After some discussion we thought we should give them an honourable mention because a. the regular Totems, which are in production and available, actually overlap with the micro cam sizes included in this test and are extremely good cams and b. the Totem Basics are actually some of the best (un)available micro cams. Got two of the very old ones and one new, yellow, one. The trigger is easy to use and has a nice big comfy spot for your hand. When you place a cam that small it can be scary to fall on. In terms of sizing, one of the most notable features of the Dragonfly is its narrow head width*. are an excellent set of micro cams which cover all the placement sizes you could ask for and offer the benefits of a narrow headwidth, extremely flexible stem and extendable sling. 2006-2021 SummitPost.org. They look a bit complicated. The cams lobes are lighter and more sculpted, optimized for strength to weight, while the slings have a visual update for easier differentiation when racking. I do things like this when I get bored. DMM's long-anticipatedentry into the micro cam market was worth the wait, says Theo Moore. Summary: Camalots are strong, versatile, and always reliable. This means that it's important for the stem of a micro cam to be flexible so that the sideways pull on the rope does not move the lobes, thereby compromising the placement. In grams and ounces, the weight, as stated by the manufacturer/brand. Camalots are designed to provide protection across the full spectrum of crack sizes, from small incipient seams, to perfect hands, to full-on offwidths. So, we have compared the Z4s with the X4s. How do they fare against the C3 camming units? Please find below a table of the camming ranges, comparing the C3 units with the Z4 camming devices. Black Diamond have taken their smallest cam unit and their most flexible unit, thrown them together. The new, redesigned Camalot C4 has now upped the ante, considering its 10% lighter yet just as durable as before. On the plus side, the stiff stem of the Master Cam makes it feel extremely solid; it's easy to place and retrieve, confidence-inspiring and durable. When it comes to whether there's much in it I'm probably not the best person to ask, as I wasn't heavily involved within the Group Test; however, when it comes to what's on my own rack - and what I've used from the products we had on review - I am still eternally grateful for owning a set of Totem Basics. That's a lotta numbers! As such, my confidence was knocked in the brand somewhat. For finger cracks, if I think I am going to fall on a small cam, I want it to be a C4. Is it smooth and slick or is it grindy and an effort? Welcome wilder one, you have successfully subscribed! https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B2cQbm09AyrwMWI0Zjc0NTUtMWU4OC00NGZiLTlhZDItOTdkOTFkNDNkOGJl&hl=en have tried some Metolius micro cams but they didnt inspire me with confidence. Initially we weren't going to include the Totems in this group test, since their micro cams - Totem Basics - are no longer in production. Hobart Weve also widened the trigger as well for better handling. The Z4s have the narrowest heads in the test, beating the nearest competitor, WC Zeros, by a couple of millimetres across all sizes. DMM's long-anticipated entry into the micro cam market was worth the wait! The range extends to 0.75 providing overlap with Camalot C4s and also comes in offsets from 0.1/0.2 to 0.5-0.75. Sign up to receive personalized offers, exclusive access to new arrivals, and more, Innovative trigger keeper on sizes #4, #5, #6, #7, and #8 for compact racking, Double-axle design offers the widest range for each cam unit, C-Loop continuous cable stem design is strong and durable, LiteWire Rackpack available for easy racking (see Carabiners). Olympus, what would it look like? 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. Pros: Great trigger; long stem; double axle gives the best camming range in review; outstanding offwidth sizes; anodized heads; cam stops. 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). The purple and green Zeros are even narrower than the purple and green Totems! That was one of the surprises I noticed from graphing the data. In addition, they have the classic Dragon extendable slings which mean you have to carry fewer quickdraws on your rack, though they are a little bit faffy on such a small cam. In terms of the Dragonfly's rated active strength, they range from 6kN in the smallest two sizes to 9kN in the largest two (see the bullet points above). The Z4 lobes are made of a softer aluminium alloy (no anodising) than the C4s which gives a finish with 'more bite', and from the 0.3 upwards the Z4s have a serrated pattern on the lobes which adds to friction on smoother rock types. To give you an example of the forces typically generated in a climbing fall, and therefore the strength ratings you may want to look out for in your cams, here's a quote from the BMC's Technical Officer, Dan Middleton:"Most falls will generate a force in the range of 3-5kN A particularly hard fall may generate up to 6-7kN". They have wider cam lobes than Metolius and Alien cams in the smaller sizes, which means more surface area/friction. The extendable slings, when deployed, also really help to prevent walking and add to the flexibility in use of the Zeros. Rob, off topic, but which sizes of Totem are you using on Peak Lime? Over Memorial day weekend in Zion, Lizzy really came to like the C3s after taking her longest lead fall, 20 feet or more, on to a marginal green 0 C3. Taxes and shipping fee will be calculated at checkout. tips, fingers, ringlocks, thin hands, hands, cupped hands, fists, OW+ - and their associated cam pro. Nevertheless, some other models in this review have narrower heads than the Dragonfly. This could be expect for extremely small and light cams, and they're certainly still usable without any detriment to performance. On the upside they hold well, feel extremely solid, are easy to place and are very durable. *Pssst, you can subscribe to WeighMyRack's Youtube or Vimeo channels for more gear videos. 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". Introducing the new Zeros for solid holding power in small placements. Lighter sculpted lopes optimized for strength to weight, Color-coded for easy identification and a wide range of sizes. Whilst the sizing of the Master Cam is regular, one thing that is not is the end of the stem which sticks out above the lobes of the 00 and 0 sizes. I'll try to find an old catalog somewhere Hey Luc, Unfortunately flexibility is really where the Master Cams fall down. Compression-spring driven with interlocking cam heads for bite in uneven cracks With sculpted lobes that account for a portion of the weight savings, the Camalot Ultralight features a dyneema cord in place of a cable with all of Find Your Feet Australia Pty Ltd , 107 Elizabeth St C3s, made by Black Diamond, are a well polished three lobe camming unit. