Black Diamond Camalot C4's

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.

What makes B.D. C4s the Best cams on the market? First and foremost...range. Camalots have a wider range that any other that 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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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 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).

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!!!

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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).

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

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.

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.

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.