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Splitter Gear 2&4Cam Review
Splitter Gear has provided me with a set of their innovative new 2Cams and 4Cams for a Gear Review here at rockclimbing.com. Myself and several users have used these at The Gunks, Little Cottonwood Canyon, Yosemite, and several other smaller crags across the country.
Technical information:
| Size | Color | Range (mm) | Range (in) | Axle Length (mm) | Mass (grams) | Strength (kN) | Passive Strength (kN) | |
| 2Cam | 1 | Yellow | 18.8-27.7 | 0.74-1.09 | 22 | 62 | 9 | 5 |
| 2 | Blue | 22.1-33 | 0.87-1.30 | 22 | 66 | 9 | 6 | |
| 3 | Red | 26.1-38.9 | 1.03-1.53 | 22 | 71 | 9 | 6 | |
| 4Cam | 1 | Yellow | 18.8-27.7 | 0.74-1.09 | 31 | 86 | 13 | 11 |
| 2 | Blue | 22.1-33 | 0.87-1.30 | 31 | 91 | 13 | 11 | |
| 3 | Red | 26.1-38.9 | 1.03-1.53 | 31 | 96 | 13 | 11 |
For more detailed technical information and product design, visit the "Tech Info" page at Splitter Gear.
"I love these cams, especially the 4Cams (think Aliens, only better). The 2Cams I was able to place in the shallowest of cracks with confidence. These cams are not labeled with their ratings, but the 2Cams are rated at 9KN (just 1 KN less than BD Stoppers #6-#13), and the 4Cams are rated at 13KN. As I stated before, the stiff springs in these cams inspire confidence that they will not walk as much as other cams to do. The craftsmanship is first rate. The actuating wires are made of Titanium, making them virtually indestructable, whereas other cams need repair after abuse. They have Spectra webbing sewn into them that is color coded to size, just like Aliens. All moving parts mate tightly with each other. And since the lobes oppose each other, there is no chance of these cams inverting. While I do no Aid Climbing, the 2Cams belong on any Aid Climbers Rack, as these will go where no other clean piece will. I will continue to use these cams, and look forward to the full range of 4Cams coming out soon.
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Just got the smaller sizes in time for my trip to Yosemite and Tuolumne. These little ones are, in my opinion, much better than the Camalot Micros, and the 2 Cams fit perfectly and quickly into pinscars that would have taken quite some time to protect with other pro, if at all."
Adam "rrrADAM" Bingel
Bio: I am an avid Trad climber, being blessed with a job inspecting Nuclear Power Plants around the country, allowing me to sample the choicest crags in the US. I am also part owner of rockclimbing.com.
"I used a couple of 2Cams on two F.A. grade V's in the Valley and one El Cap route last year. To say the least I was very impressed by the engineering of these innovative creations. I totally agree with rrradam on his review and think he brought up some very good points. As he already said the 2Cam is rated at 9 KN, "just 1 KN less than BD Stoppers #6-#13." It's very common to see the smaller nuts rate from 3 KN - 6 KN. The spreader bar makes it easier to use. In fact, it helps prevent the gruesome and painful "cuticle splits". It was mentioned (in a previous thread on RC.com): "I think that with the spring on the outside (one side only) of the cam the unit needs to be placed spring out, especially in shallow placements," above. That is exactly right and is why Splitter Gear was designed in such a way. For one, the "missing" trigger cable won't obstruct the placement. Also, the flatter surface on the one side allows them to be placed further inside the crack. I think it's important to remember that every crack/placement is different, that is why there is so many kinds of tools we use to ascend rock faces. I am continuing my extensive reaserch on the 2Cams by placing them in unusual and unlikely places. I give them rigorous testing by "body bouncing" on them, and then trusting them on the high angle stone. So far, I am very pleased and will continue using them."
Ammon "elcapbuzz" McNeely
Bio: Ammon is a sponsored climber and enjoys all forms of climbing. He has many FA's to his credit, including El Cap Big Wall ascents.
"The gear took a bit to get used to but once I did I liked it alot. The quads worked great, I liked the smooth action on the triggers and the heads also. Their weight was great also. Think a full rack of them would be alot lighter then the Trango, Metoulis, etc. Some things that need to be looked at in my opinion are the triggers are a bit small. Would love to see and try the smaller ones because they would be more useful in my area."
Lew "clymber" Thatcher
Bio: Lew's home crags are The Gunks and Deleware Water Gap. He's been climbing about 10 years climbed in California, New York, New Jersey , Pennsylvania, West Virginia, North Carolina, Utah,Kentucky and Panama.
"I was able to experiment with the splitter gear cams on a trip to Little Cottonwood Canyon, UT. After climbing several routes placing, bounce testing, twisting, and pulling the cams at different angles, I came up with the following results... The quad cams perform very similarly to most other single-axle cams. The closeness of the lobes of both the quad cams and dual cams can result in dirt and grime buildup that can be difficult to clean. The trigger bars are very narrow, and the stems could use a few additional inches of length for deeper placements. The dual cams are excellent in pin scars and other narrow placements; however, extreme caution should be used when placing parallel-sided cracks as there is the possibility of the unit twisting out. The design is amazing and I believe that the dual-cam will come into its own."
Robert "hangerlessbolt" Banes
Bio: Robert has been climbing for 11 years. And climbs at Joshua Tree, Tahquitz, Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne, etc. (too many to list)
"I like the basic design of the cams. The opposing lobes inspired more confidence than mere camstops however one drawback to this that I could foresee is when overcammed. Where regular cams can be worked beyond the retraction of the trigger bar with the aid of a nut tool, when the lobes on these cams are closed, they meet, thereby eliminating this cleaning trick. A good reason for a leader to be more proficient at placements. Two refinements I would like to see are an improved, wider trigger bar, and a somewhat longer stem. I deliberately tried to put the cams through their paces. I tried a 2-cam as a directional piece in a concave spot, then wiggled the sling in all directions. I was happy to see the cam pivoting in the concavity but not walking at all. Despite the concavity, I think a conventional cam would have walked with the way I was lifting the rope but not the 2-cam. I also placed a 4-cam in a less than ideal placement and although most any cam would have walked I was disappointed the springs didn't help prevent it more. I think the 2-cams would work well in pockets and irregular cracks such as found on limestone routes. As with certain other climbing equipment, these cams may not be jack-of-all-trades but there is definitely a niche for them."
Grant "darkside" Parkin
Bio: Grant is a self-confessed weekend warrior driving each weekend to areas around the east. He has also gone further afield including BC and Alberta in Canada, Utah, and Britain but his local crags are the limestone outcrops of the Niagara escarpment. Having started on bolted routes several years ago he quickly moved into traditional climbing and in recent years has developed a craving for ice climbing.
