Z4s vs Aliens
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Been climbing on Z4s for a year or two but recently got a deal on fixe equipment through work. I was wondering if anyone had any with both Z4s and aliens, and could weigh in on the pros and cons of each. Additionally I was wondering if there was much of a difference between alien revolutions and the new alien Xs. |
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I don't have the new Alien X cams but I have a full set of Alien Revolution cams and a full set of Z4's. Both are very good, they have different strengths and weaknesses. Alien Revo Pros:
Alien Revo cons:
Z4 pro's:
Z4 cons:
I use the aliens mostly for aid. I use them for some free climbing on slick rock (eg bullet hard basalt) or if I need triples. Z4's are easier to place and clean, easier to evaluate, and faster to use overall. For sizes #0.4 and higher I strongly prefer Z4's. I use totems all time, they hold better than anything else but they are bulky, heavy, and expensive. I occasionally use C3's, ULMC offsets, and Alien Revo offsets, pretty much exclusively for aid or when there is beta on a specific placement that requires a three lobe cam or Offset. Finger size cam rank
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Thanks for the write up, it’s good information. |
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I just bought some alien x’s to supplement my totem basics and I really like them. Strongly dislike the z4, especially in the smaller sizes. Bigger than a 0.4 I’d be using something else. C4, friend etc… |
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Graham Johnson wrote: Interesting. What issues do you have Z4s? |
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Z4 heads are narrower than C4's (or friends or dragons) which opens up a plethora of new possibilities for placements. The Z4's can be slotted in like nuts in a way that C4's cannot. It's a night and day difference. In 2023 I would not buy C4's in sizes under #1 unless soft sandstone was the goal or it was a great deal on used C4's that I could give to a beginner. Totems, Z4's, Zero Friends, Dragonflies, Aliens and even ULMC's are a better choice in sizes #0.75 or below. |