.3 size? So many options…

Within the BD realm, which reigns supreme?

.3 C4, yellow C3, .3 Z4, or .3 X4?

also as a side note:: BD is currently not offering reslinging service for X4/Z4 cams…does anyone know if that is going to change in the near future?

I have a 0.3 in C4 and Z4 (sold my X4 and bought a Z4). I like the Z4. 

drew A wrote:

I have a 0.3 in C4 and Z4 (sold my X4 and bought a Z4). I like the Z4. 

What makes you like the Z4?

I’ll be that guy. Blue totem. 

I actually really like my .3 C4. It just feels more secure than the other cams in that size. Unfortunately .3 C4s suffer more broken trigger wires than any other size C4. I like X4s in .1 and .2, but from .3 up I like C4s if we're talking strictly BD cams.

ClimbingOn wrote:

I actually really like my .3 C4. It just feels more secure than the other cams in that size. Unfortunately .3 C4s suffer more broken trigger wires than any other size C4. I like X4s in .1 and .2, but from .3 up I like C4s if we're talking strictly BD cams.

Has the width(outer lobe to outer lobe) of the C4 ever bothered you? I’ve noticed it is significantly wider than the other cams and wondered if it might be harder to get a placement in shallow cracks?

Braxton Francom wrote:

Has the width(outer lobe to outer lobe) of the C4 ever bothered you? I’ve noticed it is significantly wider than the other cams and wondered if it might be harder to get a placement in shallow cracks?

That’s why I specified in BD cams only, as you asked ;)

When a placement will take a C4 it’s a very secure feeling. In the .3 and below sizes placements will often not take a cam as wide as a C4. That’s why one carries other cams, and those other cams (for me) are not made by BD. Still, the .3 C4 usually gets a spot on the harness for most routes. 

Blue Totem and Yellow C3 are my favorites. 

Blue WC Zero

Braxton Francom wrote:

What makes you like the Z4?

I guess I use the 0.3 size a lot. I almost always carry, and use, 2 of them. The Z4 seems to fit in narrower slots with its narrower lobes. Much narrower than the C4 lobes and a bit narrower than the X4 lobes. And the flexible stem is quite nice. The Z4's seem to also have a smoother trigger pull than my X4's, but my X4's were quite old by the time I got the Z4's. 

Blue totem for me. 

I second Drew’s comments about the Z4 .3. Narrow, smooth action, I like flexible stems in the smaller sizes for horizontal placements. 

I like the z4’s but I find them not durable. I’ve already broken trigger wires on .3, .5, and .75. Plus a wonky .1 I found that was fine when I found it and broken when it came out of my backpack later that day. 

Second that the C4 .3 is bomber when it fits but it feels like the only place it goes in well is in splitter Indian creek.

Also of note is that the .3 C4 lobes are about a half size bigger than the x4 or z4. Not just wider but also bigger. 

0.3 C4: Only for sandstone splitters (where it's great), otherwise I'd never rack it. The extra width is much harder to place on irregular rock.
Blue Totem: Great for granite. I'm not a fan of Totems on sandstone splitters, though (harder to bump, seemly crush the rock more).
0.3 Z4: A nice compromise, is light with extra range, but is incredible fragile.

0.3 X4 More durable than the Z4, but lobes don't feel as grippy and has less range.
2 C3: Never used it, my brain can't handle different colors.

The sizes are all a bit different, too:

ryan climbs sometimes wrote:

yellow master cam 

grey dragon fly

Yellow mastercam might be my favorite piece in my rack right now

If you can’t find a yellow c3, green alien or yellow metolius tcu are good subs