Camming Devices

For a typical multi-pitch rack you’ll want a continuous spread from tips to fists and plan to double key sizes for runouts. Climbers often double finger-to-hand sizes and carry multiples spanning about 0.3–3 size steps, which covers placements from roughly 8–15mm tips up to 70–110mm+ fists.

Rigid-stem cams are great for standard, straight cracks and form the core rack on multi-pitch climbs because they resist stem torque and offer strong, predictable placements. Flexible-stem models shine in wandering or flared cracks where walking is an issue, with examples like the Wild Country Friend providing smoother placements in irregular features.

Yes — ultralight and offset cams are designed for alpine objectives and granite with flared or irregular cracks, helping you save weight and fit odd shapes. Models such as the BD Camalot Ultralight (with very small units around 40–50g) and the Camalot Z4/Z4 Offset offer narrow heads and constant-angle lobes that work well on long approaches and runouts.

A complete cam rack typically covers tiny tips through full-hand placements, with examples ranging from around 8.4–15.8mm for a #0 Camalot up to 50.3–85.2mm for a #4, and many cams cover about a 13–14mm expansion range per unit. Plan your set so adjacent sizes overlap, giving secure placements across the route’s crack widths.

Materials like aircraft-grade aluminum lobes keep weight down while maintaining strength, and trigger systems use Dyneema or steel cables for longevity and reliability. Pay attention to features such as dual-wire triggers and narrow head widths under 60mm to reduce snagging, and look for strength ratings and UIAA/CE certification when assessing durability (typical ratings span about 5–14kN).