benefit from the work that gear designers create for gear whores like Moi:-) The Black Diamond C3's never really blew my dress up as I thought that they were too stiff, but I followed a couple routes where other dudes stuffed those little bitty C3 heads into placements that I would not have believe would be placements till I saw them in there. Damned nice to get a placement in those spots.
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Brian
climber
California
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Jul 27, 2012 - 02:43pm PT
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^
"The proof of the pudding is in the tasting."
What the hell would it mean to say the proof is in the pudding?
Sorry mate, just one of my pet peeves.
Brian
Sorry for the thread drift...
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the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
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Jul 27, 2012 - 05:41pm PT
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Metolius Master Cams = USA MADE
Metolius Offset Master Cams = USA MADE.
MEtolius TCU's = USA MADE
Metolius Offset TCU's = USA MADE
Metolius Power Cams = USA MADE
What can i say...
USA RULES!
KS
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couchmaster
climber
pdx
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Jul 27, 2012 - 06:09pm PT
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Peeved off Brian said:"What the hell would it mean to say the proof is in the pudding?"
Peeved or knot, (haha, you see me stuff that reference to Hardman Knot in there, does that peeve too?) everyone on this board knew exactly what I meant with that abbreviated version. That the saying dates from the 1600's and is little unchanged might have something to do with that. We don't even eat that kind of pudding anymore. Hopefully this reply only "miffs" you and doesn't "peeve you off"....it's all good.
BTW, Wired Bliss also makes cams in the USA, Loveland, Colo. http://www.wiredblissusa.com/ I'm still holding out hope for a 7.5 and 9" cam from them.......
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Elcapinyoazz
Social climber
Joshua Tree
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Jul 27, 2012 - 06:17pm PT
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Good input pschwa, hadn't considered that angle, thanks.
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Brian
climber
California
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Jul 27, 2012 - 06:52pm PT
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couchmaster,
Sure, we all know what you meant. Just a minor point.
I never knew, or suspected, that the pudding referred to in the saying was fundamentally different that what we think of as pudding. Apparently (as I see now that I've looked it up) medieval pudding referred to something akin to haggis! New to me, so I learned something as well.
Brian
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couchmaster
climber
pdx
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Jul 30, 2012 - 03:46pm PT
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That's OK Brian, I need new metaphors, allegory's, similes and allusions. We'll know how they do when they show up. To me, judging by what I've been seeing, EXCLUDING Totem cams, it seems like design changes to cams these days are small, inconsequential and incremental. Thinking specifically of the last 2 companies which came out with new cams, Wild Country and DMM. They have the same thing going which I have, stuck in a rut, telling the same story with a slight difference of inflection. These days my kids just roll their eyes and smile at each other, but strangely just let me ramble off the same damned story or cautionary tale I've most likely already told them 12 times. I accept this silence with joy and know that they love me. It all ties in, as last cams I bought was a pro deal on Wild Country Helium Cams from my son.
They seem basically the same as everything else, unlike pudding these days:-)
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