Review: Metolius Hardware 2007

This review was written and researched by Dave Westlake. Right, Dave grabbing a quick ascent of Brad Pitt Font7c/+ at Stanage, Derbyshire.

Dave is from Devon but based in Nottingham and works as a Research Associate at the Centre for Child and Family Research at Loughborough University.

Dave has been climbing off and on since about 2000, is a great all-rounder and has climbed in the UK and abroad extensively over the last seven years. He has climbed Font7c+/8a, redpointed F8a and has a good tally of E5 onsights to his name, as well as number of E6's ground up. With this in mind Dave is well placed to give us his thoughts on the freshly updated Metolius Hardware range...

Introduction

For many UK based climbers, Metolius may not be the first brand to spring to mind when they think of replacing bits of their rack. Loyalties to UK based manufacturers run deep over here and it is no coincidence that the likes of Wild Country and DMM are the leading brands in the domestic market.

My own trad rack reflects this allegiance to ‘home-grown’ products. However, after testing it for a few weeks I was pleasantly surprised at just how well the Metolius kit compared, and I would rate certain pieces above any other gear I have used. It would be very difficult to match the Supercams, for example, if a versatile and reliable large cam is what you’re after. Likewise, the Ultralight nuts would make an excellent addition to anyone’s harness.


I used the gear on various rock types, but primarily on the gritstone of the peak district and the Culm (a type of sandstone) found on the coast of North Devon and Cornwall. The following should give you an overview of the products and the lowdown on the features I liked most (and least!).

Original Curve Nut Set RRP £70.00

Lets begin with the staple ingredient of anyone’s trad rack: a set of ‘wires’ sized 1-10.

The first thing you notice about these is the clean and consistent use of colour. The anodized heads match the collars and this makes it very easy to distinguish the sizes from one another. I’ve always found that colour coded gear really helps when you’re searching round your waist for that all-important ‘number 3’ nut. Having a simple and consistent system to work with makes the task much easier and often saves valuable time and energy.

Metolius use this system throughout the range. The Powercam 2, for example, is yellow and this matches the curve nut size 2, which is also yellow, and so on. I find user friendly details like this make all the difference when it comes to climbing hardwear – if you don’t believe me try climbing with someone else’s’ rack! (Right: Curved Nut in a flared placement on grit)

Of course, other manufacturers are increasingly using colour coding and although the colours are more distinctive than, say, anodized rocks, this doesn’t really set the Curve Nuts apart. What features might make you choose a set of these over the many other options available? Well, the most important aspect of any nut is the shape, and this is where Curve Nuts stand out from the crowd.

Unlike Wild Country Rocks and DMM Wallnuts, Curve nuts are angled differently so that they curve from side to side rather than top to bottom. The product blurb argues this innovation gives greater stability in flared placements. I was a little skeptical about such claims until I found a good placement in a flared crack at Stanage (mentioned in the route description as a place where “poor wires” could be found!).


Curve Nuts seem to be constructed using slightly softer aluminium to their peers. This makes placements feel additionally secure especially in softer rock types – the rock really seems to ‘bite’ the metal well. The downside of this is of course that durability may be compromised. After placing Curve Nuts a few times the wear and tear was beginning to show, although the anodized finish makes scratches more noticeable. Constructing gear from softer metals is always going to compromise the durability to some extent, but in my view the compromise is not such that it will wear out that much quicker than other metals, and the benefits in terms of increased holding power are very persuasive. (Right: Curved Nuts after use)

Generally speaking, the Curve Nuts were very impressive, and a good purchase at £70. If like myself, you like to carry 2 sets of Nuts on longer routes, they would definitely be worth considering as that second set and the different shape certainly complemented my set of DMM wallnuts. Having said this, Curve nuts would not be my first choice for this purpose. If you are wondering why not, then read on………

Ultralight Curve Nut Set RRP £80.00

Similar to regular Curve Nuts but 30% lighter! With a release date of Nov 07, these really are the new kids on the block. Essentially they are a slimmed down version of the above. The sizes are the same, but they are noticeably lighter and the savings in weight are made in their construction.

Firstly, the wire is slightly thinner, and instead of the head being ‘slung’, it is connected to the wire in a similar way to brass nuts like RPs and offsets. This soldered construction leaves a smooth profile at the end.

Image: Dave Westlake using Ultralight Nut's on the FA of Two Passports and a Cunning Plan E5 6b at Sharpnose Point


The only drawback to this design that I can think of is that it wouldn’t allow you to pull the head down and loop the wire over a stud or snapped peg. However, I think occasions that require such extreme measures are rare enough that most people would take the 30% weight economy and run! Besides if, like me, you carry more than one type of nut then this is unlikely to be an issue anyway.

