Totem cam vs camalot reddit. The home of Climbing on reddit.
Totem cam vs camalot reddit. My best guess about why this has happened is the cracks are wider in the back, leading the totem to be potentially undercammed despite being the proper size upon entry (ie, a bigger totem will not fit). Reply reply More replies Jul 9, 2024 · A must-have piece when I’m racking up for harder trad climbs. Metolius Ultralight Master Cams sizes 2 through 7 get put to the right of their C4 Camalot counterpart sizes . I climb in Squamish and cannot say enough good things about the black Totem. C4 for sizes . Featuring an innovative direct-loading system that applies equal force to all lobes, the Totem Cam offers unbeatable holding power even in flared or irregular cracks. Jun 24, 2022 · The benefits of Totems don’t stop at their lobe design; they have a flexible stem and a longer-than-most sling to reduce rope drag and the risk of cams walking on meandering pitches. En realidad son modelos de friend bastante diferentes. Again sorry I haven’t been to Squamish so im not sure what is best out there. " Totem Cams are a trusted choice for climbers who demand reliable placements in the most technical terrain. Can any of you Here with small cams especially the cam may violently move in a fall and some lobes move into an uncammed or under cammed position and then the placement failing. Jun 4, 2025 · Thats where the Black Diamond Camalot C4 comes in to play. This sling design also provides ample space for your thumb, making them an ideal choice for winter mixed climbing while wearing big gloves. Jul 15, 2021 · With all the climbing cams on the market its difficult to know which ones to buy. . Having a different brand and style in the smaller sizes is more important than the larger sizes because the placements tend to be a bit more picky so one brand might work where another wouldn't. The C4 is one of the most beloved cams used by beginner and experienced climbers alike. In my opinion, one chooses to purchase Totem cams over others because of what they are capable of, as they are the most expensive cam out there. Totem calls them "Basics" to differentiate from the "Totem Cam". Dec 19, 2019 · Cams with double axle designs such as the Black Diamond Camalot Ultralights, DMM Dragon Cams, and Wild Country Friends have a greater range than single-axle cams. 97 votes, 23 comments. Avis d'experts et athlètes haut niveau réunis dans 1 seul article . The 15g probably isn't a huge difference in weight but the force rating is. com, where you'll find premium outdoor gear and clothing and experts to guide you through selection. 0. El Camalot es simple y robusto y funciona muy bien en fisuras homogéneas, además que abulta poco, por lo que es muy cómodo de llevar si necesitas varios juegos. Each time, failure point has been the cables. I know everyone lives by the C4's but I love DMM as a company and there Dragon cams are suppose to be more or less the same. Cam for cam, the Master Cams are lighter than almost every other brand. Black blue and yellow are always on my rack Jan 30, 2018 · Totem Cams are our favorite cams for aid climbing because of their ability to engage only two lobes at a time, allowing for an endless array of strange, body-weight-only placements, multiple clip-in points, and super narrow heads, even in the larger hand sizes. Shop the best selection of camming devices at Backcountry. Their unique design works in pockets and holes where others simply can't fit. On a side note: I recently picked up a full set of Totem cams and they're fucking amazing! Actually prefer them to my C4s. Black Diamond discontinued the much-loved C3 Camalots, updated the C4, discontinued the short-lived X4 line, and replaced it with a new line called the Z4, which is supposed to take advantage of the best features of the X4 but eliminate the floppiness so many people found difficult Apr 26, 2025 · Totem Cam, the state-of-the-art cam for climbing. They inspire more confidence than any other small piece but they are slightly bigger than 0. I'm starting to build my trad rack. net. Whether you’re looking for new cams to add to your rack or your first purchase, the C4 is one of your best options. The regular Totem cams have lobes that operate completely independent and therefore can