Metolius: Offset Master Cams
Metolius Offset Master Cams are a great product at a great price. I started using them in Unaweep, South Platte, Vedauwoo, and Joshua Tree National Park, locations notorious for offset and expanding cracks. Metolius Offset Master Cams are fantastic for areas such as those, due to the cracks that are, at times, difficult to place standard cams in.
The number 3 Metolius Offset Master Cam
The cams have 2 sets of lobes with varied set head width, which helps them fit into tight spaces with ease, and a flexible single steam that helps prevent the cam from walking out. The thumb loop makes placing the gear a breeze and adds a little extra security against dropping. The cams are extremely durable, and the triggers still work as if they were new, even after months of heavy use. The light weight design is great for weight conscious racking.
At first I thought these cams would be great for expanding cracks, and they are. But it doesn’t stop there – I decided to start carrying a few on my rack in all crack areas, and have found them to actually be MORE versatile than standard cams even in somewhat parallel cracks! They defy the laws of camming days of old by working in places that you wouldn’t think gear would hold in. This undoubtedly has made climbing safer for me, as I can now get solid cams in locations that I would have otherwise had marginal to sketchy placements. The multitude of uses the cams provide has caused me to reduce the number of parallel lobe cams I carry in order to fit more of the Metolius Offset Master Cams on my rack. In particular, the larger four (out of six) sizes are excellent, due to the larger variance in the size of the lobes.
The stem flexibility is slightly less than some of the other cams on the market, making it easier to place and remove the gear from the rock. We have heard about some issues with stem size and fitting deep into cracks from other reviews, however we have not personally experienced issues with this, although this may be due to the fact that I prefer the 4 larger sizes of the 6 available.
Bottom Line: this is a rock solid cam at a price that makes their value on my rack undeniable.
For more info, visit http://www.metoliusclimbing.com/ .
Scott