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willy_p_wyld
Nov 10, 2011, 10:41 AM
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I was digging through a box of my dad's old trad gear the other day when I ran across a set of camlocks. I kind of want to use them as leave behind gear but was wondering how well they work. I imagine they are similar to tricams and might work well in pockets and horizontal cracks. Thoughts and opinions? Oh, and how do you place these things?
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johnwesely
Nov 10, 2011, 12:05 PM
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They don't work and are easily the worst piece of pro ever made.
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shockabuku
Nov 10, 2011, 1:07 PM
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I have a couple of them that I got from an older climber. I have never used them but was told that they are unreliable.
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johnwesely
Nov 10, 2011, 1:24 PM
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Also don't bring gear as "leave behind gear" Bring what you actually want to climb on. Losing gear doesn't happen enough to warrant the frustration.
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willy_p_wyld
Nov 10, 2011, 4:43 PM
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Thanks for the thoughts. As for " leave behind" gear I never carry any when climbing an established route. I have found that a few pieces of bail gear are essential when attempting much of the unclimbed terrain found here in Alaska. I might still use the three smallest sizes as they probably work as stoppers and weigh next to nothing.
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tolman_paul
Nov 10, 2011, 7:46 PM
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Just a thought, if gear isn't good enough for you to use it and trust it on lead, it really isn't good enough to trust your lift to for rapping off of. Not to mention if it's a peace of gear you aren't familiar with placing, it's the last thing you should trust your life to. Use something you are infinately familiar with.
Stoppers, hexes and old biners are ideal for bail gear. Don't cost a fortune to replace, and it's something you're familiar with using.
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handcrack
Nov 12, 2011, 5:59 PM
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The small size camlocks, placed as stoppers, would be the ideal gear to leave as bail gear. It would be easy to evaluate the quality of the placement.
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johnwesely
Nov 12, 2011, 6:21 PM
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handcrack wrote: The small size camlocks, placed as stoppers, would be the ideal gear to leave as bail gear. It would be easy to evaluate the quality of the placement.
Except they are going to be much less versatile than the equivalent nut.
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handcrack
Nov 12, 2011, 6:23 PM
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Which makes them the ideal piece to get rid of
as bail gear!
(This post was edited by handcrack on Nov 12, 2011, 6:27 PM)
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johnwesely
Nov 12, 2011, 6:30 PM
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handcrack wrote: Which makes them the ideal piece to get rid of as bail gear!
Except that you have to carry them and are not likely to be able to use them when you need to!
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cchas
Nov 22, 2011, 8:23 PM
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I used them decades ago, probably late 70's. Not the worst piece of gear ever made (personally I thought the Forrest Titons were) but not a great piece either. I'd leave them at home for a personal gear museum. Not worth carrying around given modern gear.
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sandstone
Nov 22, 2011, 10:28 PM
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willy_p_wyld wrote: ... camlocks... how do you place these things?
Place with one hand, while holding other hand underneath to catch it when it falls out.
The camming action just doesn't work. If you can slot it as a passive chock behind a constriction it will stay, but that's true of a machine nut on a piece of cord isn't it? I wouldn't bother climbing with camlocks, hang them on the wall as decoration.
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willy_p_wyld
Nov 24, 2011, 1:05 AM
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handcrack wrote: Which makes them the ideal piece to get rid of as bail gear!
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moose_droppings
Nov 24, 2011, 2:24 AM
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willy_p_wyld wrote: handcrack wrote: Which makes them the ideal piece to get rid of as bail gear! Did end up using a #3 and #4 to bail on a sketchy mixed route last weekend. Ill admit that placing them was a job, but once they were in they were bomber! Other than a couple of realy big pins they were the only pieces that wanted to hold in the poor rock we found. Glad I brought them!
Booty!
Post up the coordinates and you got a geo cache race for trinkets.
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anarkhos
Feb 19, 2012, 6:19 AM
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johnwesely wrote: They don't work and are easily the worst piece of pro ever made.
+1
It boggles the mind the idea ever made it to production.
BTW, if you really want to get rid of them, I suggest mailing them to me. I'd love to set some of them on lead as a gag.
No whippers, though.
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anarkhos
Feb 19, 2012, 6:24 AM
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Actually, I take that back.
The worst piece of pro ever made was the CLOG stopper. I bootied one and tried to place it countless times without success.
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