Aid Monsters

These new cams from Spain’s Basque Country cover five sizes, ranging from fingertips to small hands. The radical feature of their design is the way a load activates the cams: Instead of the stem and axle bearing the load, as in most cams, each Totem lobe is attached to an individual spring-action cable extending to the clip-in sling. This allows more secure two-cam placements for aid climbing, and the unique cabling and lobe design give the Totems more holding power in downward flaring cracks and pods. They also have more range than other single-axle cams. Testers felt they provided more placement options than many cams and could be a real boon for clean-aid climbing. The cabling is also super-flexible in all directions, further enhancing placement options and stability; testers found they tended to walk less than other cams. Totems are not widely available at retailers, but you can order them at the company website with free shipping to the U.S.—and there’s a 10 percent discount for five or more, bringing them in line with many other cams’ pricing.