what the heck cam is this?

I saw a video in a facebook group of a guy taking falls on this cam. I can't see any clear make/model in the video and there's (somehow) no comments of people wondering what it was. It appears to expand outwards in a scissor shape and have lobes like a totem. 

It almost looks like it could be a further refinement of the anticam from about a decade ago

https://www.climbing.com/news/players-matt-maddaloni/

It looks like the X shape increases the range enormously, possible covering a BD .75 (or smaller!) to a BD 3. It looks like the trigger is only used to change the size of the cam, and the actual load point is at the junction of the X. Since the cam lobes move independently of the arms they're attached to, the cam range is determined by the arm lengths, not by the love sizes.

It's a new "new"? Cam, cant remember the name saw a few instagram ads for it last month, and a spam post here on MP I think. Looks heavy and bulky, but I'm always a fan of innovation, if it works.

Yes, kind of like the link cam, heavy and bulky, and of limited use IMO. However, the idea looks great for very large cams. Instead of #6s and Valley giants, this looks like it could actually be lighter, and you could have say 4 of them that would fit any large crack.

That’s actually pretty neat. It will never take off in the US since you have to tie your own sling ha. 

The idea is not to be a cam you rack in Indian creek, but a cam that’s meant to augment on a long mostly bolted route?

It's a shame, really, maybe it would make sense to get a few for big mixed stuff but at 250g. I can get 0.4-3 for the less weight than 3 of these cams, that's double my cams. 

Now I say this but in fairness, a number 4 cam weighs 280g, so this piece is just flat out an improvement at that size. 

Comparing it against wc new friends. 

nutstory wrote:

You can learn more about this innovative camming device, the Angel, (technology and history), on the Alternative Current website:  alternativecurrent.it/

Another example of why I hate websites which play music automatically.

I would buy one just to play with it.  Wonder if it will even be available in the US.  

I heard back that their e-commerce site is scheduled to go live in roughly two weeks. Depending on pricing, I may buy one to try and review. I like weird gear and it appears to be an innovative design.

I'd be curious to know how the arms lock in place for the larger ranges, it looks to me like it's just spring-forces holding the arms out, which doesn't give me much confidence. Wonder how well it'd hold up under pull/drop testing (_cough_ Ryan _cough_)

Greg Miller wrote:

I'd be curious to know how the arms lock in place for the larger ranges, it looks to me like it's just spring-forces holding the arms out, which doesn't give me much confidence. Wonder how well it'd hold up under pull/drop testing (_cough_ Ryan _cough_)

There appears to be a rachet mechanism that keeps it from closing. You can hear it in several of the videos. One of the videos on their page is of pull testing to failure (14-16kN). It includes a couple close ups of the failures where you can see the ratchet. Including how the rachet can fail.

I'm curious how well the exposed rachet mechanism will weather real world conditions. I could see sand grains getting trapped in there and wearing at the teeth. If a larger grain gets in there and keeps the teeth from fully engaging, how much does that effect strength? Could it gall up those teeth in the same way the surface of cam lobes can get galled up?

hi! I'm matteo vianini, the inventor and producer of ANGEL AC!
first of all thank you very much for your interest in this project; for 5 years I’ve been working with a lot of passion in collaboration with my team (all mountaineers!).

in the last 2 years ANGEL AC has been tested by many mountaineering collaborators, in every possible condition, sometimes extreme, of dirt, snow, mud, etc.
until now it has never happened the gear gets dirty. you consider that the gear remains closed and it opens only for a split second during the positioning into the crack; the gear rotation and its geometry have a cleaning action towards the external. We have seen the most doubts are cleared once ANGEL AC is used on the wall of rock live and maybe doing some falls!

In this moment, in the USA at Indian Creek, a group of our mountaineer collaborators are climbing with our ANGEL AC and the next week will be in Yosemite… we will post pictures on our social network! 

On our website alternativecurrent.it you can see many videos and technical details.
This is the video of the strength: youtu.be/doEodZaCi6Q

We are a very small business, born only from the passion for climbing and the mountains; we need supporters, thank you very much if you’ll continue to follow us to stay up to date on our news.

This seems very cool. What is the effective range of the device?

Nate A wrote:

This seems very cool. What is the effective range of the device?

From a 4 to a 0.75

We are a very small business, born only from the passion for climbing and the mountains; we need supporters, thank you very much if you’ll continue to follow us to stay up to date on our news.

Brilliant. Wishing you success.

I actually am impressed and also wish them the best. I do feel the comment about tying your own sling, made by Cory is accurate. If they found a way to incorporate the sling into the thumb loop like most cams on the market, and just make it more sleek overall it would greatly improve the chance of success.

I think the sling placement is part of the genius. It’s designed so when you have a horizontal placement the sling bends over the rock and the stem does not. Naturally this has the possibility of causing wear on the sling but that’s not a big deal if it’s just a piece of cord that can be replaced cheaply and easily.

I’d order one, though I am still curious about range, something a bit more specific than “.75-4” which could mean quite a few things. Unless it’s precisely the minimum range of a C4 .75 to a maximum range of a C4 #4 but I doubt that’s the case. Hopefully the designer on the thread can clarify. 

Nate A wrote:

I’d order one, though I am still curious about range, something a bit more specific than “.75-4” which could mean quite a few things. Unless it’s precisely the minimum range of a C4 .75 to a maximum range of a C4 #4 but I doubt that’s the case. Hopefully the designer on the thread can clarify. 

It's on the website, 26mm-100mm, you then have the issue of claimed ranges by bd, while the number 4 has a claimed max range of up to 114mm its not really a usable range.

.75 goes down to 24mm

Fair enough. I must have missed it on the website.

I guess the question will be if there is a similar issue with the stated range. Is it as effective at 95mm as it is at 35? At what size does it get more likely to get stuck? I’m sure it will take some hands on experience to really have a good feel for it. 

Nate A wrote:

I’d order one, though I am still curious about range, something a bit more specific than “.75-4” which could mean quite a few things. Unless it’s precisely the minimum range of a C4 .75 to a maximum range of a C4 #4 but I doubt that’s the case. Hopefully the designer on the thread can clarify. 

The website state a range of 26 to 100mm, whereas a 0.75 minimum is ~24mm and #4 max ~115mm (rounded from bd website).

Even a #0.5 is  19.6-33.5mm, so in reality it's in that range as well.

The claimed weight seems to be within 10grams of a #4 so if it works well, I would see it as a no brainer piece. A #4 is often bothersome to carry just in case, but this thing could be plugged into a smaller crack  if it becomes evident that a route doesn't need a #4.

Also I would be super interested on a piece that was a bit bigger than the current one. Eg something that could replace #3/4 to #6 range would be awesome, for the very same reasons as the current version. Carrying a #5 or #6 just in case is even worse than a #4. Not that it happens too often but still. Also I understand that bigger cams don't see the sales numbers of smaller ones.