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yakiman
Dec 12, 2005, 10:29 PM
Post #51 of 72
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I use C4's, aliens, Metolius FCU's, and forged Friends. My single favorite cam is the red Metolius FCU. I place that cam on nearly every route I climb. I like the C4 design, but I always find a good placement for that red FCU.
-Yakiman
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healyje
Dec 12, 2005, 11:02 PM
Post #53 of 72
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GoClimb,
My favorite cam is the one I need next when I'm leading. That said, I'd say definitely don't go with MaxCams - they may look cool and have various advantages, but funcionally they are an entirely different beast from traditional symmetric cams and I personally don't consider them an appropriate choice for someone just learning to place pro. I'd say Metolius, BD, or any other symmetric cam...
P.S. It's probably not a great idea to post your age anywhere online...
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tradrenn
Dec 13, 2005, 2:14 AM
Post #54 of 72
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Registered: Jan 16, 2005
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In reply to: You'll note that Forged Friends are cheap and bomber. Kind of hard to beat that by spending $5 or so more per cam on something shoddy. Friends (forged especially) are more demanding of operator skill, but they're probably the cheapest viable option for building up a decent rock of cams.
Another option would be to get DMM 4CU. They are almost as cheap as FRIENDS (range is the same for both cams) but with flexible stem and extendable sling on them.
DMMs are easier to place then Friends.
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brutusofwyde
Dec 14, 2005, 6:04 PM
Post #55 of 72
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In reply to: When your second can't extract a poorly designed cam because the lobe extension range is greater than the trigger can control, you will not be impressed with the savings any more.
Jeeezz... Doesn't your second know how to use a nut tool to extract cams??
In reply to: I've been climbing for 10 years and I have plenty still to learn.
I've been climbing for 35 years, and am at this time a rank beginner.
Brutus
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healyje
Dec 14, 2005, 6:12 PM
Post #56 of 72
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In reply to: I've been climbing for 35 years, and am at this time a rank beginner. Brutus
That is just a bold face lie coming from someone that has and uses as many big cams as you do...
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lightrack
Dec 14, 2005, 6:26 PM
Post #57 of 72
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Registered: Jan 3, 2003
Posts: 46
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Ive been trad leading about 7 years now...(yes still a gumby)
Favorite= grey alien
Forged friends are WAY better than rockempires and pretty much the same price. (free biner's now)
Ive had a couple of re's but sold em or gave em away, the bigger ones walk and aren't stable (that said my friend has the small tcu's, and they're ok)
Forged friends are awsome!! I keep getting them to supplement my rack (ive got triples in everything atleast...gear whore) Would recomend #2 and up and get flexies for the smaller sizes
Camming units owned consist of: aliens, camalots, metolius, friends...and I want alien offsets...
ive got some HB flexies also (kinda shitty) but they work
summary of post: don't buy rockempire cams...
hope this helps,
patrick
edited to add: "Camming units owned consist of:"
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unrooted
Dec 14, 2005, 7:43 PM
Post #58 of 72
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In reply to: Mix it up, buy a bunch of old used gear from somebody that climbed 10 or 15 years ago, suppliment it with some new blems C4's on gear express, and it'll serve you wonderfully. That said I love my pink tricam. If you don't have one buy two. If that's not cam enough for you buy a .4 or .5 C4, I'd bet you've got little enough fingers to get yourself into trouble like me.
I hate climbing on mixed racks, it takes twice as long to find the one you need. I prefer Metolius TCU's sized 1 and 2. And All BD C4's. I have played with The new Max, cam and it seems better than most "cheap" cams, but nowhere near the quality of BD. Most of my friends will only buy Metolius or BD. I HATE wildcountry, even though they work well the d-mned thing gets twisted all funny when your trying to clean it.
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turfguy
Dec 14, 2005, 11:31 PM
Post #59 of 72
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Registered: Oct 24, 2005
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before you go and drop all your piggy bank on cams i would get my mitts on a few models and see what feels best. i was going to get BD cams but after placing them a few times i found them to be somewhat awkward for me. i decided to go with metolius TCU's and powercams. also remember that pro, in my opinion is one thing you don't want to go cheap on...its valuable life insurance. go with cams with a proven track record, ie BD, wild co., metolius, trango ect... just my .02.
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burundanga
Dec 14, 2005, 11:37 PM
Post #60 of 72
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the one that saves my life
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brutusofwyde
Dec 15, 2005, 3:46 AM
Post #61 of 72
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In reply to: That is just a bold face lie coming from someone that has and uses as many big cams as you do...
