Flexcams

I own a complete RE flex set (before flex cam by trango...).

I climb near bogota, Colombia, south america, in rather soft sandstone.

I have fallen less than 10 times on the durangos. Out of those probably 8 where on the blue number 3 (size = red camalot). The f%%ing blue one has ripped out twice (so thats more or less 1/3 of the times). I have been saved both times by the orange numer 4 (size = yellow camalot). And it held both times like a champ, once the fall was a 8 meter factor 1! (i ended up at my belayers' height, but unharmed) I think the first time the blue ripped out was because the piece was to small for the placement (now I always crank this guys at 80%). The second time I think it was the rock quality (sanstone...) but i couldnt tell if the pieces of rock that fell were from the first or the second cam (which hold me).

I have used them to build anchors, and also rested on them a bunch.

This said, this is what I think:

1. Great price.
2. Quality is ok. They are deteriorating, but nothing serious. I guess you can expect a life more or less 3/4 of a camalot.
3. DO NOT TRUST THEM AT RANGES SMALLER THAN 80%. BUT THEY ARE BOMBER AT 80% PLUS RANGES. They are suppose to work 50% up, but at less than 75% they are only psychological pieces to me. Since their range is rather limited, and sizes do not overlap much, they are simply not as versatile as C4s.

4. Stability: The small ones behave better. The big ones need stronger springs (they feel too soft and this could translate into "walking"). Simply use long draws to keep from disloging them...

5. I also own C4 camalots and they are better in every aspect except for: price and weight.

6. I you have no cams, go for RE. They will allow you to start trad climbing. Once get more into hard trads, and you start falling more on the pieces... maybe you will also like to save for some C4s...

Botton line:

CHEAP, RELIABLE BUT WITH A LIMITED RANGE, DECENT QUALITY, GREAT TO START YOUR SLCD RACK!

just bought my first cams got the leader set 8 durangos 10 wire gate biners and a full set of alum nuts a nut tool and 2 4 ft. slings for $337 free shipping highly recommended been using 4 months at lovers leap love them no problems at all no walking at all

I bought some of these guys over the Christmas break and got to break them in on Looking Glass ("Rat's Ass", "Bloody Crack", etc) and they performed magnificently. My partner has a couple of the real Trango Flexcams, and the difference between the two was absolutely negligible. I've heard the larger sizes can walk, but I haven't experienced that (my largest size is the #3). For the price these things are ubelievable, second only to the C4's.

Fall on these all the time... love them! The long stems really help with placement and they don't move once in there. These guys take the extra abuse I give them like champs... Saves my more expensive cams in dicey and horizontals. Pretty light too. Fill in between my BD's very nice.

Pros:
I really wish these had the colored trigger bars like the comets, or anodized cam lobes. The only color differentiation between sizes is in the spectra sling and a tiny dot of color in the hex socket of the axle.