New design rocks, lighter, more flexable and wider cam lobes then my old units.

What makes B.D. C4s the Best cams on the market? First and foremost...range. Camalots have a wider range than any other cam on the market save the gimmicky link cams and those weird one lobe bigger than the other rigs that have hit the market in recent years, which I find, heavy, sketchy and in no way an improvement on the tried and true Camalot. Even the old school camalots were bad ass but the new ones are sleek, stream lined and sexy, and best of all lighter than yesteryears. Basically it's a no brainer...they get stuck less, they are easier to place , cover a wider range then friends or metolius cams, and you'll find them on virtually every el cap climbers rack. My favorite sizes are the purple and green juniors because this is the size of crack that makes you want to cry for mommy, and the golds because you slam one of those in the anchor and you'd feel good hanging your loved ones off of it. Can't say enough things about The BD C4....That is why they ROCK.

I don't really think there is any other choice out there for mid to large cams. This is the gold standard as someone else said on here.

These are super solid, confidence inspiring pieces of gear that make the prospect of a whipper a little less scary. I'm a huge fan of the .75 especially, and I always seem to be able to find placements for the .5 as well. Basically, they all are sweet, and whether it't trad, anchors, or mountaineering (which I haven't yet done with these guys), these are going to be a really safe bet. I'm a college student who's gear budget comes from a small paycheck working at a rec center, and even I think these are great value. They're not much more expensive than anything else out there, especially if you get the set (at 20% off no less, thanks BC), and really, who wants to save money by buying sub par cams. Get the best.

C4s are bomber. Solid construction, good feel; I trust my life to these. Not much more that can be said!

Wide range and color coding makes for quick and solid pro.

There's nothing to say about these that hasn't already been said - these are incredible cams that live up to BD's standards of quality.

Double axles equal great size ranges. easy to place easy to clean, bomber.

These are definitely my favorite items on my rack. I'm always reaching for these cams. The action is smooth and the thumbhole makes me feel confident I'm not going to drop a peice. I love the trigger mechanism on this cam and the hold always inspires confidence. I place these cams whenever possible. Double up on the #1 and .75 when climbing in the Sierra's.

Just getting into trad climbing and learning to trust the pro by aiding. I have to say the first time i stood up on one was scary, but amazing; it just held and didnt move at all. Cant wait to climb on them more.

these cams are a true epic when it comes to building the ultimate rack. granite sandstone and even the occasional basalt line are no issue for these black diamonds. these are the best single stem cams i have ever used thanks to their superior design and unparalleled durability and reliability. placing a C4 truly offers you that sense of set it and forget it. peace of mind so you can focus on that crux move. bottom line, they can cost about 10 to 15 dollars more than other cams, i would pay 30.

These cams are great. Super reliable and lightweight, they make a nice base for any active rack. And for vertical cracks, I believe there is no better cam. I almost always have the 2, 3 and 4 in the gear bag; they are perfect compliments to my Forged Friends. I do have one complaint. The longer stem, because of the loop, makes it nearly impossible to palm the end of the stem, pull the trigger at the same time. With the previous Camalots this occasionally made it easier to slap the cam into a crack in the back of a dihedral. Instead, one has to use a thumb in the loop and place the cam with your palm facing away.

I will never purchase another brand of cam. (except for maybe the omega link cams for cruxes) These are so resilient, smooth, and easy to place, and I have never had an issue with them. When you trust your life to gear you want it to be bomber and with black diamonds reputation, and the way all their gear has operated in the past for me, I will always trust my life to their C4's

I have metolious TCUs, a powercam, a few mastercams and these on my rack and consistently place these more than anything else. The range is greater making them easier to place. I think they feel more ergonomic - ie less squirly than the new mastercams - and are generally more useful. They've also appeared to be more durable so far!

Love em. They have saved my ass on more than a few occasions. I am the queen of undercamming just a tad since I am still learning and they hold my falls none the less. Couldn't be happier.

As I work on my trad skills it is a relief to know that I can count on my gear. My BD camalots with their wide range help me fumble less and feel safer with my placements. It is good to know that even if I do mess up and over extend a cam, it's double axle gives me a chance as oppose to other cams which lack this feature and will likely blow if this happens.
These cams are light yet durable, easy to handle and a hallmark of trad climbing through the country. I trust them with my life. You can too.

I just picked up a few of these cams as I continue to build my rack. These have been the only cams I have really used over the past few years of climbing. They are a little heavier then some but it is worth the weight. A must have on every rack...

The most solid feeling cams I have used. I love them, have them, and use them. I have not found anything wrong with any of the sizes. I have not used anything under a .5 though. And the #6 is a little floppy.

Read the reviews, they rock. They cost a lot, but worth it. They feel good setting with the thumb loop. The springs are easy when pulling the trigger to set. Try them, you will love them.

