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the evolution of the camalot..

20 kN · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,346
Gunkiemike wrote: One piece plastic stem thingie = Gen 2
Does this apply to the #1 and larger 2nd gens too? I know the .75 and smaller fits your description, but for some reason I am thinking they used a different design on the #1 and larger than they did on the .75 and smaller. I am thinking they used the U stem on the smaller units and the single stem on the larger units for the 2nd gen.
Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,492
20 kN wrote: Does this apply to the #1 and larger 2nd gens too? I know the .75 and smaller fits your description, but for some reason I am thinking they used a different design on the #1 and larger than they did on the .75 and smaller. I am thinking they used the U stem on the smaller units and the single stem on the larger units for the 2nd gen.
Let me try to clarify. The Chouinard Camalots (Gen 1) had a 3-part plastic cover over the cable U stem - two straight tubes and a cylindrical cross piece; see Adam Stackhouse's #3 near the top of this thread. The loop at the end of the cable was not covered and can not be covered with a sling b/c it will cut the sling. The Gen 2 replaced these 3 pieces with a single molded piece; see Jay Shultis' photo upthread (his caption is incorrect). The Gen 3 introduced the single stem and sewn sling. There were actually a couple versions of Gen 3, as a small bump was added to the stem cover to limit forward movement of the trigger bar.

The .5 and .75 units were originally called Camalot Juniors, and they were U frame with a plastic cover over the cable that permitted a sewn sling. I'm not sure but I think these sizes went single stem only when the smaller sizes ("Micro Camalots", arguably the least successful versions of the brand) came out.
Jim T · · Colorado · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 469

3 generations

Camalot

Camalot2

Camalot3

Erik Sloan · · Yosemite, CA · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 254

Cool historical pics.......what about the future of Camalots? Can someone blend a camalot logo on a Totem Cam?

I hope these two companies are working it out so Americans can get the best cams on the market. Seriously, Totem Cams make Camalots look like a '64 El Camino trying to park in a compact spot at Rite Aid. Unbelievably better.

Take it from me - I'm not sponsored by either and haven't received any free cams, but I have climbed El Capitan 93 times and only lead 5.9, which means I do a lot of 'leaning' on my cams, haha. Only trouble is the Totems are imported from Spain, so we need an American company to partner with them to help with North American production and distribution. Right now they're spendy and hard to get....but worth it.

Woot!
Erik
Yosemitebigwall.com

20 kN · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,346
Gunkiemike wrote: Let me try to clarify. The Chouinard Camalots (Gen 1) had a 3-part plastic cover over the cable U stem - two straight tubes and a cylindrical cross piece; see Adam Stackhouse's #3 near the top of this thread. The loop at the end of the cable was not covered and can not be covered with a sling b/c it will cut the sling. The Gen 2 replaced these 3 pieces with a single molded piece; see Jay Shultis' photo upthread (his caption is incorrect). The Gen 3 introduced the single stem and sewn sling. There were actually a couple versions of Gen 3, as a small bump was added to the stem cover to limit forward movement of the trigger bar. The .5 and .75 units were originally called Camalot Juniors, and they were U frame with a plastic cover over the cable that permitted a sewn sling. I'm not sure but I think these sizes went single stem only when the smaller sizes ("Micro Camalots", arguably the least successful versions of the brand) came out.
Ah, so the only difference between the gen one and gen two is that the gen one has a three-piece cover on the wire and the gen two has a one-piece cover?
Jim T · · Colorado · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 469

photo of the earlier three-piece cover

Gen 1

Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,492
20 kN wrote:Ah, so the only difference between the gen one and gen two is that the gen one has a three-piece cover on the wire and the gen two has a one-piece cover?
That's about it AFAIK. Plus one was branded Chouinard and the other Black Diamond. I suspect the fatigue cracking issue was significantly improved during that timeframe (but I don't have any evidence to back that up).
Jason Todd · · Cody, WY · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 1,114
Gunkiemike wrote: Plus one was branded Chouinard and the other Black Diamond.
Both Chouinard and BD had the Gen 2 cam.

Evolution is a fact.

Woot- Why are you trying to derail the thread? Everyone so far has stayed on topic, possibly a record. This isn't the Totems are rad and I climbed El Cap 93 times thread. This is the "the evolution of the camalot" thread.
Alex Temus · · Lehi, UT · Joined Jun 2016 · Points: 362

Anyone know the dates when BD came out with each of the generations? I'm wondering specifically when the #3.5,4,4.5,5 changed to #4,#5,#6.

(I'm sure this photo isn't  comprehensive, but I think it includes most of the recent generations.)

Drew Nevius · · Broken Arrow, OK · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 2,426

They adjusted the larger sizes (above 3s) when they went from Gen 3 with the metal stem to the Gen 4 C4s with the plastic stem and thumb loop

i shore · · London · Joined May 2018 · Points: 0
Steve0 wrote: Have they always been double axle?

Yes. 

Nathan · · Tel Aviv · Joined Mar 2015 · Points: 107
Jason Todd wrote: Plus one was branded Chouinard and the other Black Diamond. Both Chouinard and BD had the Gen 2 cam.  Woot- Why are you trying to derail the thread? Everyone so far has stayed on topic, possibly a record. This isn't the Totems are rad and I climbed El Cap 93 times thread. This is the "the evolution of the camalot" thread.

All right, so I have a question. I've seen two versions of the third generation BD Camalot, does anyone have any information about them? Here are some pictures for comparison, including serial numbers.




Jason Todd · · Cody, WY · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 1,114

Post up the thumb rest question again here:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=3068874&msg=3102903#msg3102903

Marty and Stephane might have some insight into the thumb rest differences, but there were multiple variations.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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