act similar to an offset and place well in flared cracks too. Auch I will be purchasing my first rack soon for trad and alpine climbing in the PNW. Although I prefer to Totem cams in those small sizes to z4s and those are the two cams I climb with. Sterling Hollowblock vs ???. In both the above cases the opposing forces of the cam lobes would not be directly opposite one another producing some torquing and mis aligned extra forces. Dragon Cam (right) One thing I was surprised about was that Totem had opted to use T-7075 over the more widely accepted T-6082 that is used amongst many other camming devices these days. I ended up buying from needle sports. I'm set for all my smaller sizes, I have Master cams and TCUs up to #5, but aside from some DMM Torque nuts I don't have any larger gear. Personally i have black through yellow totems and don't really see a lot of reason to go larger than the purple or green totem because i find most placements that can accommodate a cam that large are also shaped in the right way for a C4 placement i feel confident about. Reply dwillnpe • Compare different brands of trad climbing cams by range, weight, and strength Aug 1, 2014 · Die Friends und Cams haben alle etwas gemeinsam, ein perfekt ausgeklügeltes Seilzug System mit dem man die Setzabstand (Range) variabel festlegen kann. Will just be free climbing on them, mostly in Squamish. I always choose a totem over other cams for cruxes, to protect off the deck, or for flaring cracks. Then buy more small cams when you're ready. 2 and sometimes the plastic piece that guides the trigger wires can be troublesome in tight places. I tend to prefer the friends for the reasons you've mentioned. My personal ideal rack is purple and green c3s, totem (regular) black to purple. 75 - 3 and X4: 0. Pros We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Any thoughts on the new Black Diamond Camalot Z4? Does anyone have any opinions about the new Z4s? Has anyone had a chance to use them yet? May 8, 2015 · Totem Cam (left) vs. Any suggestions on what a good “starter pack” would look like as far different cam/nut sizes? and then I can experiment and add to it based on need from there. Sep 8, 2014 · Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. Former employee of a certain new paltz gear shop. I truly feel that these are the best cams on the market today. The main way that they trim weight is by swapping out a metal cable in the stem for a dyneema sling (you heard that right), surrounded by a plastic sheath. If your gonna drop money on new stuff DEFINITELY get the small totem cams. 3 through 2 as these are all a bit bigger than the C4's at minimum lobe retraction. From left to right they are: Wild Country New Friend, Black Diamond C4, Totem Cam They go up to green (BD 0. Sep 27, 2010 · I suspect that if 100 people were to look at a Camalot, Wired Bliss or Metolius Mastercam unit vs the Totem: 99 percent would pick something other than a Totem. The main complaint with those seem to Youve been given bad advice the current red fixe alien is roughly comparable to the purple camalot/dragon/totem the green camalot/dragon/totem is significantly larger than the red alien the grey alien is smaller than the purple camalot the yellow alien is much smaller than the purple camalot, its roughly the size of a grey camalot C4 or Friends in 2024 Hi all. Size (mm) 140160 Buy Totem Cam quickly at a low price in Varuste. Oct 4, 2019 · The Orange Totem (size 1. Black diamond cam sizes are not 1:1 with inches, for instance for a 3 inch crack you’d probably place a number 4. Small stuff I’d recommend totems above all else or aliens to shake it up a bit. 1 ounces lighter than the same range of Black Diamond Camalot Ultralight but covers that size range with seven cams, where the BD Ultralights do it with six cams because of their bigger range. In my opinion the extendable sling doesn't often offer enough extension to avoid using/carrying draws and n most cases, but will create an added margin of safety by allowing you to extend to avoid a feature that might cause the draw to unclip or lever over an edge. Um es kurz zu machen: Schaut euch den Black Diamond Camalot (C4) an. I would consider the DMM Wallnuts instead of the BD stoppers. The load pulls directly on the lobes rather than the stem, this has many advantages. Drawbacks While the Totem’s flexibility I'm about to drop a few hundred $$ into some cams, and I'm split between Camalot C4s, DMM Dragons, and splitting a set of one of the above with Totems for the smaller sizes. Dieses System wurde von Black Diamond mit dem zweiachsigen Camalots (später auch Camalot X4) noch etwas verfeinert, die Größenverstellung (Range) deckt einen etwas weiteren Bereich ab. