Micro Cams
There are several good micro cams on the market: Aliens, Master Cams, Zeros and C3s. Not to mention various TCU units from Metolius, DMM and Rock Empire. But the current champions are CCH Aliens.
CCH Aliens.
Aliens are by a fairly large margin the best performing micro cam unit on the market.
They achieve this by combining stems that are very flexible in all axes, narrow head widths, soft alloy cams with a large camming angle and a very innovative trigger design that works beautifully and is also very durable. All are very desirable, if not mandatory, features for any micro cam.
Aliens first advantage comes from using a soft aluminium alloy and a high 16 degree camming angle on their cam lobes; most other cams use harder 7075 and a 13.75 degree angle so have a smaller range.
The cam lobes also have internal springs and this gives them a very narrow head width.
The trigger/stem stabilization mechanism is where most units fall down, but Aliens utilise a fantastic solution that features a braided steel trigger sleeve that floats on the stem wire. This is durable, protects the trigger wires and does not restrict flexibility.
The units are colour coded for easy identification and have a trigger loop for easy use and for clipping in high when aid climbing.
The only caveat to this recommendation was a period of inconsistent quality control on their production that resulted in a couple of units breaking below their stated strengths. This seems to be sorted now and Aliens regain their status as best small cam.
The blue, green and yellow Aliens should be core items on any climbers rack of equipment.
Metolius Master Cam
A good alternative to the Alien from cam specialists Metolius.
The Master Cams use a single stem with four cams that is very flexible and has a narrow head width. The stem design is not quite as good as the Alien as the trigger guides restrict flexibility slightly in horizontal placements, but this is very slight.
The camming range on these units is also slightly less than the Aliens as they use a smaller camming angle, however the lobes should be more durable as they are manufactured from a harder 7075-T6 alloy.
The units are colour coded for easy identification and have a trigger loop for easy use and for clipping in high when aid climbing.
Another slight gripe is that Metolius have used a carbon steel rather than stainless steel head termination and this is prone to seize up quite quickly in salty conditions i.e. when climbing on sea cliffs.
One core advantage that the Mastercams have over Aliens is that there have been tested to both the CE and UIAA standards. The units are also manufactured to a high standard.
Wild Country Zeros
Wild Country Zeros created quite a stir when they were introduced but never really took off. There were a few reasons for this - the original units had stems that were too short, the trigger wires don't run as smoothly as the competition and they were priced on the high side.
The stems were extended a few years ago and once that change was made they became a really good unit. Their performance is very similar to that of the Metolius Master Cams - cam lobe material and cam angle are similar.
The trigger mechanism is a bit clunky with long trigger wires that run through guides; this causes them to grate, but the overall action is effective.
The Zeros are a touch weaker than the Master Cams, but have an doubled dyneema sling which allows the climber to extend placements whilst saving on quickdraws and weight.
The smallest Zero is the smallest cam currently on the market.
BD C3
Camalot C4 cams are great and currently the most popular mainstream cam, but by comparison their smaller counterparts the three cam C3's are relatively disappointing.
The units look gorgeous and perform well, but overall not as well as the 3 units above.
Their key advantage is their very narrow head width, but because they use a hooped stem design their flexibility is compromised in vertical placements.
The units are good, but not the best.
