From andrew@bdel.com Fri Jul 21 18:23:47 EST 1995 Article: 5668 of rec.climbing Xref: news.nsw.CSIRO.AU rec.climbing:5668 Path: news.nsw.CSIRO.AU!crux.rp.CSIRO.AU!dmssyd.syd.dms.CSIRO.AU!its.csiro.au!mel.dit.csiro.au!merlin!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!simtel!news.sprintlink.net!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!news.uoregon.edu!xmission!bdel!blkdia!andrew From: Andrew McLean Newsgroups: rec.climbing Subject: Re: New Camalots Date: Thu, 13 Jul 1995 14:18:55 -0600 Organization: Black Diamond Equipment Ltd. Lines: 68 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: blkdia.bdel.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII X-Sender: andrew@blkdia In-Reply-To: <3trmlj$dft@bmw.hwcae.az.Honeywell.COM> On 10 Jul 1995, Greg Opland wrote: > > I returned from a day of climbing a couple of weeks ago and > was resorting my gear when I noticed that one of the trigger > cables on my new-style #3 Camelot was sheared off at the swadge. > I replaced it. Now I notice that my #2 Camelot (new-style) is > doing the same thing. I'm fairly easy on my gear when stuffing > it into the pack, so this is kind of disturbing, when triggers > are nearly five bucks a pop and I haven't been using the new > Camelots all that long. > > Any way to make these a little less damage-prone, BD ? > > G. Black Diamond is aware of the problem and we are working on it, but there is more to it then just making the cables thicker. But first, some background.... Take any #1 through #5 Camalot, hold it by the tailpiece with one hand and retract 3 of the 4 cams with the other. Notice that the 4th cam hardly moves, meaning that it is acting independently of the others. When a Camalot is inserted into a crack, all the cams are free to find their own position, regardless of surface irregularities or flare. This is partly due to the cams being linked together with the flexible cable that connects them through the triggerbar. While a beefier cable might not break as often, it would be stiffer and inhibit independent cam action which might lead to the Camalot pulling out of a marginal placement. Black Diamond has experimented with different cable sizes and constructions and we feel that the cable we are currently using (.047" 7x7 stainless steel) is the best compromise between durability and flexibility. The new single stem Camalot has a triggerbar design that allows you to replace just the wire/cable and not have to replace the whole assembly. It also costs much less. While having your cables break is inconvenient, we feel that it is better then having your camming device pull out of the rock due to the cams not contacting the rock. Andrew McLean Camalot Designer (one of them) Ps. Whenever possible, try to avoid pulling/pushing the triggerbar up the stem such that it overflexes the cable/wire joint. This can happen if you pull a Camalot out of a pile of tangled gear just by yanking on the sling. Greg Opland also wrote: > Are you listening Black Diamond? As well as our newsreader will allow. We seem to only be getting about 1/2 of what is posted in rec.climbing! Andrew McLean (andrew@bdel.com) Black Diamond Equipment Ltd. 2084 East 3900 South, SLC, UT 84124 phone: 801-278-5552 DISCLAIMER: Unless otherwise indicated, this correspondence is personal opinion and NOT an official statement of Black Diamond Equipment Ltd.