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Extraordinary holding power and unique capabilities with the patented Direct Loading system. But IMO their Cams are second tier. Marginal placements would pull out around 2kn. In Australia, I can get a set of 7 Totem cams for $800, OR I can order a set of 6 DMM Dragon cams (the ones I was sure I was happy with before researching Totem) for about $400 I know very little about what makes different cams of the same size different. Climbing Mouses Tooth in B. I’ve been writing We use pulleys and stoke to pull on some brand new Totem Cams. Any thoughts on them for free climbing or sizing overlaps between the two? Jun 4, 2025 · Wild Country Friends Cult Following: Totem Cams DMM Dragon Cams Metolius Ultralight Master Cams Editors Choice: Black Diamond Camalot C4 Trigger keeper in action on the Black Diamond #4 Quick Review The Black Diamond Camalot C4 is the gold standard climbing cam and recent improvements have shaved 10% of weight off of these workhorses. And yes we are scared of falling. green Alien cam versus bd Z4 or metolius TCU. I really like my WC Zero's for 0. Not possible with any other brand. Both will work though, but the Wallnuts rocks on scandinavian granite ;) I would also go C4: 0. Another consideration with the lack of flexibility is cams walking, but that is pretty easily mitigated with proper extension. 1. Warum? Other full-sized climbing cam sets include Black Diamond C4 Camalots, Black Diamond Ultralight Cams, Totem Cams, and Metolius Ultralight Master Cams. Even climbing on Little Cottonwood Granite with weird flares and pin scars, one of my Metolius cams or an offset cam/nut fit the same or better than an equivalent Totem. True, but that range is already very well covered by totem cams and alien derivatives (matercams, fixe aliens, totem basic). This size is definitely one my favourite and most used cam sizes so it's good to have the option to use a Totem cam of this size in placements where the Totems outperform conventional cams (like slippery limestone breaks). Additionally, be careful with the age of the description. I know totems are supposed to be way better in offset placements than normal cams, would I be able to get away with buying some totems instead of offsets? Jan 30, 2018 · Weight A size run of Master Cams is barely . I will report back how it goes but I’d be surprised if it doesn 2 days ago · Disagreement with Totem Cams OutdoorGearlab review - SuperTopo's climbing discussion forum is the world's most popular community discussion forum for people who actively climb outdoors. My advice is go with them. In the past year, I’ve seen three totems (two black and a blue) break while blowing out of sandstone cracks in Indian Creek. CCH manufactured the original Alien until they went out of business around 2007. Then double that with c4's blue to purple. Sep 30, 2015 · The Metolius Master Cams are small single stem cams with 8 different sizes ranging from 2 sizes below the smallest Camalot/Dragon up to a size in between the Green and the Red Dragon/Camalot. 5 and 4. We think they are The maximum lifespan of a Black Diamond Ultralight Camalot is up to 10 years from the date of manufacture (even if unused and properly stored). The design of the totem is simply better imo. DMM is the best for carabiners, quickdraws and, specially, nuts. C. Also Apr 4, 2025 · We put the best 10 climbing cams from Black Diamond, Metolius, Totem, and others to the test. So surprised to read the responses here. #review #climbingBest cam out there? GEAR:30's Dallin Ruffell uses Totem Cams and explains why they are different and a contender for best cam on the market! I prefer double axle cams as low as possible and generally prefer cams rated for passive placements (such as the Camalot C3 line). The home of Climbing on reddit. We also have an extensive range of small and micro cams in kits or singles for Wild Country Zero Friends, Black Diamond Z4 Camalots, and FIXE Alien Revolution Cams. 5 C4 covers that) or a single set of Totem Basics and singles of the smaller Totem Totems. 