Wild country tweener sizes helium relative to BD C4 sizes?

Wondering where the heliums sit as tweener sizes compared to BD C4s

I have already consulted the WC size charts. Compared to Clydes comprehensive reference chart which does not have the heliums, seems WC charting is based more on maximum vs useable range, so:

Looking for real world hands on experience comparing actual useful placement ranges.

What you just described fits what I know about other generations of Friends.

Have all the sizes stayed the same?

On the lower end

- the small blue friend/zero is a tad smaller than the small blue c4 ... Its roughly the same as the blue metolius

- the red friend/zero is slightly smaller than the gray c4, roughly the same as a yellow metolius

;)

From a handy list I made for my own rack, here are the three helium friends I have (gold, red, purple,) in comparison to BD C4's.

BD .3 = 13.8 - 23.4mm blue
BD .4 = 15.5 - 26.7mm gray
HF 1.0 = 19.71 - 31.73mm gold
BD .5 = 19.6 - 33.5mm purple
BD .75 = 23.9 - 41.2mm green
HF 2.0 = 28.41 - 45.73mm red
BD 1 = 30.2 - 52.1mm red
BD 2 = 37.2 - 64.9mm yellow
HF 3 = 41.9 - 67.47mm purple
BD 3 = 50.7 - 87.9mm blue

Excellent info! Thanks guys!

Dallas Branum wrote:From a handy list I made for my own rack, here are the three helium friends I have (gold, red, purple,) in comparison to BD C4's. BD .3 = 13.8 - 23.4mm blue BD .4 = 15.5 - 26.7mm gray HF 1.0 = 19.71 - 31.73mm gold BD .5 = 19.6 - 33.5mm purple BD .75 = 23.9 - 41.2mm green HF 2.0 = 28.41 - 45.73mm red BD 1 = 30.2 - 52.1mm red BD 2 = 37.2 - 64.9mm yellow HF 3 = 41.9 - 67.47mm purple BD 3 = 50.7 - 87.9mm blue

I found this site to be cool:
alanblanchflower.co.uk/clim…

Go down to the bottom of the page and use the filter...

As stated above, the WC #3 is one of the best "tweeners," but I've found all three that I own useful at one time or another when the corresponding BDs just didn't fit as well.

Dallas Branum wrote:As stated above, the WC #3 is one of the best "tweeners," but I've found all three that I own useful at one time or another when the corresponding BDs just didn't fit as well.

I also have the purple #3 helium and I'm a fan.

Personally I'd call it a good choice for a double of the yellow C4; I've spent time with the #3 WC helium and yellow and blue C4s at a vice with a set of dividers measuring the size ranges and I haven't really found that the purple helium is a perfect in between. The placement that a helium fits and the C4s don't is out there but it's rare.

At any rate I love the cam and swear by it but I will tell you that my partners that are used to BD cams all hate the helium. And by hate I mean they universally loathe the cam and pull Woody Allen caliber eye rolls when it's on my harness. Their gripes are centered around the range limitation vs bd's and they all find it harder to clean. I have never had an issue cleaning the cam but I've had to rescue it a few times when a partner got it stuck. And no, my partners are not gumby fools who don't know what's up (although I don't hesitate to berate them as such when they abandon my weird purple cam).

The take-away is that the range is a factor. As the owner, you'll get used to it but partners unfamiliar with it may have issues.

Oh- and as for the increased shaft length over C4's:
It is indeed a little longer which you'd think is a good thing as it would allow a deeper placement if needed. Well, it turns out that the extra length is between the trigger and the thumb loop, as opposed to between the trigger and the axle. So basically, when you are pulling the trigger, the length from the axle to your fingers is the same as a C4; the extra length is of no practical benefit.

I don't have any charts for you, but IMHO Helium Friends (and all types of Friends really) complement C4 Camalots excellently, primarily in the 1.5, 2, & 4 sizes.

The 1.5 friend fits perfectly in between a BD .5 & .75, which can be nice as this is the hardest size (besides super-thin tips) for many people. Also the #2 Friend fits nicely in between the .75 & 1 camalots. I find this useful b/c wide .75's & tight #1's are harder for my larger-than-average hands.

Helium Friends are very lightweight, strong, & handle well. On a couple occasions I have had people balk at using them b/c they were inexperienced (or maybe brainwashed by BD?) but most competent & experienced climbers are able to use any camming device, let alone one as well-made as Helium Friends.

FWIW I don't personally like the smallest 2 sizes of Helium Friends, and really only love the 1.5 thru 4.

Also if you rarely climb splitter cracks then there are normally enough variations in the crack size that one rarely needs alternate-sized cams.

well since everyone is posting up size charts ...

Mike wrote:if you rarely climb splitter cracks then there are normally enough variations in the crack size that one rarely needs alternate-sized cams.