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why camalots?

Original Post
Elena Sera Jose · · colorado · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 350

My rack consists of 95 % of BD cams recently I placed a green and a purple c3 and totally had a renewed faith in them. Yeah I used to always think of them as kinda flimsy and a bit too stiff to fish into cracks. So contemplating still some additions to my rack im seriously considering adding 2 small mastercams to it. Just heard about microcams coming out this fall and psyched!!! OK so does anybody have a purely BD rack? What's your argument?

Sam Feuerborn · · Carbondale · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 810

Oh man I cant't say a nice thing about BD, climbed on a friends rack this weekend and placed a purple c3 on Zeus,whipped and it blew right out. They inspire no confidence since they've moved to China.

Josh Kornish · · Whitefish, MT · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 800
Sam Feuerborn wrote:Oh man I cant't say a nice thing about BD, climbed on a friends rack this weekend and placed a purple c3 on Zeus,whipped and it blew right out. They inspire no confidence since they've moved to China.
I would have to disagree. Yeah it's pretty lame that they outsourced their production but they are still excellent pieces.

Are they better than Metolius, Wild Country, or DMM? No.

I really like camalots down to .5 and then I go Mastercams the rest of the way.

+1 for a diverse rack
Andy Hansen · · Longmont, CO · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 3,130
Sam Feuerborn wrote:Oh man I cant't say a nice thing about BD, climbed on a friends rack this weekend and placed a purple c3 on Zeus,whipped and it blew right out. They inspire no confidence since they've moved to China.
I don't know, man. I've "whipped" and fallen on a 00 C3 numerous times and in certain types of stone (quartzite) they've held and even on a shitty placement two of three lobes held me. On softer sandstone in Zion the 00 C3 blew out on me too. I don't think saying because BD has moved production of their cams to China quality has decreased is a valid argument.
Pete Spri · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 347

+1 for a diverse rack.

I bring my UL metolius' and my friend brings his BD and we are golden.

My rationale for UL metolius: a full set up to 3" weighs about a pound less.

mattm · · TX · Joined Jun 2006 · Points: 1,885
Sam Feuerborn wrote:Oh man I cant't say a nice thing about BD, climbed on a friends rack this weekend and placed a purple c3 on Zeus,whipped and it blew right out. They inspire no confidence since they've moved to China.
So did it mechanically fail or did you fail to place it properly?

BD has had their cams ASSEMBLED in China for YEARS AND YEARS and yet I have yet to read of a SINGLE incident related to shoddy manufacturing. BD, I believe, still makes the parts in SLC and then has them ASSEMBLED in China.

This clueless "I'm scared of BD stuff because it says China on it" mentality has born no fruit for going on what? 5? 6 years?

Metolius sources their hangers from China. Madrock too. I don't see anyone whining about clipping inferior hardware on a sport climb....

Do shit products come from China? You bet. Do extremely well made products rehiring precision and attention to detail come from China. You bet (do you own an iPhone? Any Apple Product?)

The most shoddily made climbing product of the last 10 years was made right here in the ole USA (Aliens).

Judge a product on it's own merits and not gross over generalizations.
Greg D · · Here · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 883
Sam Feuerborn wrote:Oh man I cant't say a nice thing about BD, climbed on a friends rack this weekend and placed a purple c3 on Zeus,whipped and it blew right out. They inspire no confidence since they've moved to China.
Yeah. Totally the cam's fault.
Elena Sera Jose · · colorado · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 350
muttonface wrote:Having a rack with different types (TCU vs 4 lobe, offset vs uniform lobe, etc.) will never leave you at a disadvantage; except perhaps if you overthink shit and take waaaay too much- we've all done it at least once. Having a diverse rack IMHO is always better than just having a shitload of one type of cam. There really isn't an argument. C4s make up my rack from 6 all the way to .3 But... from .75 down, I have Master Cams and TCUs from .75 to (Metolius #1). I have sizes 0 and 00 C3s. The only one that I've never placed yet is the 00. Not because I haven't found a placement, but because I can usually find a bomber nut somewhere nearby and I feel better over small passive gear than small cams. I'm even considering filling the gaps between my larger Camalots (no matter what BD says, there are placements that are too big for a #2 placement, and too small for a #3... unless you enjoy shitty placements) with a few Helium Friends. Everyone I know that has a trad rack has different types and manufacturers of cams. More options is better. My $.02
I agree and will diversify by adding single stem mastercams and maybe a helium in larger size. I stitch pretty tight at this point and my goal is to be able to place on first try I know my BDs a OK at this point and adding in between sizes will not be very confusing I think. Thanx Mutton!
Tim M · · none · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 293

I think it would be embarrassing to climb with a rack made solely of BD cams.

Elena Sera Jose · · colorado · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 350
Timmamok wrote:I think it would be embarrassing to climb with a rack made solely of BD cams.
Why?
Tim M · · none · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 293

Seems like a very narrow minded approach. There are a lot of really good cams out there, many less expensive and at least as good.

Tommey-James · · Boulder,Colorado · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 10

BD has a bigger range. Problem solved

Elena Sera Jose · · colorado · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 350

I like BDs a lot thumb loops, ranges, and the way they rack. C3's are still something to get used to but a few times they were the placements I was very grateful for. Placed a couple as nuts...bomber ....yeah some of them were ' peace if mind ' placements BDs are top of the line although I think im going to get a couple of mastercams and maybe aliens to just add for in between sizes.

Pete Spri · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 347
Tommey-James wrote:BD has a bigger range. Problem solved
They are also the heaviest cams on the market. :P
bearbreeder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 3,065

there are quite a few pros that climb on BD or other brand of cams more or less exclusively being sponsored and all .... they dont seem t be embarrassed

go out with someone who has the gear, try it on, and let the rock and yr brain decide ...

not random internet keyboard commandos ;)

Elena Sera Jose · · colorado · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 350

BDs C4's are the staple cam places best, helium's were not as springy when I tried them at the store and its the substitution of biners for wire gates what makes the weight difference
BDs are solid cams. I like to ask people's opinion about gear that gives me ideas to try new things, a lot of it is personal preference

Pete Spri · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 347
Elena Sera Jose wrote:BDs C4's are the staple cam places best, helium's were not as springy when I tried them at the store and its the substitution of biners for wire gates what makes the weight difference BDs are solid cams. I like to ask people's opinion about gear that gives me ideas to try new things, a lot of it is personal preference
LOL, what?
Matt N · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 415

I can't believe it got this far without falling apart.

KevinCO · · Loveland, CO · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 60

Buying cams is a big investment...I would want as many opions from experienced climbers as I could get.

Sam Feuerborn · · Carbondale · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 810
Matt N wrote:I can't believe it got this far without falling apart.
hahaha I like that people took me seriously. man I might have to try this interwebz trolling business more often.
percious · · Bear Creek, CO · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 1,190

I for one am glad to see that aliens are back by reputable makers. That's what I would opt for over the master cams. I have a blue mastercam. I'm not to psyched with it. The cam lobes are very narrow. I much prefer placing m blue TCU instead. I usually place my green alien before that tho. (Good to have three of that size in Eldo)

cheers.
-chris

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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