Wild Country Zero...Underrated?

this something i have also noticed, and greatly dislike about the helium cams.

slim wrote:this something i have also noticed, and greatly dislike about the helium cams.

Re-slung, I'd be completely happy with them.

So can anyone answer my question as far as the z1 and black alien go, are they meant to be aid pieces? I've seen people say they have whipped on them and people who say they will never relie on them as a single placed cam. Are they good for a single placed lead I guess is my question.

Ryan Nevius wrote: The sling attachment to the thumb loop is too tight. Here is an exaggerated photo of how a sling can torque a cam placement, if the sling slides over to the side of the loop. This cam is hanging by the carabiner. This is nearly impossible to recreate with a Camalot. The way it is sewn, the sling doesn't move as freely as it should about the thumb loop. I've noticed cams walk as a result of this grabbing effect the sling has on the thumb loop.

Yeah this bugs me on mine as well. But I don't have sport draws, only alpine draws, so they never walk.

Still prefer em to C4's though.

Ryan Nevius wrote: The sling attachment to the thumb loop is too tight. Here is an exaggerated photo of how a sling can torque a cam placement, if the sling slides over to the side of the loop. This cam is hanging by the carabiner. This is nearly impossible to recreate with a Camalot. The way it is sewn, the sling doesn't move as freely as it should about the thumb loop. I've noticed cams walk as a result of this grabbing effect the sling has on the thumb loop.

Yeah this bugs me on mine as well. But I don't have sport draws, only alpine draws, so they never walk.

Still prefer em to C4's though.

Justin. S wrote:So can anyone answer my question as far as the z1 and black alien go, are they meant to be aid pieces? I've seen people say they have whipped on them and people who say they will never relie on them as a single placed cam. Are they good for a single placed lead I guess is my question.

The Z1 and Z2 are rated aid only.

Khoi wrote: The Z1 and Z2 are rated aid only.

Only in Europe. Everywhere else "rated for aid" has no meaning.

What matters is the strength rating on the side. My Z2 has been used as protection dozens of times. I haven't fallen on it, but certainly <5kN pieces such as Z2 and RPs have held falls and stopped ground falls.

Justin. S wrote:So can anyone answer my question as far as the z1 and black alien go, are they meant to be aid pieces? I've seen people say they have whipped on them and people who say they will never relie on them as a single placed cam. Are they good for a single placed lead I guess is my question.

the black and blue aliens are rated to 6KN ... theyve held falls

but NEVER trust a single small cam if you can help it ... cams pull for a variety of reasons and your margin of error is much less

as to the really tiny stuff ... better than nutting sums it up

;)

Ha thanks for the knowledge, it's nice to hear someone else's take on certain things.

I believe they are very underrated. I regularly use the biggest 2, and occasionally use the yellow & grey.I have fallen on all of them, and even the grey held like a champ. The blue is a perfect in-between size also.

Who knows why they didn't catch on. I have had a few partners raise an eyebrow at them, and on a few occasions even take them off the rack. Also, some very experienced climbers have had no idea what they were, or that Wild Country made them.

The Zero's heads are too wide compared to other options. Not a problem for granite splitters (maybe even an advantage?) but for irregular cracks, when there are comparable sizes available with narrower heads, it's a deal-breaker for me.

The grey and yellow zero are actually narrower than the equivalent old black and blue aliens

;)

I believe it...I'm a fan of C3's in the micro sizes.