Black Diamond

Camalot Ultralight

We love that Black Diamond shaved a quarter of the weight off its best-selling camming device to make the Camalot Ultralight more appropriate for long approaches and alpine climbing. A critical glance will show that each cam weighs a couple ounces less than its appropriately sized C4 counterpart, and although that doesn't seem like much, when you're hauling three number threes up Castleton's North Face, numerous threes and fours for Lone Peak's Hyperform, or a desert rack up Washer Woman, these ultralight beauties really make a world of difference.

Black Diamond achieved a lighter weight out of the already light C4 by replacing the stem with continuous Dyneema rope infused in plastic. Black Diamond also optimized the stem and thumb loop to enhance ergonomics while placing and cleaning. But the double-axle design for passive placements, as well as the color-coded design, Black Diamond left unchanged, because if it ain't broke, don't fix it.