Blown pro

i think it helpful to have a mix of bd and metolius/aliens in the small sizes.  for some reason every company has some bad gaps between sizes.  for example, the yellow (.2)  X4 fits nicely between blue and green aliens.  blue (.3) x4 sits nicely between green alien and yellow alien.  i think these gaps are a major failure on their part.

i remember a desert crack that my partner fell and ripped several blue aliens and almost cratered.  they were tipped, but he couldn't get any green aliens or blue metolius in.  X4's didn't exist at that time, but would have been handy. 

Patrick Wilderwrote:

Nice! Helicopters are sweet!

They are!! Though next time I'll ask for a window seat instead of being strapped to a backboard, I bet the views would be much better

Cole Lawrencewrote:

Correct. There is a relationship between outward force and range. When the camming angle is reduced (angle from axle fulcrum to contact point) force and friction increase, while the cam range decreases. Some manufacturers play with softer materials allowing for more friction, the advantage is that they can use a greater camming angle, acceptable friction and retain impressive range. However there are trade offs, of course, here as well. Anyone with dented and gouged aliens knows how good they are, until they aren’t.

The other often overlooked concern with small cam angles is the force becomes so high that is actually shatters the rock.  That was the advantage of aliens which were the best cam in the valley until totems came along.  And I have seen far more mushroomed aliens than dented and gouged and the owners all swore by how good they worked still.  

I will still take an Alien over any other cam made except for a Totem.  Many others have tried over the years to make an acceptable replacement but so far all have fallen short.