2 Was macht einen guten Cam aus? Und was darf er kosten? Die großen Geräte. 4 (BD size or yellow totem) and under range, above that I still think they're much better but it's not as noticeable the larger you get. BD's unique take on the “ alien ” style cam includes their trademark double-axle design in the larger sizes and a “ stacked ” double-axle design in the smaller sizes to ensure Posted by u/Zeleni_bor - 1 vote and no comments Feb 3, 2019 · Conseils pour bien choisir votre coinceur mécanique ( Friends ). Jan 30, 2018 · Black Diamond X4s are an excellent complement to the Black Diamond C4s, offering more flexibility and narrower heads than their C4 counterparts, and keeping with the same familiar BD size range and color scheme. Placement for placement, their more rigid than the most flexy stemmed small cams, which makes them easier to Jun 15, 2020 · The much anticipated Black Diamond Camalot Z4 were released in the spring of 2020 with quite a lot of hype, and they don't disappoint. I found many sites were already running low on stock. Aug 3, 2022 · Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. 5 or 0. Been trad climbing with some buddies for a while now and ready to commit and buy my own rack. Nov 21, 2012 · Totem cams are the most technically able cams yet made. Also old Nacidos para innovar; Totem Cam, Dragón DMM y Camalot BD El siguiente material de escalada fue realizado en bases a un ensayo con los Totem Cams, los Dragóns DMM y los Camalots Black Diamond, realizado por el Técnico y guía de Escalada Roberto Blasi, con imágenes y video realizados por Arnau Catà y Roberto Blasi. The Totem Cam offers an extraordinary holding power and unique capabilities with the patented Direct Loading system. So black/blue/yellow, totems are would be where I'd prioritize, they're world beaters. Can anyone who has gotten the ultralights post comments on how they like them so far. May 2, 2025 · A lot has changed since our original “ Beginning Trad Rack: What to Buy and What to Skip ” blog post in 2017. Otherwise you find the least expensive cam that fits what you want. There isn't a cam on the market that is miles better than the others. Be careful to make sure it is talking about cam sizes and not inches. The real advantage of c3's is that they are noticeably way easier to place than any other cams. For me the X4s don't offer any compelling advantage over the cams I already own, and in the case of the totem cams actually appear to be worse (with the caveat that I haven't used the X4s yet). Very overwhelmed on where to start. 75) size too and are their narrowness is unique in that size in particular- a green Totem is very narrow compared to the equivalent Dragon/ Camalot/ Friend but a 0. I think there is value in the totems vs. 75 through 3 and add Totem Basic Cams blue through red or Metolius tcus/Master Cams 0 or 00 through 3. Jan 30, 2018 · The Black Diamond Camalot Ultralight trims down the weight of the Camalot C4 in several obvious and a few not so obvious ways. Why It’s Perfect for You Totem Cams are ideal for climbers seeking reliability, versatility, and ease of use in a wide range of scenarios. Click and order now or visit our shop. You can get more information inc Sep 9, 2013 · Black Diamond discontinued the Camalot C3. 3 and 0. Available in six Buy the cams that you can get the best deal on. This has been posted a few times but years back. Also getting a #5 and #6 opened up heinous offwidths to me The British pound is at an all time low to the American dollar. Thought I’d shoot my shot and get a few more opinions before pulling trigger on one of these two sets of cams! Any one have experience climbing with C4 vs Friends? I am completely on the fence between the two. I'm looking for a good source of information to help me decide on what cams to get. Fixe and Totem both make a version of the Alien. People in the Gunks where I climb swear by them. The dual axle design is largely obsolete, but it's still a proven concept that does the job. 2/0. Which cams are a better buy? The C4 or the OP