DMM, Metolius, Forged Friends?

[eric8]

So its time to add a few cams to my rack to allow me to start leading harder stuff. I currently have 1,2,3 tech friends. I'm looking at getting either a set of DMM, metolius power cams or Forged friends, along with a set of tcu's since I can get a deal on them and cannot on aliens. I'm not intrested in camalots because there heavy, and I pefer doing alpine routes.

 

I did a search and it seams that a lot of people have costalots and would like lighter metolius or dmm cams. Anyone have dmm cams? what do you think?

 

Some people where saying that the larger metoluis cams seem to walk. I used power cams twice off a parnters rack and don't remeber them walking but thats only two placements. I have to say that I'm leaning towards getting metolius power cams. Since these will be the last cam purchases I'll make in awhile please let me know if you think this is a bad idea and why.

 

I can also see advantages to forged friends. Durable and I already have 3 tech friends so I can use those for horizontal placements.

 

Thanks

Eric

edit if i only knew how to spell

Edited April 5, 2003 by eric8

[fleblebleb]

Foged friends can get angry if you misbehave.

[Sphinx]

Buy Camalots if they are smaller than #3. For the rest, go with Friends.

[Paul_detrick]

Just got a full set(6) of tcu"s at rei for 199.00 better get them while you can.

[Montana_Climber]

I like my Wired Bliss cams for weight, width of heads, cost, etc. It's worth checking them out at Wired Bliss

[willstrickland]

I like Metolius up to a #2 TCU (yellow) then I'm all about the camalots (.5 and up). I rarely carry anything over a #3 anyway. They ain't that heavy, and I'd rather have the extra range than worry about a few ounces. If weight's that big of a deal, take a piss before you start the pitch, that's about all the weight you'll be saving anyway.

 

I own Metolius TCUs, Camalots, Aliens, Flex Friends, Rigid Friends, and a solitary Wired Bliss TCU (booty). All total I've got triples of everything up to about a #3 camalot and quads in the .5-.75 camalot size (2 sets tcus + 2 sets camalots). That said, I typically rack up the TCUs to yellow and the camalots above that first, and then add the other crap if it's a continuous size.

 

I don't like the Friends, but they were all booty.

I used to own Metolius up to #10, but traded the #5-#10 for camalots. I had a HB TCU once with the trigger ring thingy (also booty) and chucked that fucker off a climb when I got pissed at not being able to get ahold of the trigger. My aliens are offsets, and in that application (typically pin-scar aid), they rock the house.

 

The DMMs look nice, the color coding is bonus, and they seem to be basically the same thing as any other TCU.

 

Hope that helps.

[Peter_Puget]

Larger BD do walk and are inferior to the large Friends. One thingto consider if you are building a "mixed" rack is how the sizing of the different brands compares. For instance DMM, Clog and Friends all have the same sizing.

 

PP

[Sphinx]

ALL cams walk, and how much depends on the strength of the springs. I find that the metolius cams walk more than the BDs, plus they hurt my hands. Also, the BDs don't get offset, side to side, very often because the double axles move the cam lobes if you move the stem from side to side.

[Peter_Puget]

I believe in the larger sizes axle width is a very important factor in placement stability and the tendency to walk. With respect to this factor BD cams are clearly inferior to Friends. You raise a good point when you mention the double axle design and tipped cams. BDs are the one design where "cam stops" (in BD case the other axle) are a real advantage. For other cams the cam stops only work when the cams are working against each other.

[cracked]

I have never had a problem with big BDs walking. Only problem is that they weigh more than an ice tool.