What else is there to say about these cams? If you haven't already tried 'em out, pick a few up or grab some of your friends and see why they are the best. I have tried almost every other cam out there, and these are what dominates my rack! Get your hands on some, get off of your computer, and get outside!!!

There are many other cams, but so far only two offered in double axis design. This design makes the feel far more secure then single axis cams.... and a lot of climbing is based on how people see things.

The only cam as far as most climbers are concerned. Only gripe is they are a little heavy, but that keeps them from walking. They rack amazingly easily and the color coded slings are a life saver when you are in a pinch. Can't get enough of them!

They're BD Camalot C4's. Need I say more?

Just got my set, very smooth action compared to other comparable cams. great placement and super easy to clean so far.

The short version of the story is that I took a big fall, and my 0.3 C4, my rope, my belayer, and my helmet literally saved my life.

The weakest part of a placement is usually the placement itself rather than the gear, and I want to thank Black Diamond for making that the case. I've found my C4's to be versatile and easy to place, which was why I picked them to begin with. Thanks a trillion to the designers, testers, manufacturers, QC folks, the marketing folks, and everyone else at Black Diamond that played a part in my decision to buy, bring, and place my C4 cams, and to making sure they did their job.

If you're interested, the long version of the story is here: http://www.mountainproject.com/v/injuries_and_accidents/important_reasons_to_be_prepared_
or_why_not_to_fall_my_yosemite_accident/106769916

The best camming devices

These are some of the best cams on the market. I dont know a single climber (including friends sponsored by Black Diamond competators) that climbs trad routes and doesnt own some of these. These are the bread and butter of a cam rack. Buy a set of these and then fill in the gaps with others.

The newly designed Camalots have become instantly popular for a few reasons...lighter, more versatile, improved ergomics. The #1, in particular, is extra smooth and has nice strong springs. The newly designed (narrower head width) #.5 is also especially nice. Camalots size 3 and up are much less desirable in my opinion. They have a ton of side-to-side cam-lobe wobble (even when brand new!)and funky bent trigger wires. I definitely prefer Wild Country Friends in the larger sizes, especially the #5-#6 which have the cam stabilization system. So go for the #.4 through #2 Camalot C4's, and look at other brands for the big stuff.

These cams are great lightweight, great range, and they'll save your butt. The price for the range of these cams is better than the price for the range of the metolius and wild country cams. Of course this excludes the supercam models and OP's link cams, which I haven't used. Of course range isn't everything. I haven't seen many routes where you only need to place one piece of pro to get to the top. In this sense at some crags you may not need much range and quantity is more useful, in that case c4's may not be the best value. In my opinion the smaller sizes, ~.5-.3, don't seem as useful and neither are the larger sizes like 4-6, though this is obviously more dependent on the routes you want to climb. For those building a rack a great option is the .5-3 package. Oh yeah the c4's can be used "in the "open" position as passive protection." Which is a cool, unique option that could be useful someday. I definitely recommend these as the backbone for any trad rack. I have other cams, but I always place these first or at any time I feel sketched.

Durable. time-tested. great range & weight. easy one-hand usage. if you can, buy the best.

I decided this year to invest in some new BD C4 Camalots this year as mine were well aged. The new units are even better then the last generation. First of all, they’re super light and still just as strong. They operate very smoothly and the new loop on the end is a nice feature. The camming range is insane so it makes it easy to pick the right size the first time while hanging on a finger lock. I would highly recommend these units in the .5 -5.0" sizes. In the smaller sizes the Metolius TCU's and CCH Aliens standout.

The new style of Black Diamond Camalots are simply the best. Lighter, stronger, easier to place and clip. You simply cannot go wrong with these. Heck, I even offloaded my old style Camalots to make room for the C4's. get 'em!

The new Black Diamond Camalot design solves the weight issue of the last model. I've used this cam on the North Chimney route of Castleton as well as several off widths. I love the smooth action and the added direct clip loop in a cam that is easy to place with one hand when sketched out. Get these cams you won't regret it and you'll feel confident climbing above it.

These new camalots are simply brilliant. The new smaller cams are ultra-light and life-saving for those cracks where nothing seems to fit. A Black Diamond customer for life!

These are smooth, quick cams good for all your needs. Mine took two hard leader falls and they barely moved. Awesome! Worth the price.

I just bought 7 C4s. They carry over all the good traits of the old Camelots and have done away with the flaws. They’re no longer overly stiff or heavy and far easier to handle. I only have up to number three but they are all great, particularly the smaller sizes where the double axle really does its trick.

In the trad climbing game it's important to have gear that you can place smoothly, efficiently and know that it is going to hold. That's what's great about the new C4's. Pick out the color you need, fire it in, and you've got a great placement. Plus they're lighter than before. They’re great cams and worth the price.