link Cams? I was looking around at REI at the C4s and two older gentlemen who said the had been climbing for years said I should get the link cams instead of the C4s. For the US climbers out there totems can be had for around $70 right now if you buy from a UK dealer and internationally ship vs $95 in the US because of the conversion rate. The black totem is my dark master but a mix of C4s, Z4s, Totems, nuts, and some tri-cams (for no nut November) is my current rack and I love it. When pulling on one side in a bomber crack, w Side by side comparison of Dragon Cams and Camalots after a year of racking them up together. I'd like to get some C4's in the #1-3 range or Dragons in the equivalent #3-5 range. Stay away from Tabelle Cams Camalot Gr. Aktuelle Friends (oben) und Camalots C4 der Gr. I have a double rack of cams, one set friends, one set C4s. Fixe calls them "Aliens" or "Original Aliens" Totem "Basics" are nicely finished and have a narrow head. Then doubles of c4 . They had some manufacturing problems, recalls, etc. So to me the totems have the greatest advantage over standard cam designs in the 0. Specifically, I've been told I should get Camalot x4 for sizes 0. If you plan on doing any aid climbing I'd suggest you look into getting some Totem Cams, only two lobes have to be engaged to hold body weight, I purchased a set recently and they're quickly becoming my go to cam for aid. Online sind die Totem Cams aber schon ab 90 Euro zu finden. 4 separate springs for each lobe allows them to function as offsets, and if you are looking to aid climb at all they can do body weight on 2 lobes. 4. That being said, if it’s your first set you really can’t go wrong. 4, rather than c4, and I'd like to understand how the x4 can have a narrower headwidth whilst maintaining the same cam size. The DMM Dragons use the same color scheme as C4 Camalots and have the same range/size for each piece. 1 but DMM Dragonflies would be a good alternative. No I can’t afford totems - ha! Thanks in advance. With an extremely narrow head, this Black Diamond cam is one great small camming device at getting in tight [small cam discussion] looking for some advice on Master Cams vs BD X4 vs BD C3 vs Totem Cams vs other alien copycats I mean it’s the same idea as a normal X4 in a flared placement. Double up on C4s from 0. In the finger size range, the Fixe Alien Revolutions are narrower and more flexible, increasing their performance and durability in pockets and weird holes. Thoughts? Totem cams are supposed to be the future of the cam industry. 5 and up. Jan 30, 2018 · The Wild Country Friends takes old single axle, thumb loopless design, and updates this classic to compete neck and neck with modern cams. Moved PermanentlyThe document has moved here. get a 3 for the low grades. If there are a lot of pin scars they can be useful. Apr 21, 2025 · Zum Vergleich, der kleinste Totem Cam in Größe 0,5 kostet UVP 125,95 Euro - der kleinste Camalot Ultralight in Größe 0,5 kostet UVP 104,95 Euro. Totems flexible stems are also favorable for horizontal cracks (gunks) vs semi rigid stems such as c4s or friends. Take this with a pinch of salt, you would be fine with Totem's as first cams, although you would have to buy larger sizes in other cams. People who climb pin-scarrred granite (read: Yosemite) also like them I hear. They need a lot of real estate on your rack to start with. The main point of this question is: I want to buy my own cams. 75 Zero is another cm narrower again! The new Z4 cam is lighter (93g) but has a lower force rating (10kN) than the 2019 C4 cam (108g/14kN). Sure Aliens / X4:s and other tiny cams of similar design are great with their flexible stems but the added safety of cam stops is great when placing gear in irregular cracks. En la siguiente tabla se pueden ver los rangos tanto de los Totem Cam como de los Camalot Ultralight. Exclusive design which features everything you require of a cam for all-around use with Totem Cam Yellow - $65 condition: used couple times, never fallen on Totem Cam Purple - $65 condition: used couple times, never fallen on Totem Cams I can post more pictures of the lobes if requested. I've placed and handled nearly every cam on the market, so feel free to ask qs For my smaller sized cams I have a set of Master Cams and X4's to . my BD and WC due to the in between kinda sizes Oct 5, 2017 · Background info: I've been climbing on each of these cams for several years, except the Totems, which I've been climbing on for 10 months, and the Wild Country, which I purchased only a few weeks ago but used many times on a recent week-long climbing trip. Z4’s are overpriced and definitely not the best cams for the price. bearbreeder Totem vs Camalot vs Dragon in perpendicular leveraging placements (how you shouldnt place cams) ;) 6 Add a Comment Sort by: Nov 6, 2018 · Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. 