review totemcam vs blackdiamnd

estoy por comprarme unos nuevos cams rojo y verde no me decido por cual si totem cams o bd alguien a usado ambos ?

I don't speak spanish, and only halfway understood what was said. But totems are better.

Si, totems Es muy Bueno. Diamente negro Es así así. Mucho queso.

dont let trump see this...

I agree that in most situations Totems are better, but 95% of the time BD C4s work great. I'm not sure that the 5% is worth the extra cost of the Totems. Also, be aware that Totems are not a good idea on really soft rock. If the rock deforms the cam will be destroyed in a fall.

Ryan Hamilton wrote:Also, be aware that Totems are not a good idea on really soft rock. If the rock deforms the cam will be destroyed in a fall.

Huh? Can you give more detail of why a totem will be destroyed in a fall on soft rock. You mean, because it can umbrella (unlike C4)? That would only happen if you under-cam it (tipped out), or if it walked into a tipped out position.

Totems are the best engineered piece of hardware I've ever had the pleasure of using.

IMO the price is well worth the brilliant design and craftsmanship.

cyclestupor wrote: Huh? Can you give more detail of why a totem will be destroyed in a fall on soft rock. You mean, because it can umbrella (unlike C4)? That would only happen if you under-cam it (tipped out), or if it walked into a tipped out position.

Yes, because it will umbrella. The problem isn't with it under-cammed, the problem is that in some VERY soft rock situations a fall can cause sudden pressure on the cam lobes and if the rock is soft and the pressure great enough it will push through the rock and push the lobes beyond their designed stop. What I am describing happened to my climbing partner when he was putting up a first ascent on a desert tower. The piton he was standing on popped and he fell onto a Totem cam and the wires snapped.

I don't think this is enough of a reason to not use them. I have a set and love them, but it should be noted.

he escuchado por ahi que los totem tambien tiene la opcion de funcionar a una leva cuando no cabe por completo en las fisuras !!!
y si bien son mas caros no es mucha la diferencia !

Ryan Hamilton wrote: Yes, because it will umbrella. The problem isn't with it under-cammed, the problem is that in some VERY soft rock situations a fall can cause sudden pressure on the cam lobes and if the rock is soft and the pressure great enough it will push through the rock and push the lobes beyond their designed stop. What I am describing happened to my climbing partner when he was putting up a first ascent on a desert tower. The piton he was standing on popped and he fell onto a Totem cam and the wires snapped. I don't think this is enough of a reason to not use them. I have a set and love them, but it should be noted.

Still sounds like it was undercammed. Unless of cource the soft rock was actually a large marshmallow.

Both great devices. I personally love my totem cams...both the dual stem (U-stem) and the totem basics...the offsets rock! well designed, place easily, remove extremely easily and the U-stems have the unique (albeit not endorsed by totem) feature of having only two lobes engaged and clipping into the closest stem for aid climbing and emergency purposes...not intended to be used this way when free climbing. Just a cool design and great performance.

My 2 cents... ;)

The big loop on a totem makes a great jug when you want to french free a move. Really nice to have in thin hands/rattley fingers.

Chris Graham wrote:Both great devices. I personally love my totem cams...both the dual stem (U-stem)

It might sound nit-picky but Totem cams are not dual (U-stem). They are stemless, or quad stem dependending on you point of view. Their operation is totally different from other cams and describing them as U-stem is misleading.

Sorry.... Maybe I'm just too much of a Totem fan or too much of an engineering geek. But their difference should not be ignored.

patto wrote: It might sound nit-picky but Totem cams are not dual (U-stem). They are stemless, or quad stem dependending on you point of view. Their operation is totally different from other cams and describing them as U-stem is misleading. Sorry.... Maybe I'm just too much of a Totem fan or too much of an engineering geek. But their difference should not be ignored.

Yes, that is correct. Just tried to simplify for sake of ease of understanding but may have confused more than helped ;)

Either way, I love their action and how they perform. been very happy with mine up to this point