Classic gear. Great ergonomics, color coding and, of course, stability. Couldn't ask for more.

C4's are essential to any trad climber's standard rack. Highly recommended.

For their large sizes the c4 are great. I personally prefer the small Aliens and larger c4s

I use sizes 0.5 through 4 and love them. Good range, lighter than the older camalots, nice action, thumbloops, and reasonable to place with gloves on (for ice / mixed climbing).

The best there is was and ever will be, until they decide to improve them! GO BD!

They are well established not only in their name, but in their use in the field. It is hard to go wrong with a set of these. Don't be surprised if you see just about everyone at the crag owning a set. rockclimbing.com and mountainproject.com are great places to go for in-depth reviews! And Backcountry.com is the place to go to buy them (Great Customer Service and Discounts/Sales).

These are the best cams I've ever used! Feel great in your hands, are super solid, and the color size codes are helpful. They are slightly more difficult to place compared to the Metolius Ultralight Powercams because you have to use 2 fingers to pull the trigger. This won't matter unless you are slipping while trying to quickly grab cam and place it. These are also the most expensive cams, but they are bomber!

please ignore this review.

Back in desert climbing mode so camming devices are on my brain right now. i've got lots of older BD cams and just ordered a new batch of these C4's. I've been climbing on some friends racks who have more new style and they are just so much better than the old ones. Much easier to place and clip, and they are lighter. Make sure you get some Oz biners for each of your cams.

These things rock from finger to body sizes. They go in smooth and don't walk away. Plus, it's easier to get an over cammed Camalot out than any other cam. Confidence inspiring gear keeps me in the vertical world!

there is a reason these cams haven't really changed since they first came out, they work. C4's are the best cams on the market bar none. their dual axle design gives them an incredible range of placement for their size. they are also probably one of the most solid feeling cams out there. i wouldn't really want to lead on anything else...

Bomber!! I have taken some big ass whippers on these things and they continue to keep me out of the hospital and encourage me to push my limits. Is there a 20 star option?

Some how I can size up placements and pick the right c4 a lot better than with other cam sets I have used. I like the color code lobes and slings to match. If you wanted to go as far as to get the matching carabineer Black Diamond makes you could I choose to get helium carabineers to cut down weight and have easier clipping.

The best camming devices, period. I worked at Black Diamond for years and even helped test these as they were being developed and they are worth every penny. Super burly, light, great function and should last a lifetime.

BD camalots are durable, good looking, and they place very well. Camalots are definitely my first choice for camming units. I have used other brands, but in my opinion camalots outperform other brands. The ergonomics of the camalots are superior to any other cam I have used, which for me is a big plus when I am pumped out and trying to get a piece in without falling. I'd say they are the best out there. Five stars.

Not only do these cams have a greater expansion range than any other cam on the market, but they are also the most user friendly. The color coded slings, thumb loop, trigger, and stupid easy handling make this cam THE most popular cam in the world for a good reason. Although your rack will not be complete without a set of Wildcountry Friends or Metolious Ultralights The Black Diamond C4 is the best investment you could make if you want to buy a full rack right off the bat.

I've been climbing for 18 years. I have owned and used camalots since they were developed by Chounard. The C4s are the most recent generation of double axle camalots and they are the best. I can't possible imagine that Black Diamond can improve on this product.(I'm sure they'll try though.) Qualities: Strong, Light, and Solid. I own a full set, my climbing partner owns a full set. A must have for all lead climbers!

I added a few of these c4s to my rack about a year ago. I was first amazed by the weight. For their size they are so much lighter than older camalots. They are also so smooth. I have used them in the classic monzo granite of J-tree to the smooth sandstone of Red Rocks, and these babies were worth their weight in gold.

My partner and I have a fairly extensive collection of C4's, mostly finger, hand and fist sized and some at off-width. These are my favorite pro, bar none, down to about this size (.5), but I would recommend something else, particularly the new friends for anything smaller due to their better flexibility and easier placement.

These cams are the best! The are very light, strong and easy to use. The double axle makes them stronger when used passively and I find them easier to place and remove. I have used the loved all of the sizes.

These cams are the standard in active pro. Well made, easy to use, and solid.

The Double Axles saved a friend of mine from decking out... it's a nice backup.

These cams fit more places than single-axle cams. I can see a place for those crazy max cams on an alpine rack, but for trad climbing where you're bringing more than a handful of gear, buy a rack of these. Every time you grab one off your rack, it's more likely to fit. They're durable and strong too. I love 'em.

i won't buy anything but c-4's from here on

The best review I could give these cams is that I bought them for my son, and I'm trusting his life to them. What more could a Mom say? As for the site, it was fast, easy, efficient.

These new C3's are a nice addition to the BD line up. I find the 2-3 larger sizes most useful. Any smaller then you are talking aid only? If you like the C4's then you will love these units.