Cams & Expansion Devices

Also known as Friends, "Cams" are complex active protection devices that use springs, cables and cam lobes to lodge in crevices in the rock, and which enable protection of parallel sided and even slightly flared cracks, rendering safe routes that were virtually protectionless prior to their invention.

Friends which appeared in 1978 were one of the most significant inventions in climbing since the karabiner and the name is ubiquitously applied to all camming devices. However it should only really be used for those made by Wild Country - the rest all being derived from these. Recent innovations such as reverse cam strength (that means the device will still hold a fall even when the cams are fully open - provided that is that they actually catch on the rock in some way!) are useful, and dyneema slings, forged cams and other advances have made "Cams" a lot lighter than the earlier models, whilst reductions in scale have to be seen to be believed.

Camming devices work due the mathematical theory of logarithmic spiral ensuring that the line between the axle and point of contact is always at a constant angle to the rock surface, irrespective of the unit’s orientation. The greater the cam angle the greater the camming range but the lesser the holding power of the cam. Manufacturers such as Wild Country and DMM have determined that 13.75° is the angle that offers the best combination of holding power and expansion range, and their cams are designed to operate at a constant 13.75° however compressed or expanded they are and whatever the angle of the rock they are in contact with. Black Diamond obtain their greater expansion range partly by using twin axles but also by having a camming angle of 14.5°. There is a good explanation of camming angles by John Middendorf on bigwalls.net.

Black Diamond Camalot C4s
Black Diamond Camalot C4
From £67.50
£75.00
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5 In Stock

Superb single stemmed devices with reverse cam strength.

Black Diamond Camalot Ultralights
Black Diamond Camalot Ultralight
From £90.00
£100.00
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4 In Stock

Give around a 25% weight saving over the standard Camalots.

Black Diamond Camalot Z4s
Black Diamond Camalot Z4
From £81.00
£90.00
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8 In Stock

Microcams that are rigid to place but flex once placed, reducing walking.

Black Diamond Camalot Offset Z4s
Black Diamond Camalot Z4 Offset
£85.50
£95.00
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5 In Stock

These offset Camalot Z4s are designed for flared peg scars and non-uniform placements.

DMM Dragon Cams
DMM Dragon Cam
From £69.00
£76.99
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4 In Stock

A twin axle, single stem camming device to rival BD's Camalot. Singly and in sets.

DMM Dragonfly Cams
DMM Dragonfly Cam
£69.00
£76.99
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3 In Stock

Miniscule cams for narrow cracks and small pockets.

DMM Dragonfly Offset Cam
DMM Dragonfly Offset Cam
£69.00
£76.99
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1 In Stock

Micro cams designed for irregular, flared cracks and peg scars.

Wild Country New Friends
Wild Country New Friend
From £61.65
£68.50
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3 In Stock

The original camming devices but now with a massive make over. Singly and in sets.

Wild Country Zero Friends
Wild Country Zero Friend
From £66.60
£74.00
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3 In Stock

Micro-cams for thin cracks and small pockets. Six sizes.

Metolius Ultralight Master Cams
Metolius Ultralight Master Cam
From £42.00
£70.00
Save 40%
1 In Stock

Flexible, single-stem camming units with an optimised cam angle for increased holding power.

Totem Cams
Totem Cam
£86.40
£96.00
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7 In Stock

Highly innovative, stemless and highly flexible camming devices with very narrow head widths.

Alien X Cam
Alien X Cam
£75.00
2 In Stock

Sixth generation of the classic micro cam.

Trango Ballnutz (clearance)
Trango BallNutz (clearance)
£24.99
£50.00
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1 In Stock

Not really camming devices, more spring loaded wedges and great for very thin cracks.

Trango Big Bro
Trango Big Bro
From £80.00
4 In Stock

A good alternatives to cams for extra-wide cracks and offwidths.

Wild Country Anodised Rockcentric on Dyneema
Wild Country Anodised Rockcentric on Dyneema
From £16.00
4 In Stock

Based on the old Chouinard Hexcentric, but much lighter.

DMM Torque Nuts
DMM Torque Nut
From £20.75
£22.99
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2 In Stock

A mere four sizes cover a large range (equivalent to five sizes in Rockcentrics).

DMM Wired Torque Nut
DMM Wired Torque Nut
From £18.99
1 In Stock

A wired version of DMM's take on the large nut sizes.

Black Diamond Hexentrics on Wire
Black Diamond Hexentric on Wire
From £15.00
1 In Stock

One of the most successful designs of large nuts (chocks). Singly and in a part-set.

Wild Country New Friend Trigger Repair Kit
Wild Country New Friend Trigger Repair Kit
From £19.50
1 In Stock

Replacement wires for the new double axled Friends - two kits of different sizes are available.

Black Diamond Camalot C4 Repair Kit
Black Diamond Camalot C4 Repair Kit (026024)
£6.00
2 In Stock

Cable repair kit for all single-stemmed plastic coated wire loop Camalots.

Black Diamond Camalot Ultralight Repair Kit (026027)
Black Diamond Camalot Ultralight Repair Kit (026027)
£4.99
2 In Stock

Cable repair kit for all Black Diamond Camalots Ultralights.

Black Diamond Metal Headed Camalot Repair Kit
Black Diamond Metal Headed Camalot Repair Kit (026010)
£9.99
2 In Stock

Cable repair kit for single stemmed metal-headed second generation Camalots.

Black Diamond Micro Camalot Repair Kit
Black Diamond Micro Camalot Repair Kit (026009)
£9.99
9 In Stock

Cable repair kit for sizes 0.1 to 0.75 of the single metal stemmed Camalots.

Black Diamond Camalot C3 Repair Kit
Black Diamond Camalot C3 Repair Kit
£9.99
2 In Stock

Cable repair kit for the very small C3 Camalots.

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