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. As we already know, the X4s head width is already fairly narrow. Surprisingly, the Black Diamond Z4 have narrower head units. You will find the biggest difference in the bigger sizes. Luckily the Z4 trigger action is smooth and sturdy, the thumb loop makes it easy to use quickly and the comparative stiffness of the stem gives more lateral stability than the other cams in the test when triggered unequally. Apparently this doesn't affect performance but it's not ideal. Another notable stat is that the Wild Country Zeros have the smallest maximum head width whilst also having one of the largest maximum ranges: the narrow head widths of the Green Zero really is something to behold. TAS 7000 In addition, the cam's springs help to keep the lobes locked in to a placement, so if the springs on a cam aren't working smoothly this may result in the cam walking more than usual. This seemed like a good way to cut through that. 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. . You can read Duncan Campbell's full review here: ReviewTotem Basic Cams The sling is made from a material called Dynex, which helps with the longevity of the camming unit, from its higher abrasion and cut resistance properties. We provide TRAD CLIMBING COURSES and CLIMBING COACHING, we even run CLIMBING PSYCHOLOGY WORKSHOPS, and TRAD FALLING WORKSHOPS and have published a book on CLIMBING PSYCHOLOGY. NO RETURNS ON SAFETY GEARDue 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.However, if a product fails to meet a Consumer Guarantee, then this exclusion will not apply. Just like their big brothers, these cams include a thumb loop to make placements easier and to provide an additional clip-in point for aid climbers. 0.5 Purple (18.8-33.9, 10kN) overlaps with purple 0.5 Camalot C4 (19.6-33.5mm) but wider range, slightly smaller and much narrower headwidth. I weighed my X4 units (feel very sad doing this), but for the purpose of the review I thought this may be important. All of the X4 units I weighed, came out to more than what was stated on the Black Diamond website. (Not sure whether I have an older version). Each unit came in 7-10 grams more, than what I have in the table above (see picture below as example, Im certain the electrical tape does not weigh 9 grams). Their downside is that they don't go as small as the more modern micro cams with the smallest (blue) size being 11.2-17.44mm (slightly larger than the gold Dragonfly or Yellow Zero). We think it's worth the wait. Thought they would be a nice addition to your article: Nice! At the larger end, Blue, Silver Purple overlap with smaller Dragons, so with the full range of six you're really well covered. While extendable slings are a matter of personal preference (we have had many a second who absolutely hates tidying up after us), the Z4s do not have extendable slings, and indeed the slings are quite short, so extension with a quickdraw or sling is essential on most placements. 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. Anecdotally from friends who have fallen on them in the US (sandstone/limestone /granite), the Z4s hold well. The only exception to this is on polished Peak Limestone, where I prefer to use the standard Totem Cams - albeit in their smallest sizes. I'm not qualified to give any proper advice on safety ratings of climbing equipment, but 6kN is at the acceptable end of the spectrum and seems very good for the very small Green cam, whilst 9kN feels comfortable and is the same as a 00 Dragon. Collecting every piece of gear takes a little time. Rockfax (1), Comments The perfect gift for any outdoor enthusiast. The C4 is the backbone of my free climbing rack. Durability is a big plus-point for the Master Cams. This stiffness is extremely good in the micro range, and across all sizes allows for even trigger deployment something that is slightly harder with the flippier, flexier stemmed cams in this group test. The purpose of a micro cam is to provide protection in small placements, so it's essential that the device goes small enough to fit thin cracks. let tag = document.createElement('script'); UKClimbing Limited. The Black Diamond Z4 cams have a unique colour coding to easily identify the correct size. Hence, making it easier, when frantically looking for the right sized cam, when getting pumped out on a crux move. Saving those few vital seconds that could mean a flash ascent, or a whipper. }. On the downside this means they are very inflexible along the stem and so are subject to walking - a big drawback for a micro cam. Seeking the holy grail of a cam that has the stiffness to place easily, but with the flexibility to stay in place, the Z4s are the smallest cams on test and offer both the narrowest headwidth and the largest operational range for each individual cam. Perhaps the likelihood of this increased due to the amount of stem exposed between the thumbloop and trigger - there is over twice as much exposed stem compared to the Dragonfly, for example. However, the double axle makes each unit roughly 20 percent heavier than most other brands. setting up a re-slinging service in Europe, 4 Blue (12.1-17.9mm, 8kN, 67g) overlaps with the regular blue 00 Dragon (14-21mm), 5 Silver (15.1-22.5mm, 9kN, 70g) overlapping with silver 0 Dragon (16-25mm), 6 Purple (19-28.3mm, 9kN, 73g) overlaps with purple 1 Dragon (20-33mm). From the 0.3 upwards the double-axled design of the Z4s also gives them a favourable range to other cams on test of equivalent size. We haven't deliberately fallen on all the cams but those we have done have held just fine. As well as the Black Diamond Z4 cams having a smaller head unit, and being very flexible, they weigh less than the X4 camming units. Please see table below for comparison: With the smallest weight saving of 11%, which may not seem a lot. Finally, as a replacement for the C3, the Z4 will be of interest to aiders. Master Cams are a really solid set of cams - which is both a plus point and their downfall. Any chance to download your Excel file? As with the new C4 camming units, Black Diamond have tucked the information tag on inside of the sling. This is so the tag does not get stuck on a carabiner. 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. The two smallest Micro Camalots, .1 and .2, lack double axles because of their small sizes, but have cam stops. Blue/Grey (camalot color): Painful tips/tips We dont know where you can buy this item online in the US. *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!) 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.

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