The colours of the Ultralights are equally vivid and translate across to both the regular curve nuts and the cams. Both the Original and Ultralight versions of the Curve Nut are easy to use, slotting into placements nicely and seemed easy to remove, unlike wallnuts that I sometimes find stick.

The price (£80) is slightly more than you might expect to pay for a set of wires but there is no doubt in my mind that the extra cash will be worth it for a really groundbreaking product. As you may have guessed – the Ultralight Curve Nuts get my full approval – an excellent new addition to the range!

Ultralight Power Cam RRP £40.00 to 43.00

Anyone who has been to Lower Sharpnose Point in North Cornwall will agree that this is an excellent testing ground for camming devices. The deep breaks eat cams and many visitors are surprised at how quickly they’ve placed all theirs. The perfect venue to put the Power Cams through their paces!


The power cams are the Metolius equivalent to Friends or 4CUs – the workhorse cam in the range designed to be your mainstay for parallel-sided cracks. As such, they need to be easy to use, durable and lightweight, as you are likely to be carrying a fair few of them. (Right: Power Cam in use at Lower Sharpnose Point)

Camming devices are generally based upon either a single or double-stemmed design, and people favour either one of these for various reasons. Power Cams adopt the double-stemmed approach.

Single stemmed units (friends, aliens etc) have some advantages, particularly in smaller sizes - the main one being more flexibility in vertical placements. However, my personal preference rests with double-stemmed units (one of the reasons my cams are mostly DMM 4CUs). So, for me at least, the design boffins at Metolius HQ started off well by designing the units around this structure. I find this design much easier and less fiddly to use and the Power Cams are no exception. The trigger system, like that of the 4CUs, offers a variety of grips for fingers.

One of the ways in which Metolius have improved upon the DMM model is the insertion of small plastic sleeves between the trigger and the stem. This makes the trigger action smoother as it slides over the wire, unlike the 4CUs where after a bit of use (and sea cliff salt!) the metal-on-metal trigger system becomes a bit tired.

As with the other gear, the colour coding works really well and the sizes are easily distinguishable. A very obvious feature is the “traffic light” style markings on the cam heads – known as the “rangefinder”. These are a novel way of indicating the quality of the placement; if the rock is in contact with the green area it’s well placed, the yellow means its OK but a bigger size might be better, and if its on the red then its very marginal.

This reflects Metolius’ obsession with safety (some harnesses in their range even have gear loops that are strength-rated in case you tie into one by mistake!). Cynics might see this as another symptom of America’s risk averse ‘litigation culture’ but I would argue that the traffic light markings have a useful function as a general at-a-glance guide – providing they are not taken too seriously. This is a nice idea and may be very helpful, particularly to people who are less used to placing cams. After all, we sometimes forget how easy it is to place a cam badly!

OK, now for the nitty-gritty! Like the nuts, a reasonably soft metal is used. I am pleased to report though, that after a fair bit of abuse, the cams are wearing very well. Unlike most manufacturers Metolius have gone against traditional thinking on the all important cam angle. Instead of the industry standard 13.75 degrees a smaller angle is used. Along with the spring mechanism this generates a lot of outward force. This is reassuring and when you put them in they feel like they really mean business!

Like all premium brands, Metolius have engineered cam stops into the design of the cams meaning that the units can be placed passively if necessary – in the same way Friends, Camalots and 4CUs.

The only real gripe I have with both these and the Supercams (see below) is the sling – made from sewn dyneema. One of the main reasons I have chosen 4CUs over the years is the doubled-up, extendable sling. This has also been incorporated into WC Zeros to great effect. I always appreciate the economy in the number of quckdraws that need to be carried when I use these units, and part of me really wishes Metolius would follow suit. I suspect that, like Black Diamond, Metolius would defend their decision to use the more durable Nylon slings on grounds of longevity. This is a fair comment, perhaps, as the extendable design does mean that the slings ‘fur up’ much quicker. Like many of these things, I suppose, it really boils down to personal preference.

So, for £43 a piece, are they worth it? Well, having had chance to compare Power Cams with the competition I would have to say that the decision between these and the (similarly priced) 4CUs would be a tough one. If Metolius used an extendable sling then they would undoubtedly get my vote, and they may well do so anyway – I would just have to remember to carry more quickdraws!

Supercam RRP £55.00 to 60.00

And now for something altogether different… The Supercam is unlike any other camming device in a number of key ways. The first thing that strikes you is the radical design of the cams themselves. Instead of the traditional setup the Supercam units incorporate an asymmetric configuration of a pair of large cams working against a pair of small cams. As you might imagine, this gives the device a rather odd ‘lop-sided’ look.

