BD .75 cam or Gold Alien? Thoughts please? Also master cam or TCU?

Hey there!

I know this is a common question, gear sizes, so apologies, but I'm looking for thoughts on whether to purchase a BD.75 cam, or the Gold Alien (1.25)?

I currently have a few smaller TCUs up to the size red, as well as smaller aliens up to the Red as well. The smallest BD cam I have is a #1 and I also have a few friends (2,2.5,3), so I'm looking for something to 'double' my red TCU.

I climb primarily in Eldorado and RMNP (once the snow melts off)

Would you recommend the BD.75 or Gold Alien as they seem to be right about the same size?

Any information and/or advice much appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Now I have decided on possibly getting each one, as I just realized I have two #3 orange TCUs (and not a red #4 TCU), so I'm thinking on getting two out of these three;
The BD .75
The Metolius Red master cam
The Gold alien

Thoughts please?

Thanks again?

Where are you getting a (new) gold alien? I'd get 0.5 & 0.75 X4, but only because I hate Metolius sizing (you'll have a small size hole going from orange metolius to 0.75 Camalot).

Thoughts...... I love the BD's because they are the easiest to place, really handy.....
But it's mpo...

Go with the Alien and the BD. BD is super durable and Aliens are just fun

I would vote for the red #4 mastercam and the BD 0.75. The Alien is top heavy and the stem is too flexible in the larger sizes, not to mention the availability is very rare.

I don't really like the aliens in any size larger than red ( I have the orange and clear). They feel pretty floppy and awkward. The C4 is MUCH better in that size.

Aliens are great in small sizes, not so much the large. as mentioned they are to top heavy and hard to place when gases do to their flex. the .75 is a tremendously valuable piece. I have a full rack of BD .3-5, the full TCU and full set of masters to #5, the #6 (green) is too flexible like the aliens. masters and tcus fit between the BD cam sizes. the X4s in that range do not offer anything more than the C4s. they are stiffer than the masters and I believe are only valuable in the .1-.4 range. Masters have a smaller head size than C4s and a stronger stem as well as lobes for the granite and sandstone of RMNP and Eldo. the Aliens while have their place, I dont think you will be as happy with at that size. I would get a .75 C4 and a #4 and #5 master. that will cover that range very nicely and give you many options for and placement.

I have an Orange Alien that is about the size of a .75 (maybe a little bigger) and I love it. Is this really called Gold? If so, that's my vote. But I don't think they are made anymore.

Can't go wrong with a green Camalot. .75 is perhaps the best one of them all, as Mastercams or TCU's are better below that and Friends are better above.

Around here....
Camalots 0.5 thru 3, accept no substitute.
Below 0.5 and Aliens or Mastercams start to shine.
Maybe the X4s??? I wouldn't know.

the red metolius is one of my all time least favorite pieces. it has terrible range. i actually traded 2 metolius cams for 1 BD, just to get rid of the metolius.

if you can get the gold alien that would be good. the orange alien is the same size as a .75 camalot. either of these would be good as well.

i would rather have an orange alien and a .75 camalot than the red metolius and something else. even if they are the same size (the orange and the .75) they will get used a ton.

I personally hate Aliens at the Red size and larger (dig the smaller ones though) . Too damn floppy. Can't count the times I've pulled the trigger on a red and had the whole damn unit almost fold in half because the cable in those sizes aren't stiff enough for the head.

I had a gold alien (called it "butterscotch"), but donated it a while back for testing.

I use the red alien all the time, but found only placed the butterscotch a few times. It had nice range and the cable was stiff enough, but I found I was reaching for the camalots at that range.

Since everyone already had aliens up to red and camalots down to .5, the gold alien just didn't seem to fit in around here, don't know anyone else who has/had one.

reboot wrote:Where are you getting a (new) gold alien? I'd get 0.5 & 0.75 X4, but only because I hate Metolius sizing (you'll have a small size hole going from orange metolius to 0.75 Camalot).

Thanks everyone; Reboot, if I had the BD .5 and .75, wouldn't that fill in the 'hole' you talk about?

What is the main difference between the BD X4 and C4?

I'm thinking on getting a .5 and .75 in one of those BD cams based on all of these awesome suggestions!

Thanks again everyone for taking the time to comment!
Much appreciated!

Chris Cavallaro wrote: What is the main difference between the BD X4 and C4?

You'll be fine w/ 0.5 & 0.75, I think. There may be a size @ the creek that's in between, but it's not really a size "hole", just not ideal. The X4 has much narrower head & more flexible stem than the C4, both of which are huge advantages for odd placements in eldo.

I don't think a #4 metolius is a good replacement for the .75. That cam is the most essential piece of my front range rack