Cams

After all the hype since their launch, Dragons probably need no introduction. The clever stem arrangement in Camalots is patented so DMM use a conventional single stem but save weight with hot-forged cams and have an extendable sling courtesy of a very clever thumb termination. Dragons sat very nicely in the hand and the thumb termination felt very secure – no fumbling around here. I found the double sling could sometimes be a little fiddly but I did end up using it a lot, even on grit, and I think it would really earn its keep once I got more used to it. If there is a downside it is that, like Camalots, they seem to have slightly weaker springs. If I had only had one type of unit on my rack I may not have noticed it but placing different brands in quick succession made me realise that slight difference. All in all though, Dragons have raised the bar from where Black Diamond set it and these are excellent units. To cover a range from 19-100mm (actually 20-114mm) means carrying 6 units weighing of 941g.