The other key difference lies in the trigger mechanism. Instead of the classic wire design, Metolius have used what they call “soft wire” – thin kevlar cord wrapped around the axle to pull the smaller pair of cams further than the larger pair. This has the advantages of being light, strong and easily field maintainable – worth knowing if you’re heading away on a long trip.

Image: Dave Westlake placing a Supercam on the FA of Two Passports and a Cunning Plan E5 6b at Sharpnose Point


The effect of this is that a much greater range is achieved - reflected by the fact that there are only 3 sizes – small, medium and large. The three options cover an enormous range of sizes.

It’s always nice to try something a bit different and these really were something that I would recommend highly – especially the larger ones. I have used various other large cams in the past but I found Supercams to be much more versatile than most. The added range is really noticeable and when tugged they feel surprisingly solid in some fairly marginal looking placements.

Like the Ultralights, Supercams have machined cam-stops, and the trigger system is very smooth and easy to use with a range of options for your fingers. The sewn nylon sling seems fit to withstand abuse and the traffic light rangefinder gives added reassurance. In fact, this is perhaps more applicable on these units as the range is so much larger than regular cams. (Right: Supercam in action at Stanage, Derbyshire)

They look rather strange when they are placed at the smaller end of the range – reminding me of the odd contortions you often find jammed cams in. Don’t let this put you off, though, as they are easily the most versatile units I’ve ever used (even more so than Camalots).

For this reason, I think the £60 price tag should come as no surprise. Although it might seem like a hefty outlay for a single unit (which, as you might be thinking, can only be placed once on a route) the range adds a whole new dimension of versatility. I suspect Supercams will come into their own on gritstone style routes, where a small and a medium would cover a myriad of scenarios, negating the need for several traditional cams and covering a larger range of sizes.

Freenut Nut Tool RRP £13.00

These have been around for a while but recently it even seems to be spawning imitations by other companies – they must be good! The Freenut Extractor is an excellent variation on the ‘old style’ nut keys. The beauty of the Freenut is that the built in wire-gate clip keeps both weight and clutter on your harness down. It fits nicely at the back of your waist, out of the way, and easy to clip and unclip when needed. I found it generally serves its purpose very well – and my climbing partner who also used it confirmed this. I tend to tug my wire placements in pretty hard so it was well tested. Highly recommended.

At £13 the Freenut is not much more pricey than regular nut tools and you won’t need to buy an extra karabiner.

BRD Belay Device RRP £15.00

The BRD, or “Belay Rappel Device”, is a versatile little tool. It is a variation on the classic stitch plate design, similar to the many others available (Black Diamond ATC and DMM Bug being two examples).

Recently, the designers of such devices have tweaked them by adding features here and there. – the Black Diamond Guide for example incorporates a magic plate, and the ATC XP has features which give added friction when locking the rope off. The BRD has features designed to help dissipate heat which I found very useful.

The BRD was excellent for belaying, smooth and easy to lock, but I found it to be rather more cumbersome when abseiling. The shape of the base makes it less smooth than my ATC, although I can’t help thinking that with a bit more practice I would get used to the abseiling with the BRD. It did stay noticeably cooler than other devices I’ve used.

The price, £15, is similar to other devices available and makes it an appealing option.

Summary

As a proud owner of a Metolius Powderhorn, I was pleased to find the hardware from this iconic North American brand lived up to the same high standards.

While Metolius gear may not have been the top of my shopping list before testing this selection of kit, I would certainly consider it very seriously after using it for a few weeks and being very impressed. In general, the workmanship, design and usability all bear the hallmarks of a premium brand and many of the additional features I have discussed put it in a class above most others.

The stuff is clearly built to last, and Metolius’ focus on performance features is one of many of these hallmarks. In some areas durability may have been slightly compromised, but only extended use over a long period of time will tell. In any case, I feel the performance benefits are worthwhile.

Another indicator of quality is the finishing. Colour is used really well in both the consistent coloured size system and the rangefinder on the cams. This may seem like a superficial detail but it is in my view an important one and this demonstrates the attention to detail and thoughtfulness that has gone into the design.

Choosing a favourite is difficult, and I would be torn between the Ultralight Curve nuts and the Supercams – both groundbreaking products I fully recommend. If you have less cash to spend, get yourself a Freenut tool – you’ll be surprised how much you appreciate the improved design.

Personal preference is so important when choosing hardware, and you may think differently about some of the features I’ve discussed. Whatever your views on double-stemmed cams or the shape of nuts, I think most people would have to agree upon the quality and innovation on display.

Purchase any of the hardware listed above here.

Review by Dave Westlake