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Flexcams vs C3/X4s

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Amélie · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 314

I'm thinking of buying new cams and am wondering about going BD or the cheaper/lighter Trango alternatives. I saw a couple reviews online but can anyone speak to their experience?

Dallas Branum · · Denver, CO · Joined Aug 2013 · Points: 1,135

I bought a few flexcams (#7 and #4,) when I was first building my rack, because I could get them pretty cheap on pro deal. Now that I've got a doubles rack of BD, they mostly stay on the shelf at home. They are light, place well, and will hold a fall (one caught me,) and I like the extendable sling. They feel a bit flimsy in the hand, the trigger wires get bent out of shape easily, and the stems actually bend off to one side if you pull the trigger too hard.

I still consider them good backup pieces, and for the price they aren't bad. I'd consider going with something of higher quality though (BD, DMM, Metolious,) so that you don't end up buying something to replace it too soon down the road.

Linnaeus · · ID · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 0

I have 3 Trango Flexcams in small sizes, they are nice for the narrow head width which is much less than an equivalent C4 or microcamalot (back when they made 0.1 and 0.2 camalots prior to the C4 generation). But C4s just seem to place and clean easier, they are the standard cam. I definitely would prefer them in any of the normal sizes 0.5-3 camalot. If you wanted lighter consider Helium Friends or Metolius Powercams. If you truly need the narrow head width go for Aliens/Totems or your micro cam of choice. The Trangos are nothing to get excited about.

20 kN · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,346
Ams wrote:I'm thinking of buying new cams and am wondering about going BD or the cheaper/lighter Trango alternatives. I saw a couple reviews online but can anyone speak to their experience?
Cant say much about their smaller cams, but the larger sizes of Flex Cams have a design issue that concerns me. Overall the cam is a nice, light design, but the springs are seem quite weak. I haven't measured the spring force, but the cam retracts much easier than other cams which concerns me.
Graham Johnson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 0

I've got a few of the trango flex cams - I like them in the small/medium sizes - they're light, cheap, i like the extendable sling, they place well and feel solid. In the larger sizes (#2 C4 and up) they are far too floppy - stem and springs are not stiff enough. I use my flex cams mainly as my "alpine" cams and as doubles when I need to supplement my rack (that consists mostly of c3's and c4's). So... none of them are nice as what BD offers. But if you're building up or supplementing your rack, I'd certainly consider what they have to offer. Nice, but not fantastic cams.

Rob D · · Queens, NY · Joined May 2011 · Points: 30

People are really bothered by the purple and green x4 but it's the only x4 I carry, and have NEVER been bothered by the "floppiness". I don't think I would buy anymore x4's because I like other cams more, but don't stay away because of floppiness.

Amélie · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 314

Thanks for the info. I can get the flex cams decently cheap on pro deal, but I'll consider sticking to the BD/Metolius cams.

Craig Childre · · Lubbock, TX · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 4,860

New fixe Evolutions looks pretty sick. I do love my BD's though. Honestly, I don't think you can make a bad choice most the suggestions here.

RockinOut · · NY, NY · Joined May 2010 · Points: 100
20 kN wrote: Cant say much about their smaller cams, but the larger sizes of Flex Cams have a design issue that concerns me.
The design issue that concerns you being…..
20 kN · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,346
RockinOut wrote: The design issue that concerns you being…..
The one I explained in the following sentence.
Artem B · · Vancouver, BC · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 0

REI started to carry Totem cams, I would suggest buying one and trying it out a few times. They are pricey but once you place them it makes sense why, they feel fantastic to place.

RockinOut · · NY, NY · Joined May 2010 · Points: 100
20 kN wrote: The one I explained in the following sentence.
So the springs SEEMING to be quite weak? You do know its not the spring that keeps them in place, but the design of the cam itself. A "weak" spring is easier to use when pumped. You can have a garage door spring on a cam, its not going to hold any better than some thin "weak" spring.
Luc-514 · · Montreal, QC · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 12,506

I got spooked placing a friend's link cam while leading a sandbag.
The spring on the cams seemed really weak and the placement was in a flaring crack, placed a sling on it and carefully moved passed it, all I could think was that piece moving around in the flare. Springs are important in keeping a cam in place...

Scottmx426 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2014 · Points: 0

+1...cam springs serve more than one purpose.

Conor Mark · · Sacramento, CA · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 700

I've had my flexcams since 08 or 09. I have the full set from .5-9, but they no longer make them in the .5 size. These were my first cams, and I liked them, but I have run into some issues.

Like others have said, I find the springs to be on the weak side, giving them a greater tendency to walk than other cams. As of this year, my .1 is retired because the lobes no longer snap back to a fully open position, even after lubing- seems like the springs are dead. There's a real difference between the action of a c4 and a flex cam.

The lobe angles are steeper compared to other cams, restricting their placement- especially in pockets and pods with a constricted opening. However, this seems to make them half steps between C4 sizes, which is sometimes nice to have. Additionally, I've had problems with the lobe wires bending in, which makes the lobes hard to retract.

Overall these aren't bad cams, and I still use mine from time to time, but it may be better to invest in something a little more durable.

Muscrat · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2011 · Points: 3,625

Ever had that moment, where, at you limit, or a little into the discomfort zone, you fiddlefuck around with placing a piece, hope it holds, and climb on? And wish to hell you had spent that extra 10 bucks for the better cam? If you haven't, you haven't climbed enough, and if you have, you know what i am going to say. "BUY THE BEST"
Have you placed the x4's? Fallen on them? I am now replacing my mastercams, regular, and offset, with X4's. They are the bomb. And i have full racks of BD's, aliens, Metolius tcu's and fcu's, and various flex cams. Buy the X4's!

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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