Dear Reboot,
You need to do you're research before you say that the only Aliens that Totem cam misses are the blue and black ones. Fixe was carrying all the plus sizes, but now it appears on their website that they don't. They still offer that elusive range in between the red and yellow with the grey. Don't even bother to add that the offsets covered it as Fixe now adds those(offsets),to its product line. Who would be dumb to buy the Totem basic cams now that they are ten dollars more than they were, it was really worth it before. The new Aliens are now rated(not like the days of old), plus you can get the blue and BLACK. Totem just slipped in my opinion. Time for those extraterestrials to fill the nitch like they were meant to. R.I.P. Wagoneer! THX!

Totem probably looks at the currency exchange rate and the predictions like anyone else setting a price for the next year. The dollar isnīt looking too good at the moment.

Except the vast majority of climbers dont have the allusive black card. One would have to be pretty dull to buy Tolem cams with the thought that the extra bling hanging from one's harness would rack in a few more girls, as they would be impressed a fine taste in exotic Euro cams. Rock climbing is not really a "bling, bling rack in all the double D tited hoes with your Visa" type activity. That is more suited to rap music videos with undereducated morons driving golf carts with golden spinners while chugging Sapporo's Space Barley.

How often gear goes on sale, Im surprised anyone pays full price for a cam. Once totem's hit stores Im sure they'll go on sale at some point.

"(as evident by their attempt at making an internal spring blue)"...



Blue internal springs?

Now THERE's an IMPROVEMENT!

They claimed on their blog that the blue should be out in may.


February 20, 2013 at 18:30:31


The blue and blue/green hybrid sizes will be released for May in USA. In Europe in June.
New model of Basic Cam will be released with much better looking and lighter.
Regards,

Mikel

BLUE BASIC Submitted By: Ronbo on Feb 21, 2013

Yeah thats a good point. Apparently they have it dialed in now, but Ill believe it when I see it. Good looking cam though.

Even if they're going up by 15%, I don't think Totem every really had sales and in my experience it isn't very difficult to find some other retailer that has a 20% off discount in addition to any price matching and/or rewards that you can stack on. So MSRP will be higher, but the actual price you end up paying will likely be lower.

This is Mikel from Totem.
I hope you will find the prices acceptable. As someone commented in this forum we are cutting down costs and now we are able to sell to retails. We need to continue in this job
The definitive date for blue and blue/green hybrid Basic Cams release is May 1st. All Basic Cams will be updated. Changes: diagonal microteeth more aggressive than actual Totem Cam microteeth, color coded upper trigger plate, ergonomic aluminum trigger, brand stamp in outer trigger sheath, rounded copper swage, anodized aluminum trigger inner sleeve. Functionally the new model will be almost the same as old. 0.21oz lighter and much better looking. As soon as we have photos available we will announce them in our web.

Hey Mikel, thanks for posting the updated features. Sounds great!

It's also nice to see a company with a personal, responsive presence on these kind of forums. Best of luck to Mikel and Totem.

Mikel, the new cams are sounding good. Im sure I speak for most everybody when I say we are all looking forward to that blue basic. As far as prices go, it was a shock to me when all of a sudden the price went up $10 each. Especialy when I had a set amount budgeted for another set. Regardless I do think you guys make a fine product, while now more costly, the quality is there for sure. Keep up the good work.

I'm not going to lie... now that blue is coming out with internal springs, I may just have to buy blue through red to augment my master cams!

So if the new cams with the changes aren't available does Totem really expect many people to actually pay the $70 for what most of us just paid $60 for? I was planning on buying a few more, but I'll wait till the new ones come out, then I'll be comparing them with the BD-X4, which looks more durable and has more range for the same cost. The cam market is now saturated with very similar cams, so most likely I'll buy whichever is cheapest. The market will have it's say.

Sweagan, think of it this way:

Totem was selling direct as a manufacturer because they were small. They could avoid the cost of the middle retail man. Now they are selling retail and the price goes up for the retail.

But they are still cheaper than Fixe's aliens.

You got a great deal when they were small and were selling manufacterer direct. You got a price bonus when they were small like that. Now they aren't.

Certainly compare them to others, that is why it is a free market.

Spri,

You may have convinced yourself, but not me. Are you buying any between now and when the new and improved versions are coming out???

The original Totems are worth every penny.

I will be happy to have a few more on my rack for the season.

Pfft. What's $10?

They are specialty peices.