Narrow headed cams

My small c4's work great most of the time but I'm realizing I need narrower headed cams than what I got.

The question is.

Aliens are obviously what I think I should pick up, but some say they wear real quick because of the softer heads.

How does the performance of the aliens compare to C3's, I'm assuming the C3's take more wear as a starter. Is the gripping factor of the aliens make them far better though? Or they still for different application in a sense?

What say you

c3s will have a narrower head than aliens, its pretty much their market niche. Aliens are better suited to being weighted in wonky ways and not being permanently deformed due to the nature of the cable/sheath. They both hold falls, you'd most likely be happy with either/both, but if you really are looking for the super narrowest head around, its c3s.

cant really speak to longevity, but I dont think its really a factor in many peoples minds.

I'll second the post above. Go to a gear shop and hold C3s and Aliens. They feel much different. They each can be used in a multitude of ways and placements. I personally am not a fan of C3s because of how rigid they feel. But the red C3 sure does protect the crux on Straight Shooter well.

Raze (Taylor) wrote:My small c4's work great most of the time but I'm realizing I need narrower headed cams than what I got. The question is. Aliens are obviously what I think I should pick up, but some say they wear real quick because of the softer heads. How does the performance of the aliens compare to C3's, I'm assuming the C3's take more wear as a starter. Is the gripping factor of the aliens make them far better though? Or they still for different application in a sense? What say you

I can't for sure from your profile, but it looks based on your recent ticks like you are a Gunks climber. If you don't mind me asking, what is your motivation on the need for narrower cams?

I ask because it seems like a fair number of folks in the Gunks use pretty small [edit: meaning micro-sized, not narrow profile] 4CU's to good effect.

I myself switched from Aliens to C3's back in the middle of the "all your Aliens are going to break in half" scare a few years back, but since then I've also picked up a few MasterCams and like those as well, even though they're not as narrow as the C3's. Actually, overall, I think I like the MasterCams better [edit: better than C3's] (smoother, easier action, flexier, walk a little less).

That said, I do place the red and yellow C3's A LOT and am not getting rid of them anytime soon. But I haven't run across a lot of placements where the C3 worked and the MC didn't.

Now hybrid MasterCams, that's a different story. Kind of a boutique piece, but they're sure nice to have sometimes, and work like magic in many flared placements.

Another factor to consider is the flexibility of the shaft: Aliens have a flexible shaft that is more forgiving when the unit is jostled. In comparison, C3’s have the stiffest shaft around which is essentially a rigid extension of the head, and as such it moves around more. More movement = greater chance of disturbing the cams and dislodging the unit.

Similarly, the C3 shaft is complex with a sheath containing wires/cables and springs. If you load it over a horizontal (common in the Gunks) there is a much higher chance of damage than from similar loading of an Alien.

For these reasons my preference is Aliens. The exception is the red C3 which is a tweener size and occasionally needed.

I heard a rumor that BD might be coming out with new small cams this summer, might want to wait and see. If money is tight I would go with masters which can be found on sale for $50 frequently. If you have the cash I would go with aliens.

Vincenzoolllllllllo, I heard a rumour about that a year ago or so... Have you heard anything more recently? I was contemplating getting some C3s (to complement aliens) however if there is word it will be THIS summer, then I can wait.

Small cams are a lot more preference-dependent than mid-size cams. In the hand sizes, I think that everyone can agree that C4s are good, if not the best. No such consensus exists for smaller cams, so expect a lot of different answers.

Here's a basic rundown of your options, in to particular order. I've used each of these a fair bit, some from my rack and some from partners' racks.

Small C4s: As noted from your experience, there "work great most of the time". These are really wide for their crack size, which is a blessing and a curse. When there is a good, parallel sided placement for them they are super solid and stable; bomber...when they fit in. Love them at the Creek- a 0.3 C4 in a tight placement can be as confidence inspiring as a #2- but not so good in pin scars, etc. I like to have a 0.3 and a 0.4 C4 (plus larger ones, of course) on the rack to get bomber gear in the obvious placements, but something with a narrower head is necessary for the weirdness.

Metolius TCUs (plus Wired Bliss and other similar U-Stem TCUs); Kind of the original narrow-head cam, but a bit outdated now. Still super solid and usefull (I still use mine regularly, and really like them), but kind of outdated. The U-stem's bluk and relative lack of flexibility limits your options in weird placements. As much as I like these, there are much better options on the market now. That said, you can often pick these up pretty cheaply (second-hand) now as folks switch to new Aliens, etc., so these can be a cost-effective choice for building up the Creek rack. Incredibly durable and reliable, so buying these used is totally fine (just re-sling them and lube them).

