Smooth lobed cam

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Messages 1 - 11 of total 11 in this topic

mbrint

climber

British Columbia

Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 12, 2017 - 09:39am PT

Hey! New to the forum.

I've got what I think is a Wild Country Friend, but it has totally smooth lobes. Can anyone ID? Also are smooth cams safe to use? The effective range appears to be 1.2-1.5". Thanks!

climber

Apr 12, 2017 - 10:43am PT

smooth cams, nbd

check the axle ends for any cracks; there were some old models with defects

Batrock

Trad climber

Burbank

Apr 12, 2017 - 11:43am PT

That looks like an old ABC cam. Or maybe an early Trango or Rock Empire?

climber

Apr 12, 2017 - 11:48am PT

Oh, yeah...ABC...

tradmanclimbs

Ice climber

Pomfert VT

Apr 12, 2017 - 03:28pm PT

BINTD I had Wired Bliss.

ionlyski

Trad climber

Kalispell, Montana

Apr 12, 2017 - 04:51pm PT

Sweet looking little cam. I too always wondered about the smooth lobes. Was always told it didn't really factor into it's holding power but still..................

Arne

mbrint

climber

British Columbia

Topic Author's Reply - Apr 12, 2017 - 07:20pm PT

Probably the same holding strength in granite or basalt, but I'll leave it home on my trip to Indian Creek!

Jaybro

Social climber

Wolf City, Wyoming

Apr 15, 2017 - 05:23am PT

They say the ribs/ grooves are cosmetic..... I have old smooth wired bliss

nutstory

climber

Ajaccio, Corsica, France

Apr 28, 2017 - 05:27am PT

I've got what I think is a Wild Country Friend, but it has totally smooth lobes. Can anyone ID?

Your camming device is an Outland CLIMBING EQUIPMENT Four Cam Unit #2, made in Canada, in 1993.

skitch

Gym climber

Bend Or

Apr 28, 2017 - 09:37am PT

I was told that metolius found that smooth lobes held better because contact area is what matters most, but "common sense" meant that people would pass their early cams over for grooved lobes...so they had to change to grooved lives just to sell to the people's.