The Small Cam Rank/Comparison Page

Have you gotten your hands on the new zeros?

I've got a Z4 .1, and a Dragonfly 1, which they overlap the Black Alien, and I'd say that the Dragonfly is EXTREMELY bendy, and the Z4 is pretty stiff in comparison. I dont have aliens, but playing around with them, I remember them not being nearly as flexible as the dragonfly, and not quite as stiff as the Z4. Just my impression. Still havent placed an Alien or the Dragonfly, to be clear.

I’ve got my hands on the new zeros.  I ended up selling the 0.1 to 0.4 sizes.  I prefer the mastercam 00 and 0 instead of the 0.1 and 0.2 (stiffer). For the 0.3/0.4 sizes, I prefer totem.  I kept the 0.5 and 0.75 as doubles.  The 0.5 and 0.75 are nice because the head is very narrow.  Good stiffness too.

Just received the 0.1 & 0.2 of the WC zeros as well as the Z4's. Got them both due to slightly different size ranges and I am a fan of the regular Friends, especially extendable slings. 

WC trigger action is much smoother and not as stiff as the Z4, which take a surprising amount of force to fully retract. Haven't climbed on them yet (but I have Z4 0.3 and up as well as Totems black and up). Initial impression is that the zeros stem is more bendy when the trigger is pulled than the Z4, so the rigidflex sleeve definitely does what it claims, but the zeros are also more flexible after being placed. The zeros have a bit more tendency to bend to one side when you pull the trigger, but it's not bad or consistent based on how I pull the trigger. Slightly concerned the zeros will be tricky to wiggle into finicky small placements due to the wobbly heads, but they're not as wobbly as I remember the X4's being. Also the trigger bar is set ~1cm farther back on the Z4.

The thumb spot on the zeros is comfortable but a little slick (it's metal), but the one on the Z4 is plastic, kinda sharp and protruding which might be better when you're sweaty and frantic. I haven't noticed it being uncomfortable on my other Z4's when climbing on them and they feel solid in the hand. 

K Go wrote:

WC trigger action is much smoother and not as stiff as the Z4, which take a surprising amount of force to fully retract.

The 0, 0.1, and 0.2 Z4s feel like completely different cams than the 0.3-0.75. The trigger pull on the micro sizes in mushy and strange, while it is smooth as butter on the larger sizes.

Personally, I’m not impressed with the micro-sized Z4s and will continue to look for a compliment to my tried and true ULMCs - especially in horizontal placements where the Metolius cams aren’t ideal. 

Chris Fedorczak wrote:

The 0, 0.1, and 0.2 Z4s feel like completely different cams than the 0.3-0.75. The trigger pull on the micro sizes in mushy and strange, while it is smooth as butter on the larger sizes.

Totally agree and it's because they ARE different cams. 0 - .2 are single axel, single cable stem. The .3 - .75 are dual axel, dual cable stem. 

Absolutely love the .3 - .75 Z4s, .2 and smaller I prefer C3s and MCs.

Z4

Totem/basic

C3

X4

ULMC

TCU

Chris Fedorczak wrote:

The 0, 0.1, and 0.2 Z4s feel like completely different cams than the 0.3-0.75. The trigger pull on the micro sizes in mushy and strange, while it is smooth as butter on the larger sizes.

Personally, I’m not impressed with the micro-sized Z4s and will continue to look for a compliment to my tried and true ULMCs - especially in horizontal placements where the Metolius cams aren’t ideal. 

Agreed. Looking at the cams, the double-axle versions actually have 4x smaller-diameter torsion springs whereas the single axle Z4's have 2x larger diameter springs. The spring rates are probably different, and also the attachment point of the smaller cams is closer to the axles so pulling the trigger takes more force to apply the same torque about the axle axis. I'm still going to give the small Z4's a proper trial. 

TL;DR: 0-0.2 and 0.3-0.75 are indeed built quite differently so I'm not surprised they feel quite different.