Robot Cams

I have used ROBOTS on two occaissions and will NEVER own any. I believe that there is something fundamentally wrong with their design and structure. Without exception, all of the larger sized one (hand size or larger) that that I have placed, or seen placed, have a distinct tendancy to try and turn upside-down. With minimal provocation, simply the rope running through the quickdraw, the clip-in end of the stem will find its way ABOVE the cam end of the unit. I've seen this tendancy in the larger camming units (i.e.#5 or larger) of several companies. Surely it has something to do with the basic physics of larger units, but the ROBOTS display this behavior even in their hand-fist size units. While the purchase price is low, the Real Price that you end up paying could be Very High!!!!!

The smaller sizes, like up to size 5, are great in my opinion. The trigger wires are a little close, adn the bars have a tendency to slide up the wires. If you have really large hands, these might not be your best choice. Up to size five, i never have had them walk on me (this is in East Coast sandstone, though) Past that, they are a little narrow in head-width for their size, and like to wiggle around. On the top 3 sizes, i like to use a quickdraw unless its a straight-up and down crack. For the price point, and even in general, i think these are great cams. I've used them on every hard lead i've done, and I've never had a problem. Like i said, in the top three sizes pay a little attention, maybe throw on a draw, and they dont walk. Lower sizes are bomber. Metolius cams have a nicer trigger and walk less, and Camalots have a better expansion range, but I dont think that either model is worth the extra cash.

Typical that the same cams of the same brand but with another name on it suddenly are better. And always it are werstern ones witch "are better" but both of them are produced in Eastern europe. For instance look at the flex from rock empire (not trango). The flex is the old model from Rock Empire and the robots the new (its pretty much the same exept for the u stem and robot is stronger). Typical how price has influece on the faith from people in cam divices.