OP Link Cams - Why are they stupid expensive now??

Don’t know how I stumbled across this but recently I noticed that OP Link Cams are going for crazy prices on eBay. Just wondering why???? Is there some kind of cult following for these. Kind of like how the old school Petzl Attaches were going for crazy money also

Back in the day when these first came out I actually bought some of these, yeah there kind of cool and they do have a specialty use but I can‘t say they were that great. They were never part of my “core rack“ 

Looking at the prices these things are going for now I think I might dig them out and post them on the old flea’bay. 

I have one. Maybe I’ll hold onto it as an investment. 

I think the reason they go for such crazy money is because they're so unique. There's nothing quiiite like them (the angel cam is pretty similar, but also pretty expensive), so them being discontinued drove up the price a ton.

When discontinued gear gets crazy popular it's usually because it has some subtle quality that no other gear has that some people are willing to pay a lot extra to have. 

Objects in museums usually have some sort of historic or sentimental value, that's my take on it. The fact that they weren't improved on and were discontinued instead definitely means something. 

The damn things fell apart if you sneezed on them. Fundamentally flawed design. I literally had one fall apart in my pack. It went in whole, it came out broken. I've seen some pictures of these things when they exploded from placements where the stem wasn't in line with the fall. The so-called "save me" utility of them was lost somewhere between idea and production.

To buy them as collection curiosities is one thing. To vastly overpay for one so you can use it?

I’m seeing $145 for a yellow. Shew-whee! Every dog has his day. When I sold mine, I was just happy to get money for ‘em.

long as you dont set them on the links between lobe segments they **usually** dont explode. lol. Well mine have not yet and I've been using em for well over 10 years.
I have a full set, they are very worth while when exploring new areas when rapping in, and for redircts in the unknown. I can cover a wild amount of placements with 4 link cams and an angel cam. They are really quite valuable in that context for me. The smallest one (purple) really is the least useful IMO.

Do I bring them to actually climb with? The answer is like 98% no.

Mr Rogers wrote:

long as you dont set them on the links between lobe segments they **usually** dont explode. lol. Well mine have not yet and I've been using em for well over 10 years.
I have a full set, they are very worth while when exploring new areas when rapping in, and for redircts in the unknown. I can cover a wild amount of placements with 4 link cams and an angel cam. They are really quite valuable in that context for me. The smallest one (purple) really is the least useful IMO.

Do I bring them to actually climb with? The answer is like 98% no.

You Sir are the last of a dying breed 

Like Mr. Rogers, I mostly saved them for anchor pieces. At least in that instance you have eyes on and time to place. I never had one explode, anyway.

One time I had one pull out during a whip when I overrated their cram n go ability, as well as multiple difficult extractions leading to an eventual fixed piece. Those collapsing lobes could work against removal efforts.

It could be tariffs.  HowNot2's last news letter said he had to pay 55% tariffs on his shipment from the EU (Greece I think).  It was 5% last time, Trump's 50% tariff is on top of existing tariffs. 

climber pat wrote:

It could be tariffs.  HowNot2's last news letter said he had to pay 55% tariffs on his shipment from the EU (Greece I think).  It was 5% last time, Trump's 50% tariff is on top of existing tariffs. 

Nope, maybe read the thread before jumping in with TARIFFS!!!    These have been discontinued for years, all are being bought secondary market.  

C3s also

People want what they can't have. 

When they were in production, no one cared and they weren't regarded as any good.

Colonel Mustard wrote:

Like Mr. Rogers, I mostly saved them for anchor pieces. At least in that instance you have eyes on and time to place. I never had one explode, anyway.

Pretty much how I use the angels, if I bring them. 

Are they actually selling on ebay? I've noticed a lot of items on eBay are now listed much higher than a year or 2 ago but non of the inventory seems to be selling through. 

I do sell some stuff on there and I have noticed the price or starting bid ebay has been suggesting recently for some of my own items is just out of touch with reality. 

They have been selling on eBay, you can filter by sold listings, which is definitely the best way to see what you should price your items at rather than eBays suggested price

Matt N wrote:

C3s also

People want what they can't have. 

When they were in production, no one cared and they weren't regarded as any good.

This.  Same with Silent Partners.   There was little interest when they were actually in production.  Now you’d think it was the most critical piece of gear imaginable.  And I’ve still never come across anyone actually using one.

Consumerism as identity combined with too much money in the world.

Jared E wrote:

Pretty much how I use the angels, if I bring them. 

Angels plural?  You have more than one of tho$e??

Gunkiemike wrote:

Angels plural?  You have more than one of tho$e??

They make 2 size offerings now....but still bank.

Gunkiemike wrote:

Angels plural?  You have more than one of tho$e??

I run a double rack of the small size