Black Diamond Ultralights review

A review of the Ultralight Camalots after three seasons of use that I wrote for the Zine:

climbingzine.com/review-bla…

I love the one set I have (upgraded from two generations back so the difference is even more striking). I will buy another set - my harness sits crooked when I rack the ultralights on one side and the regular catalogs on the other :)

One important thing you left out of your review in the Cons: these are not only expensive, but also temporary. They have a lifespan defined by BD (max 10 years, less if you use them). Unlike other camalots cannot be re-slung. I'm OK with that, but others will not be.

mike again wrote: One important thing you left out of your review in the Cons: these are not only expensive, but also temporary. They have a lifespan defined by BD (max 10 years, less if you use them). Unlike other camalots cannot be re-slung. I'm OK with that, but others will not be.

Yeah I think that is huge, moreso than the higher price. Right now a lot of climbers resell their cams for around 50% of their retail value after 10 years. So the fact that cam is worthless in 10 years will drive a lot away.

Between the advent of Totems and the redesigned Dragons and Friends, BD definitely has lost their foothold on the market as the gold standard. Ultalights were an interesting risk to take but as such a niche product I doubt it will pay off.

Ana Tine wrote: Why can't you resling them?

I'm sure you can, but you can't change the looped dyneema that's normally made out of steel cable, making the normal resling process pointless.

John Wilder wrote:Three seasons? They've only been kind of available since June....I couldn't even get them into my shop until August. I think it's far too early to be able to really say whether they will hold up under normal use.

He must mean summer, fall and winter which is purposefully misleading and makes the rest of the review suspect IMO

This review sucks. Like the author didn't even try to make it a real review. Best camming devices ever made? Yeah, with zero discussion about the actual functionality of the unit. And durability? Probably the single biggest concern with these cams? Well he tries to place them as infrequently as possible according to the review.

Also how do you climb on them a "full 3 climbing seasons" when you ordered them as soon as they were available? Presumably this means available at retail, which was definitely not 3 years ago.

"Bottom line: the best camming device ever made."

Of course, as long as I buy them and you get a cut from the sale.

No one who has not worked QA or QC at BD has a fucking clue how "durable" the new cams are. However, if you cycle at all. You will insert, "disposable" any time you see, "light weight".

This is not a bad thing per say. However if you are not the end user in mind and are taking them craging. You are spending a premium for a feature that just doesnt matter for you.

Everybody wants the newest and best. In some cases you may see a huge advantage from UL gear. Alpinism, small framed people, they need the break in the pack and rack.

I have concerns about the longevity of the axel boss. Its unfounded, but I see the alloy blowing out where the steel axles apply torsion.

The comment about cragging at the creek. Sure, creek racks are huge. But come on man... hard sized IC are .5 and .75. The weight differance borders on negliable between the two. 20g or so a unit a micro biner. Sure sure sure, its somthing. The larger units make sense for alpinists as the savings is more noticable.
Its also funny because i love and use thin ropes almost exclusively. Which provide a pretty margnial boon.

My buddy whipped on the #1 once, maybe 8 foot fall, 60 feet off the deck... Lobes stopped camming. I was able to clean the cam with a nut tool, but the lobes wouldn't move. Seems the cams got pushed downwards, trapping the springs. We were able to bend it back and it worked again. Still, unnacceptable in my opinion.

I just bought a #4 for Patagonia, I need ultralight (cuz I can't pull too hard) (you don't fall out of fist cracks, right?)

I like the saying "Pick 2 out of 3: Light, strong, cheap". You can't have all three.

I know some people outside bd have a clue about durability of these. As in, I know of a couple people who have had issues with the some of these.

I would be curious to see what bd could come up with for a 5 and 6, that might actually be something I'd be interested in. How thin the lobes are along the contact surface on the 4 is a little concerning to me though for places like vedauwoo. It would make sense for somewhere like the desert though..

Edit: at a theoretical 15% weight savings, a rack of three 6s and two 5s would save less than 1 pound. Maybe it doesn't make as much sense than I thought.

Everybody keeps talking about how they are lighter for alpine, but has anyone actually looked at the physical numbers. Let's say that I had UL's instead of the regular BD cams on my last trip to Alaska. Our rack was a small alpine rack, single #.4 to #3. I just weighed those cams on my scale and it comes to a total of 27oz and change. Now if the UL save 25% then I would have saved myself 7 ounces. 7ounces....seriously in 6 cams that are more expensive and have a shorter lifespan....for real!! There are a TON of other ways to save the 7 ounces....3 less Cliff bars, leave the bivy sack, buy a lighter pack to put your gear in, single instead of double ropes, skinner rope, leave the helmet, don't take the camera....etc Maybe if I were taking a full double rack of cams up a big wall the weight would make a difference. For me, I can say that 7 ounces is not going to make or break me on an alpine climb.