Thanks for reminding me, I was having a senior moment and drifted from the thread topic.
My favorite cam is the #9 Valley Giant.
Brutus
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bill_in_tokyo
Dec 15, 2005, 6:01 AM
Post #62 of 72
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I carry aliens up to red and camalots above that. Double, when necessary, in the small sizes with metolius tcus and in the larger sizes with rigid stem friends.
Budget and personal preference will govern what you buy, obviously. Try out as many kinds as you can, as much as you can, before you plunk down the bucks.
In the interest of education, I have one thought to offer to the OP. A solid stem friend clipped with a so-called "gunks tie-off" in a horizontal placement is as good as or better than any flexible stem SLCD. For more on the gunks tie-off, see here:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...topic_view=&start=15
Have fun!
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sisko
Jan 7, 2006, 1:03 AM
Post #63 of 72
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Registered: Jan 5, 2006
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I have many, many cams and passives and have enjoyed nearly all of them. For JT and Rubidoux or any other place where flares are common, I've found that the now-discontinued (?) WC Offset Tech Friends are wonderful. I have 2 sets, partly because I enjoy aid.
When I start leading a pitch, my preference is usually for passives to guard against a high-fall factor event.
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dudemanbu
Jan 10, 2006, 6:08 AM
Post #64 of 72
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Registered: Jun 3, 2005
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My favorite cam is the ONLY one i've taken a fall onto, my #5 (blue) WC zero. I also own max cams (.75-3) and can say with confidence that they place the same as symetrical cams. If you place them at the top of their range however, (like with any cam) you're asking for trouble.
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asendr
Jan 15, 2006, 10:36 PM
Post #65 of 72
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Registered: Jan 12, 2006
Posts: 20
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My favorite cam is the black metolious fat cam. Hard size for me at I.C.
Black Diamond Camalots for sizes .5 on up, and Metolious for sizes orange on down, both tcu's and fcu's.
I love ringlocks.
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daithi
Jan 16, 2006, 12:14 AM
Post #66 of 72
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Registered: Jul 6, 2005
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In reply to: What is your favourite cam?
Mine is the orange alien with the dimple and with huge voids in the brazing causing the stem to half hang out. Man that thing is bomber!
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skinner
Jan 16, 2006, 2:35 AM
Post #67 of 72
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Registered: Nov 1, 2004
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By favorite cam.. I assume you meant ":What cams do you prefer" rather then a single cam.
In reply to: Mine is the orange alien with the dimple and with huge voids in the brazing causing the stem to half hang out. Man that thing is bomber!
I figured this would come out eventually but, if CCH corrects the problem and implements proper QC, I wouldn't hesitate to buy more.
These are my *personal* choices (still optimistic about aliens)
For
small horizontal cracks: Aliens
small vertical cracks: Aliens/Metolius/Trango ball nuts
medium vertical cracks: Metolious Range Finders
larger cracks: BD Camalots
pin scars: Alien Hybrids
*Note Trango ball nuts seem to be bomber in anything you are able to place them in, however they can be a bitch to clean.
It's not just what works, but what works for you. Some people are more comfortable with different trigger mechanisms etc. If you know someone with a diverse rack of cams, you should go out to the rocks with them and try placing and cleaning them- after they have been weighted.
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deltav
Jan 22, 2006, 4:31 PM
Post #68 of 72
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Registered: Sep 29, 2005
Posts: 597
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I find that the Trangos feel kida like a toy compared to some of the others. I like my metolius. The new C4s are nice, but don't run out and blow your money on them. Stay away from things like Robots, or Splitter Gear. I have found them to be crap. Remeber, you get what you pay for.
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dr_feelgood
Jan 22, 2006, 5:12 PM
Post #69 of 72
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Registered: Apr 6, 2004
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It's a tie between my #.4 and .75 BD C4 camalot.
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rad_dog
Jan 22, 2006, 7:21 PM
Post #70 of 72
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Registered: Jan 2, 2006
Posts: 34
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Forged Friends with Bluewater Titan cord through the tie-off holes and no slings in the "normal" holes.
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jammer
Jan 22, 2006, 7:21 PM
Post #71 of 72
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Registered: Jun 25, 2002
Posts: 3472
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I have always had a love afair with the one that held!
Besides that, it's all personal taste.
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keithlester
Deleted
Jan 22, 2006, 7:40 PM
Post #72 of 72
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My favorite cam is the one that fits just when I need it most
But I like techy friends best of all my cams
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