Black Diamond Camalot Ultralight

We’ve read the reviews across the web for the Black Diamond Camalot Ultralight and summarize the results below:

Universal Ranking

PeakScore: 90 (out of 100)
User Rating: 4.7 stars 
Expert Rating: 4 stars

Number of Ratings Reviewed: 74

Pros & Cons

Reasons to buy:

User Reviews

  • Very lightweight.
  • Very durable and holds up to years of hard use.
  • Has a good range.
  • Particularly nice for long approaches.
  • Great holding power.

Expert Reviews

  • They are incredibly light and really cut down on weight while climbing big walls.
  • The thumb loop makes them easy to place and remove.
  • They hold up well to wear.
  • Standardized colors make them easy to identify.
  • Offer a much better range of placements than similarly weighted cams.
  • The cams hold really well in shallow cracks.
  • The Dyneema sling is protected for extra longevity.

Reasons NOT to buy:

User Reviews

  • The trigger wire has a habit of popping out of the trigger bar.
  • They are not made in #5 or #6, which feels really needed for a light rack.
  • Very expensive.
  • The main stem does not have a trigger stop.

Expert Reviews

  • The non extendable Dyneema slings may require you to carry draws for some pitches.
  • Very expensive.
  • The semi-rigid stems make them less effective in certain situations, although they are overall easier to place because of the stiffness.
  • Has a habit of wiggling while rope moves through it, unlike many other double axle cams.

Summary:

Everyone loves a good cam, and almost everyone loves the Black Diamond Camalot Ultralight. These cams are 25% lighter than their predecessor, the beloved C4, and they feel like it, particularly in the larger sizes. The decreased weight does not compromise on quality, and these are still durable pieces that hold really well during falls and are easy to place and remove. These are expensive, however, and the stiff stems may not be perfect for every placement, even though almost all reviewers covet the lightness and wish they could work in every crack.

Multimedia:

Note: User and expert rankings were reviewed across the web, including here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.