FS: TOTEM Cam

Embarrassed to say wrote: Hey Marco, snapped a trigger wire right at the lobe of a blue kailas "Totem". What's the best/easiest way to get this replaced?

Thank-you

Not the best pic, but it snapped/sheared the wire off flush where it attaches to the lobe. Took a small Aid fall on a 2 lobe placement (maybe 5 feet). Cam is VERY new...

Embarrassed to say wrote: Not the best pic, but it snapped/sheared the wire off flush where it attaches to the lobe. Took a small Aid fall on a 2 lobe placement (maybe 5 feet). Cam is VERY new...

The cam held.....

Ordered a few of the basics-got my order in about a week. Great guy to buy from!

Totem won't stand behind it (although the safety/batch tag clearly states TOTEM). For the price of these cams, I'm rethinking standard offsets....
Jon Basterra's PR/Customer service sucks.

I'll see what Kailas says...

Who is Jon? I emailed Totem asking about the basics and he was the one who replied. He seemed nice but he also said they won’t be in production next year

TJ B wrote: Who is Jon? I emailed Totem asking about the basics and he was the one who replied. He seemed nice but he also said they won’t be in production next year

Yes Jon told me the same this morning.  He work for Totem MT. They are steel dealing with the Basic recall and it won't be in sale for the next year. Bad news! 

Briggs Lazalde wrote:

You bought the ones stamped kailas didn't you? The totem stamped ones are made from higher quality metals and are hand made by high elves, not men...

Who told you that? Both cam are made by Totem MT in Spain. It's 100% the same except branding logo. A broken cable could always happen. Many parts of cams no mathers the brand can break, it's doesn't mean it's a bad cam. The most important thing is embarrassed to say made a 5 feet fall on a marginal 2 lobes placement and the cam hold the fall. No other cam will hold on two lobes. It's sad the cable break but the whole story is very good. At the end of the day, the totem let him go home in one piece. A++ on Totem, no bones break because of the excellent holding power of the Totem. Don't try this with others cams because it won't hold. 

Embarrassed to say wrote: Totem won't stand behind it (although the safety/batch tag clearly states TOTEM). For the price of these cams, I'm rethinking standard offsets....
Jon Basterra's PR/Customer service sucks.

I'll see what Kailas says...

Can you detail this please... What happened? 

Marc-Olivier Chabot wrote:

Can you detail this please... What happened? 

I'd like to know.  I'm looking at making a purchase but I'm not running the risk of a similar issue if being out if luck if a cable were to snap!

In a nutshell.......the cam broke. Yes, it was an aid fall. Yes, it was a 2 lobe placement (which they (Totem) says should be fine). The cam held(Great)....at some point the cable actually sheared in half. The amount of force in this fall (NO it was not a daisy fall) was SMALL.

Totem tells me to basically shove it. They say that it's a Kailas product (even though Totem is on the safety/batching tag). They won't stand behind it. Kailas won't even return an email, and with shipping it's probably going to cost $50-$60 bucks + to fix through Totem......Totems are great, but once they start having issues.....good luck! It would be a great deal if you lived in Spain...I'm not going to invest any more money in Totems until someone stateside comes up a way to fix trigger springs/cables....

EMAIL...

"Firstly: This is a Kailas Gear product which is named Totem, and as you know, if buy something from Kailas', you become a Kailas customer, not Totem MT's.  If you have a problem with Kailas product, you should contact with Kailas.

Secondly: This is not a defect.  The only way to break the trigger wire ropes is using the cam out of the utility range. The trigger wire ropes are not able to maintain any weight. Of course, it could cause an injury, but we are not responsible of the bad use of the cams.

Thirdly: As I told you, we can repair it. You can download the cam repair form here:

https://nextcloud.totemmt.com/index.php/s/QXnQJOoRsSrKNJY

Regards,"

Jon Basterra
Totem MT, Koop. Elk. Txikia
Phone: + 34 943 555 465
www.totemcams.com

There’s much better places to discuss this then Marc’s for sale page.  This isn’t fair to him or what he’s trying to do.  This should of been through private email to Marc.

Your right, he’s been great....agreed. Totem and Kailas not so great.....I bought them through Marc.

Embarrassed to say wrote:
EMAIL...

"Firstly: This is a Kailas Gear product which is named Totem, and as you know, if buy something from Kailas', you become a Kailas customer, not Totem MT's.  If you have a problem with Kailas product, you should contact with Kailas.

Secondly: This is not a defect.  The only way to break the trigger wire ropes is using the cam out of the utility range. The trigger wire ropes are not able to maintain any weight. Of course, it could cause an injury, but we are not responsible of the bad use of the cams.

Thirdly: As I told you, we can repair it. You can download the cam repair form here:

https://nextcloud.totemmt.com/index.php/s/QXnQJOoRsSrKNJY

Regards,"

Jon Basterra
Totem MT, Koop. Elk. Txikia
Phone: + 34 943 555 465
www.totemcams.com

It was China holiday beetwen sept 29 and Oct 8. Everything was close in China so that's why you got no reply from your email.

Jon was maybe a bit direct on his comments but at the end, he's right. After all, this is a Kailas cam but in fact who care. It won't change anything if it's kailas or Totem because this damage is not cover by the kailas or Totem warranty like BD did not cover the trigger wire. Customer service of either brands will not replace or repaire the cam for free. Wires and parts could break like all cams of any brands. What we wants to know is who can fix that and this is where Totem MT comes to play. Because it's in Spain, shipping is expansive but it's seem simple to do: fill the forms and send the cam to Totem. So everybody can send the cam to Totem but yes it's more expansive than shipping inside the country. I feel mad this thing make you sad. Can you show us what questions you ask to have this answer from Jon? If money is an issue do you thing you can shove or welding the cable. It's will not be possible to repair the main cable and I won't trust myself for this jobs but the trigger wire looks possible to be handjob at low cost. We can try something together. If I can help you I will do it. 

Appreciate the offer,but it’s more of a learning lesson on my part. I honestly would have never though the cable would snap like that....and that easily/soon. Something I’ll need to take into consideration with future purchases. Other cams are easy to fix-Totems are not. Also Jon was short, if you put your name on the tag (TOTEM) , and make them in the same factory....oh well.

Thanks Marc.

Maybe Kailas will respond...I’ll give them the benefit of doubt. 

You mean fixed by hand. Or something we can fix, not low cost hand job as that's something else.