Metolius Fat Cams

Anyone have extensive experience placing fat cams at any non-sandstone/limestone destinations? I'm looking to rack up and a buddy of mine is willing to give me a great deal on some pristine (a few still tagged) older model fat cams. I'm not trying to be super picky with my first set of cams, but also wanted to hear how well they place in non-splitter cracks?

my searches show little on MP re: fat cams other than a few random comments in a few threads, so hoping a few of you can weigh in. right now i'm in the desert, but it's getting hot and the summer will likely take me to granite and maybe some quartzite temporary homes.

the research i've done shows that the placements are supposedly more ideal for even, splitter cracks, though other than having fatter lobes, my logic is that if i have a range of them to cover the sizes, they'll place wherever. right? in my head the thicker cams just means that the surface area is increased, a good thing when dealing with soft stone, making it feel slightly more bomber with good placements and meaning equally as bomber when properly placed in any other rock type.

still, i guess, any personal opinions/thoughts/experiences/anecdotes/jokes on non-sandstone use of the fat cams are welcome.

thanks!

i think with the exception of the added weight and potential difficulty with narrow placements. If you can get a good deal on a first set of cams then just pull the trigger.

For a first set of cams I wouldn't suggest buying them.

rock_fencer - what's your go to stuff out in the carolinas? i'm visiting NC this week, actually, doubt i'll be bringing much trad gear with me (stick to TRing and what little sport i can find) but interested in getting an idea of what you would say your most placed gear is? pretty narrow placements? if you were starting out there with a set a fatcams and small tcu's, would you be confident getting up most stuff? (from what i hear it's pretty gnarly runouts and balls are equally as important)

norcalnomad- thanks for the opinion. any particular reasoning behind them not being a good first set? weight wise i'm not extremely concerned as i'm not looking to climb harder grade stuff for a while, until i get my trad lead head straight. i'm assuming the big reasoning is that camalots will cover a wider range, more "versatile" ? that about right?

I've used them, though not tons. I like em, I think they inpsire a bit more confidence, though the wider head width makes them a bit harder to squeeze into narrow or irregular placements

Buy them. Sell them and make $ to put towards a standard starter set of cams.
Give your friend a six pack if you feel dirty doing so.

my rack is predominantly C4's and master cams in the small size. I really think the type of gear is really secondary to knowing how to use it well. You will encounter narrow placements on occasion. I used to have a supercam from metolius and it was rather wide (not sure relative to the fat cam). It eventually fixed itself somewhere in TN and i got sick of trying to pry it loose. I had an occasionally issue with narrow or specific to the supercam shallow placements.

That being said the fundamental problem with fat lobes is that most rock, which isnt the western sandstone of Indian creek or splitter basalt, has irregularities in it which may mean only part of the lobe will have solid contact with the rock.

Like i said, people over play the whole type of gear. Assuming its from a reputable company its how you use it. All gear has limitations, which is why variety is the spice of life!

guys thanks for the suggestions.

Matt N- i'm going to take them off his hands and see if i can't get a trade or cash for them to get a set of .5-2 bd camalots or something and fill in smaller pro from there. i appreciate the help!

buy em, use em, if you dont like em resell em for what you paid since yr getting a good deal

its that simple ;)

bearbreeder wrote:buy em, use em, if you dont like em resell em for what you paid since yr getting a good deal its that simple ;)

^^^ This. Who cares if they're a bit wider and possibly not ideal in every placement? They'll work just fine most of the time and are better than no cams at all. Which isn't even really true... lots of stuff was put up without cams, and all-passive ascents are a thing of beauty.