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Metolius Cam Paradox


Doctorb

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I got a catlog with the new Metolius "Range Finder" cam featured on the back cover. "Red means stop, Yellow mean caution, and Grean means go"

 

So, since you can't use the red part of the cam, why have it there in the first place? But if you cut it off, the consistent shape of the logrithmic spiral forces you to re-apply the Red/Yellow/Green color code on what's left. Get rid of the red, reevaluate, cut off more red, etc, until you're left with nothing.

 

So, essentially, there is no portion of the cam that can be considered "green" permanently, which makes the entire cam worthless as functional pro.

 

"Range Finder" is a dumb idea...

 

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Doctorb said:

(snip0

So, since you can't use the red part of the cam, why have it there in the first place?

(snip)

 

I have to disagree with this part of your otherwise sage observation:

 

Included in the infinite bag of tricks that constitutes aid climbing comes the tipped out cam as a body weight placement. In the aid realm, red would not mean "stop", rather "tread lightly."

 

 

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The red part the cam exists so that there is some margin of error should placements using the yellow/green walk.

 

The cam should be made as large as possible until the tips of the cam touch the opposite side when overcammed. If the cam is made any larger, then real-estate on the cam is wasted.

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I'm no engineer but it seems like they have the "green" in the wrong place. Would Ray Jardine say that when placed toward the end of the green dots, the units are way way way overcamed? They sure look like it to me. Granted metolius cams may be slightly different, but their cam angle is in the same ballbark as manyof the other manufacturers cams.

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Jens said:

I'm no engineer but it seems like they have the "green" in the wrong place. Would Ray Jardine say that when placed toward the end of the green dots, the units are way way way overcamed? They sure look like it to me. Granted metolius cams may be slightly different, but their cam angle is in the same ballbark as manyof the other manufacturers cams.

That, Jens, is exactly what I thought when I saw their new marketing idea. The picture in the ad seems to show an over cammed cam. cantfocus.gif

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ScottP said:

Doctorb said:

(snip0

So, since you can't use the red part of the cam, why have it there in the first place?

(snip)

 

I have to disagree with this part of your otherwise sage observation:

 

Included in the infinite bag of tricks that constitutes aid climbing comes the tipped out cam as a body weight placement. In the aid realm, red would not mean "stop", rather "tread lightly."

 

 

Sure. You could also beat the trigger handle into a crack and use the cam like a circlehead. Or loop the end over a hangerless bolt, and clip into one of the holes in a cam lobe.

 

My point was to do with the functionality of the cam as active protection. "Red means stop". This implies that about one third of the cam lobe is useless to begin with.

 

I would re-design the the "Range Finder" to have only two red dots on each lobe, one at each infinitesimal end of the logrithmic spiral.

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If the formula for the cam is a "constant contact angle" then the "holding power" of the cam will be the same throughout the range. From green to red.

 

Wild Country says anything between 1/4 to 3/4 cammed is good.

 

I guess the manufacturers want you to stay away from the ends. Maybe the potential for metal deformation is greater there.

 

chris

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