Metolius Master Cams: These compete with Aliens as my favorite small cam for general-purpose free climbing. They feel very solid for their size, second only to the C4s, yet they also have a narrow head and can fit in weird spots. A good compromise for general-purpose use. Flexible enough for strange placements, but not as floppy as the Aliens. Narrow head, but still really stable. The metal is harder than Aliens, which makes them more durable if you're going to be whipping on them a lot, but they don't bite quite as well into marginal placements such as a flared pin scar in polished granite. (although this isn't an issue for 99% of placements). On the flip side, I think that the Master Cams "bite" better than Aliens in sandstone. since the hard metal and aggressive tooth digs in a bit better. Note: these are best in the smaller sizes, orange and smaller. I wouldn't bother with the red or anything larger; at that size the purple and green C4s are usually a better choice

C3s: These seem to conjure up feelings of either love or hate. I absolutely hate them (but that is just my opinion). I'll try to be a bit more objective, if I can... The deal with these is that they have the narrowest head out there, by a good bit. Again, a blessing and a curse. These can fit into some incredibly narrow spots where nothing else will go. On the other hand, the narrow head compromises stability in 95% of straightforward placements, which is honestly what you are doing most of the time, unless you only climb VS routes in Eldo. To me, these feel wobbly in a parallel sided placement, and don't conjure up the same feelings of trust. The narrow head is also a major disadvantage for softer rock; less surface area. There is also the issue of the stiff/bulky stem, which I find cumbersome. Criticism aside, a lot of people like these for aid climbing, since they fit where other things won't. Conclusion: I think these are a specialty piece; great for C3+ placements, but not the most useful for general trad cragging. I wouldn't get these as your first set of micro-cams.

Aliens: Awesome! These earned their legendary status for a reason. Head is narrow enough to allow them to fit in a lot of places, but not so narrow as to compromise stability. The softer metal grips into granite really well, and doesn't compromise durability as much as you would think. Very flexible stem allows for a lot of options. Very versatile; good in both funky pods and in straightforward parallel sided placements. (Note, I haven't used the new Aliens, so my comments are based on the old ones. It sounds like the new ones are basically the same, albeit with better QC. I can't comment of Fixe vs. Totem Aliens).

Hybrid Aliens or Master Cams: Hybrids are awesome; you don't realize what you were missing until you use them. Indispensable in the Valley. That said, get a regular set of micro-cams first, since those are much more versatile.

Summary: It depends what sort of climbing you are doing. For free climbing in places like Eldo and the Valley, with a lot of pin scars and hard, polished rock, definitely get Aliens (plus maybe some hybrids). For free climbing in places with more straightforward placements, where you are willing to trade some funky-spot performance for durability, Master Cams are another good option (although Aliens would be a great choice too). You are more likely to find a sale or a deal on Master Cams than on Aliens, so cost could be the deciding factor here. You'd be fine with either. For the strangest of the strange and the smallest of the small, get C3s.

Jon Moen wrote: The narrow head is also a major disadvantage for softer rock; less surface area.

^^^Talking about C3s in that.

Take a look at the lobes, and the overall design. When placed in the ideal part of the range, they have just as much surface area as any other 3-cam units, there'a a sort of interlocking design in the lobes where there are wider in the middle/tight end of the range. They achieve a narrower profile from the design, not by using particularly thin lobes.

And if you have issues with thin lobes, you might want to reassess your love of Mastercams, which have about the thinnest lobes of a 4 cam unit I've seen.

The way I see it and have experienced, 1 set of C3's + a set of Aliens/ Master cams in the same range gives you security on just about anything in that range. They each have their advantages so why not use them together? The C3's can even do some pods that only hybrids would hold. Also the slight difference in size is great in that range since placements are more tricky at the size. Love both my C3's and Aliens

i use TCUs, Zeros, and the smallest C4/dragons

i have also used my partners C3s, mastercams, aliens, 3cu/4cu, micro-sized friends, etc ... a decent amount

my view is that you should you be able to afford it, you should have a set of 4 lobe cams, and another of 3 lobe cams in the small sizes ... ill often come upon a place where the 3 lobes fit well, and other where 4 are more secure

if, like many people you already have the smallest C4s, then i would get the TCUs or C3s simply because you already have 4 lobe cams that will fit into those bomber crack placements ... you may want to add one more 4 lober below the smallest C4 such as the purple or blue mastercam though

and to be clear, i dont think they are the "best" microcams, but i do think they are the "best" complement to a set of small C4s

i personally havent found many placements with my blue/red zero where the blue/gray C4 wouldnt work almost as well .... i have however found placements for my TCUs where the C4s or even zeros are a bit more problematic

it all depends where you climb ... i climb in squamish and the canadian rockies

that said, a good climber is not limited by his brand of cams ... the "best" climbers in the world use an assortment of cams between em

What about Trango Splitter cams? Cheaper than Aliens, does anyone have experience using them?