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Topic Date User

Cam failure discussion 21-Apr-2015 At 8:42:21 AM White Gold

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Q: Do cam teeth do anything?

A: Maybe. Manufacturers add them because, while few of us can grasp the real magic that locks a cam into place (the “constant angle”), we think that teeth help. But it’s mostly marketing, as cams without teeth would hold just the same.

When Ray Jardine rolled out the first commercial camming unit, the Friend, in the mid 1970s, he tried to be practical by making smooth-faced cams. But the first climbers to see the units scoffed and said they’d never hold. Only after Jardine added teeth did climbers begin to trust them.

Some people claim that teeth help the cams bite into grimy placements. This makes sense, but there’s no data to prove it. Still, since confidence breeds safety, the psychological advantage afforded by cam teeth justifies their existence.

http://www.rockandice.com/gear-guide-tips/cams-frequently-asked-questions