Thanks for the review Luke! Hey, to the whiners, maybe it wasn't perfect and was real light, but from my perspective, I haven't even seen one yet and appreciate any info I can gather.

Marlin Thorman wrote:Everybody keeps talking about how they are lighter for alpine, but has anyone actually looked at the physical numbers. ... There are a TON of other ways to save the 7 ounces...3 less Cliff bars

One can take more off by taking a good shit before starting. That said folks are shaving weight everywhere they can, lighter cams are all part of the equation. That said do leave the bars at home they tend to make one constipated :-)).

It's amazing how almost every single magazine review of a new product declares it the best thing ever and totally worth the price increase. What a coincidence.

I guess the light is right maxim when taken to the extreme would create a worthwile differance.

Ul C4s
Metilous UL mastercams
Edelrid 19g biners on every thing
6mm floss for all you slings with 19gs
Beal opra 8.5mm as a single rope
1 belay device and a munter on top
Dynema packs
Dehydrated water...(real weight savings there;))

Anyone have an idea of what kind of savings you could actually get compared to an agregate of the norm?

For arguments sake
Double set of c4s with a neutrino each
8 alpine draws 2 neutrinos per sling
9.8 ropex60m
Bd speed 40l pack

Rob Warden, Space Lizard wrote:I guess the light is right maxim when taken to the extreme would create a worthwile differance. Ul C4s Metilous UL mastercams Edelrid 19g biners on every thing 6mm floss for all you slings with 19gs Beal opra 8.5mm as a single rope 1 belay device and a munter on top Dynema packs Dehydrated water...(real weight savings there;)) Anyone have an idea of what kind of savings you could actually get compared to an agregate of the norm? For arguments sake Double set of c4s with a neutrino each 8 alpine draws 2 neutrinos per sling 9.8 ropex60m Bd speed 40l pack

Just head out somewhere uncivilized with no vaccines and get a case of runs. My buddy lost 25 pounds! His wife took one look at him at the airport and said "Now there's the man I married"

I did the math based on

8.5mmx60m (48g per meter claimed) vrs 9.8x60m(62g per meter claimed)
2x .4-4UL c4(1686g) vrs x2 4.-4 c4 (2164g claimed)
Edelrid 19g (19gx30=570g) vrs neutrino (36g x30=1080g)
Petzl sitta (270g) vrs BD chaos (360g)
BD speed 40 pack(1210g) versus cilo gear 40l dyneema pack(690g stripped)
Beal 6mm slings 20cm (6.5g) x 8 vrs nylon slings (18g for 30cm) x8

You save 840g in rope
You save 510g on biners
You save 478g on a DOUBLE set of cams, 239g per set .4 to 4
you save 520 grams on the pack
You save 90 grams on the harness
You save 92g on slings

Taking a dump, followed by, The rope is the most important place to save the grams. Followed by your carbiers

Dont judge its cold and wet outside, and i just finished on my hangboard

Bill Kirby wrote: Just head out somewhere uncivilized with no vaccines and get a case of runs. My buddy lost 25 pounds! His wife took one look at him at the airport and said "Now there's the man I married"

See! Vaccines are totally a conspiracy! All the gear companies are in cahoots to get you to buy their ultralight ultra$$$ gear!

How do they feel to place? Is there anything better or worse about the action or grip? How do they differ from the previous non-UL? Do you notice any differences in potential to walk? Do you like the fact that these cams won't last as long as the non-UL? That seems like a big negative that was ignored.

Where is the review? You thought they might not be great, but then you decide they are. Why? Some details and experiences are needed for a useful review.

I am sure I will love these cams too, but it would be nice to have a review and not a click-bate ad-scheme.

"banner photo: A set of Ultralights (minus the .4) after three seasons of use."

Bulllllllllllllllshit. Whole thing looks like a paid ad, honestly.

Rob Warden, Space Lizard wrote:You save 840g on rope. You save 510g on biners You save 478g on a DOUBLE set of cams, 239g per set .4 to 4 you save 520 grams on the pack You save 90 grams on the harness You save 92g on slings

Honestly, saving five and a half pounds sounds like a good deal to me but who wants to take whips on an 8.5 or deal with hook nosed biners?