C3's for freeclimbing

I will soon have a near full rack of totem cams, am i missing out by not have the super narrows heads of the c3's at my disposal or would you consider them very location/aid specific bits of kit? Also for those who say get some bigger cams instead, that's what partners are for.

Wait you only have totem basics?

Yeah you should definitely get some C4's .5-4

That being said. I LOVE my C3's especially in the yellow, red, and that green fits loads of places my blue totem basic can't.

I would say C3s are route and rock specific, not necessarily just for aid. They sometimes fit where 4-cammed units won't and can mean the difference between leading a route safely, but it's definitely not every route. That said, they are definitely bomber and make an excellent double for Totems.

I'd definitely consider them very location specific, and I really don't like them that much. I have 000-0 because nothing else is that narrow in those sizes, but I rarely even bring them. If you have black through green or red Totems, you would be best served by getting wildcountry new friends in red through blue. The Totem heads are already quite narrow and do well with less than ideal placements (three lobes, etc...) so in the red and yellow sizes the C3s won't help you much.

Some hand to fist sized pieces will be way more versatile and let you climb without finding a partner who has the appropriate rack.y Plus friends are cheaper for you then C4s I imagine. A single rack from 0.5 or 0.65 Totem to a fist sized piece and some nuts/hexes will get you started just about anywhere. Micro cams are overrated and trusted too much (and really shouldn't be used unless absolutely necessary), always try to place a nut or a bigger piece if you can. Once you climb hard/scary enough things to constantly think "if only I had a really small/narrow cam" then consider buying some but not before.

+1 to what Alex said. I have them, not my favorite. I rack them for aid - and generally not even then. They're like the offset brassies of cams.

Also +1 to NorCalNomad's comment; I would definitely recommend getting doubles of fingers-to-hands sizes first - There are some sales on BD c4's on steep and cheap, as of a few days ago at least. You'll rack that far more often.

I have 0-2 and don't use them much. I generally rack TCU's and master cam offsets. I am contemplating getting the 000 and 00 just because they're so tiny

Where do you tend to climb and what do folks use there?

NorCalNomad wrote:Wait you only have totem basics? Yeah you should definitely get some C4's .5-4 That being said. I LOVE my C3's especially in the yellow, red, and that green fits loads of places my blue totem basic can't.

When did i say basic??? I said the name of my cam, totemcams.com/totem/

Alexander K wrote:I'd definitely consider them very location specific, and I really don't like them that much. I have 000-0 because nothing else is that narrow in those sizes, but I rarely even bring them. If you have black through green or red Totems, you would be best served by getting wildcountry new friends in red through blue. The Totem heads are already quite narrow and do well with less than ideal placements (three lobes, etc...) so in the red and yellow sizes the C3s won't help you much. Some hand to fist sized pieces will be way more versatile and let you climb without finding a partner who has the appropriate rack.y Plus friends are cheaper for you then C4s I imagine. A single rack from 0.5 or 0.65 Totem to a fist sized piece and some nuts/hexes will get you started just about anywhere. Micro cams are overrated and trusted too much (and really shouldn't be used unless absolutely necessary), always try to place a nut or a bigger piece if you can. Once you climb hard/scary enough things to constantly think "if only I had a really small/narrow cam" then consider buying some but not before.

All the cams from the DMM, Black Diamond and Wild Country are all priced pretty much identically in the uk, going to get Totems up to size 1.25 i really don't see the point going any bigger in totems, after that it's either going to be DMM or Wildcountry i have yet to make up my mind.

DMM tends to run higher price points in the states, otherwise I would get all of my stuff from them. YMMV, but the overall craftsmanship is excellent.

Ted Pinson wrote:DMM tends to run higher price points in the states, otherwise I would get all of my stuff from them.

Yes, but I tend to find them on sale for less than the BD C4s. I buy them interchangeably, depending on what I want to add and what is cheaper at the moment.

I like C3s and climb at Joshua Tree and Tahquitz.

that guy named seb wrote: All the cams from the DMM, Black Diamond and Wild Country are all priced pretty much identically in the uk, going to get Totems up to size 1.25 i really don't see the point going any bigger in totems, after that it's either going to be DMM or Wildcountry i have yet to make up my mind.

Red (1.5) Totems are pretty sweet - great for thin hands to hands sizes.

So it's pretty conclusive, don't bother with c3's just yet, good to know.

Cameron Saul wrote: Red (1.5) Totems are pretty sweet - great for thin hands to hands sizes.

yeah but at that point do they really serve any benefit over a C4 or dragon cam?

If you climb on featured rock where head width might make the difference between getting a placement and not getting one, then the red and orange Totems make a huge difference. For example, here's an orange Totem compared to the equivalent yellow Camalot:

Same goes for C3's: if head width matters, they're the best game in town.

that guy named seb wrote:So it's pretty conclusive, don't bother with c3's just yet, good to know.

Definitely try some before you buy them. I prefer them for climbing in the Northeast US where the cracks are often shallow and weirdly shaped. The stiff stem lets you place the head exactly where you want.

In the desert, I find I don't need them that often. I would probably use a 4-lobe cam instead since the C3s seem to walk easier in uniform cracks.

There are many small cam options nowadays. It's largely preference, but I'll vouch for the C3s, they are reliable and useful.

rgold wrote:If you climb on featured rock where head width might make the difference between getting a placement and not getting one, then the red and orange Totems make a huge difference. For example, here's an orange Totem compared to the equivalent yellow Camalot: Same goes for C3's: if head width matters, they're the best game in town.

It looks like allot but when using my partners c4's i have never had an issue with anything we have climbed so it's still not a factor, i think at that size i would also appreciate the robustness of a more general use cam.

I have climbed with C3 (placed in some shallow small cracks on slab) and aliens and I like both of them in small placements but don't own any. I have a few smaller X4s and I think I have fallen on them more than any other piece of gear I own.

Alot of times it just depends on where you are placing as to what will fit best.

that guy named seb wrote: It looks like allot but when using my partners c4's i have never had an issue with anything we have climbed so it's still not a factor, i think at that size i would also appreciate the robustness of a more general use cam.

I like the totems up to the red. The orange one is a bit too floppy for me, and I prefer the dragon/c4 in that size. I love the green totem, every time I place it, it just feels so bomber.