By Mike Ecker
From phoenix
Jan 2, 2008
| I have been trad climbing for about 3 years now and have mostly stuck to Black Diamond cams.I bought a few metolius cams with the range finders on them. I bought them knowing what a good placement is, like most people should. If anybody does not know about range finders they are normal metolius cams with three different colors (red, yellow, and green) on the sides of the lobes to let you know how good the placement is, red=bad yellow=ok not perfect and green=good placement. I noticed that a green placement is over cammed and would be a hell of a time to get out of the rock even with a nut tool. So my theory is that metolius does this to sell more cams. Let me know what you think. |  |
By Tony Bubb
From Boulder, CO
Jan 2, 2008
| I think that the placement would hold, and that is their criteria. Perhaps if they didn't go this far down, the "no mans land" between cam sizes that you would encounter would seem to be apparently by design.
I also think they's sell more cams if they had a better design, which companies like CCH Aliens (*not considering manufacturing issues, it was a good design) and HB Quadcams and Micromates had. | |
By SAL
From broomdigiddy
Jan 2, 2008
| Mike Ecker wrote: I have been trad climbing for about 3 years now and have mostly stuck to Black Diamond cams.I bought a few metolius cams with the range finders on them. I bought them knowing what a good placement is, like most people should. If anybody does not know about range finders they are normal metolius cams with three different colors (red, yellow, and green) on the sides of the lobes to let you know how good the placement is, red=bad yellow=ok not perfect and green=good placement. I noticed that a green placement is over cammed and would be a hell of a time to get out of the rock even with a nut tool. So my theory is that metolius does this to sell more cams. Let me know what you think.
I noticed the same thing on my new TCU's. I said to myself what a crock. If I used that range finder for a placement I'd be buying another cam to replace that one. I never got an answer as to why the range is so off. To place a cam with the green touching as a "range finder" should you would be over camming the unit. Weather it would hold or not is beside the point. It is a design note that should be fixed or done away with. I picture a new climber getting those and basing his future rock climbing skills off of which from my eyes does not look right. Maybe the two of us just got a bad batch of range finders. HOpefully this post will get some true 411 out :)
cheers, | |
By sesser125
From Estes Park, CO
Jan 2, 2008
| Same here with my new TCU's. I just assumed they printed the dots on the cams prior to assembly. So when put together the dots may not line up exactly correct. I place mine in the yellow and never look back. | |
By Gaar
From Springdale / Zion UT
Jan 2, 2008
| To start metolius has come out with what i consider to be a better desgin(see below)!
I do agree with you in that when a range finder is place in the green zone it is overcammed and usually a pain in the ass to get out, BUT it is still at full stregth as long as the contact points with the rock are BELOW the axel!
But I also know that a cam that is tipped out to all extreme is generating the SAME amount of outward force as a 50% closed cam is, and therefor is just as strong yet more prone to walking! My rack consists of 21 BD cams(new and old), 6 metolious TCU(new and old), and 5 CCH.
I think it is a good learning tool, but if your looking at them while climbing on lead, you should be climbing a littler bit harder!
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By Joey Wolfe
Jan 3, 2008
| Gaar wrote: To start metolius has come out with what i consider to be a better desgin(see below)!
Have you used their new cams? I like the way they look, but I'm not going to call them a better design till they have gone thru what my aliens have gone thru.(side note, I've had my aliens since 2000 so no QC worries) Who is selling them, the new metolius cams that is? | |
By Gaar
From Springdale / Zion UT
Jan 3, 2008
| I got to play with some prototypes at the O.R. show in the summer...they are alot smoother then the c3(which sucks!) and no where near as stiff! The larger ones (black, green) just felt kinda top heavy similar to the larger aliens. Perssonaly I think the 1,2,3,4 are going to be the best ones.. I may prodeal a few for shits and giggles, but really dont need or want any....
If anyone out there gets some and uses them let us know how they work for you | |
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