75-2. Imagine that, with two of the pairs of lobes wildly open and the other pair of lobes much to cammed. Totem, Dragóns y Camalots. I like the weight savings of the ultralight but wonder if they're an overkill for a first rack. 8) supplements the range by adding a size equivalent to the gold Dragon and Camalot cams. But those are my general opinions. 3 – 6 Tabelle Microcams und Cams bis Camalot Gr. This post is really just for anyone debating if they want to save the money buying a Camalot Factory 2nd from the official Black Diamond website. There look like serious contenders against Totem Basics, and considering Totem can't seem to get their production line in order, we might see DMM swooping in and capturing this market space. Here's how it all plays out for me. 5 and 4, and possibly DMM Demon Cams 3. The options I've looked at as possibilities is Metolius Super Cams Medium and Large, and Wild Country Helium Friends 3. Pretty much always in black diamond size numbers. I climb mostly in Utah in rock canyon and Ibex with the occasional moab trip. 4 – 6 Zur ersten Fragestellung gäbe es viel zu erzählen. However, they are very nice as they are barely used, if at all comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment thatguyron • So in 2020 and early 2021 I stress bought climbing gear, we may never know why. I've been Apr 17, 2024 · Totem Cam vs Camalot Muchos escaladores dudan a la hora de escoger entre Totem Cam y Camalot. Building out my small cam rack now and trying to decide between a double set of Totem Basics (in blue, green, and yellow, don't need the red as . 5. Totem cams and camalot for the rest is my choice Reply reply RudeboyGru • Also the z4 vs regular camalot the z4s have a narrower head width. Jun 19, 2021 · Comparativa de colores, medidas y rangos de friends de escalada Totem Cam y Camalot Ultralight. The following photo shows several of the reviewed cams. Often times it’s OK, not ideal. Thanks so much for watching my 3 Minute Review of Totem Cams. Same is true for older style single axle cams. expensive walkie-talkies versus yelling as loud as one can) Petzl Connect Adjust: Last time I climbed before I'm looking to eventually in the near future have doubles in the 3 and 4 sizes of my Black Diamond Camalot C4's, but I'd like to have different brands so there is some variance in size and sort of in between sizes. Personally, I don’t see ANYTHING different from a regular Z4. But judge yourself! Hope this helps some people. May 2, 2024 · I think if these are the first cams you are buying I would go with friend/camalots/dragons and supplement with Totems when appropriate. Old route descriptions could mention gear in original wild country friend sizing. Apr 11, 2019 · The narrow-headed Totem Cams take the cake for these types of situations, even offering narrower cams in the hand sizes. This Cam Size Comparison Chart helps you compare models against one another in terms of sizing and range of use. Go for the totems. I feel like most reviews of gear are comparing something against another equal new (left to right: daisy chain vs petzl connect. Can totems replace offsets? I'm doing my first Yosemite big wall this summer (lib cap) and my guidebook calls for a full rack of offset cams. Most standard BD, Metolius or Wild Country cams will work in 95% of free climbing placements, but then there are places (flares and shallow cracks) where they are marginal at best. Created in the limestone capital of the universe (Spain I have 3 different brand cams I carry (BD, WC, Totem) and same on nuts at this point. 3M subscribers in the climbing community. They will be much easier to destroy. bmjhxyltuywydnqrwizmzgkehhblgepgnhpwrjtmqbpmkv
