The Alpinist Mountain Standards reviews apply Alpinist's tradition of excellence and authenticity to gear reviews by providing unbiased, candid feedback and anecdotal commentary to equipment tested (hard) in the field. Our panel is comprised of climbers who use the gear every day as part of their work and play. Only the gear they would actually buy themselves, at retail price, qualifies for the Alpinist Mountain Standards award. The five-star rating system is as follows: One Star = Piece of junk. Two Stars = Has one or more significant flaws, with some redeeming qualities. Three Stars = Average. This solid piece of gear is middle-of-the-road on the current market. Four Stars = Better than most comparable gear on the market. It has one or two drawbacks, but still 90% positive. Five Stars = Is there such thing as perfection? An Alpinist Mountain Standards award-winner. Review Panel Adam George Caroline George Larry Goldie Blake Herrington John Race Bert Severin Jed Workman The rest of the MS Team |
 Metolius SuperCamPosted on: July 30, 2005 
MSRP: $60-$75 This spring I have managed to get my hands on the new Metolius SuperCam. Its wide range, 1.55 inches to 2.77 inches, is twice that of most cams currently on the market. It also has wider cam faces, i.e. surface area, that give me more confidence on softer rock, as well as a range-finder feature with color-coding to congratulate me on my bomber placements. The new asymmetrical design looks so dramatic when the lobes are inverted that it is hard to imagine the cam is set properly. However, after numerous pitches and a few whippers, I can assure you this cam and its larger partners are destined to be an essential component of my rack. |
