Rock Empire Comet Cams

[mil-mil]

So i ordered a a rack of these cams after doing as much research as i could on them. There were mixed reviews on them but all of the reviews that were bad were from people that do not own and or have never used them. All reviews from people that owned or have used these cams seemed good. Have any of you had any experience with RE Comet Cams?
They should be here next week and the plan as of right now is for some trad leading next weekend so i will right a full review of them upon return.

[alex_bo]

I used them (my climbing parter has several middle-sized). Normal single-axis cams, no complains. A decent quality/price ratio. If I needed a set now and and the cost did not matter, I would surely take BD's double-axis camalots, but that's another story.. =)

[mil-mil]

yeah if i had the money i would deff go with the BD's but seeing as how i am in the military and we are poor in general i figured i would by a full set of these and build up off of it.

[gwalinor]

i have a couple of the bigger ones. they are heavy, but i havn't heard complaints about the quality, and they are cheap.

[mil-mil]

So my official rulling on these cams is that they are pretty excelent. I did my first full trad (only 5.8 but hey it was my first trad lead) lead with them and could not have been happier. The color coded slings are are helpful in picking the right size fast. I played with them at ground level all night and after placing them in diffrent cracks horizontal fertical... i found first that they were quite easy to place and would stay put where you placed them. I pulled on them left right up down yanked on them as hard as i could and jumped up and down on one and then was able to easily remove them back out of the rock. when i actually got up on to the rock i fidgited with everyone that i placed and found myself leading along with as much confidence as if i had clipped into an actual bolt. Obviously i am new to trad climbing so my opinion probably is not as good as some of you veterans out there but having placed sizes .25 threw 3 of these cams while climbing and feeling tottaly safe on them i think they are a great cam and amazingly priced.

[shanja]

Sweet work Mike, where were you climbing then? Hope you get long life and lots of safe climbing outta them. Good moves practicing and testing at deck level before-hand.

[mil-mil]

we were climbing at Yongseo Pokpo. Beautiful spot I cant beleive i hadent been there yet.

[kocoeric]

What sizes of cams are most useful here in Korea? Is it more efficient to get a whole set or buy them indivdual and doubling up on medium sizes? Does anyone use nuts? What I'm thinking about purchasing is this: http://acmeclimbing.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=49

[skinsk]

Many trad routes in Korea simply recommend "1 set" or "2 sets" of cams. . . a set of cams, plus say the 2 omega pacific link cams should do. Of course, it 's not like there's a set rack for Korea or any other country! Each crack is different! It does make sense to double up on hand to fist, however-- cracks you're more likely to climb-- than #5's. . . who wants to carry a bunch of those!!?!? And if you're doing trad offwidths, lets hope you have a partner with a #5!

For the price, esp if you have to bail in the mountains, a set of nuts is a good idea (though I got laughed out of the Pisandae shelter in Seoraksan for asking the Kolon Sports Leader (who put up the route I was doing) which hexes to bring. Fortunately hexes make fine paperweights, gear shifts for standard transmissions, and door knockers. But I digress. . . best to have an experienced leader check your placements (on the ground first, then following you!) until you're confident and competant!

For my $, I still go with Wild Country and Black Diamond and aliens for finger cracks to piton scars. . . I like flexible stems. . . I have a few Trango's but if I actually bought gear myself, I think I'd stick with the best and go BD! I do love the pricey, heavy but versatile and solid OML Cam. . . it's very sexy. . .

But I am not familiar with Rock Empire and every cam, so maybe they are just as good!

[mil-mil]

my advice would be to dig into the reviews. i didnt end up purchasing my cams untill i researched them for almost a month befor i decided to get them. now that i have them i am happy and believe i made the right decision.