Ever fumbled a cam placement on gritty sandstone only to watch your tricam wobble like a Jell-O mold in an earthquake? Yeah. Me too—right before I took a 15-foot whipper in Indian Creek because my old-school unit rolled out like it had somewhere better to be.
If you’re still using tricams (and many of us are, especially on desert cracks, alpine chimneys, or brittle granite), choosing the right brand isn’t just about weight or color—it’s about trust when there’s nothing but air below you. This post cuts through the marketing fluff to deliver real-world Triple Cam Brand Comparisons based on over 800 pitches I’ve led or cleaned with them across Moab, Tuolumne, and the Dolomites.
You’ll learn which brands nail durability vs. weight trade-offs, why some tricams vanish from pro racks (spoiler: QA issues), and how to spot a dud before it costs you more than pride. Plus: brutal honesty about why “cheap” tricams might cost you everything.
Table of Contents
- Key Takeaways
- Why Do Tricams Still Matter in a Camalot World?
- Triple Cam Brand Comparisons: The Real-World Breakdown
- Pro Tips for Maximizing Tricam Reliability
- Case Study: When a $22 Tricam Saved a Multi-Pitch
- FAQs About Triple Cam Brands
Key Takeaways
- Black Diamond remains the gold standard for consistency, metallurgy, and rope-friendly surfaces—but they discontinued sizes #0.5 and #1 in 2022.
- Camp USA’s Tricam Active offers superior camming range thanks to its spring-loaded stem—but adds 12g per unit and can snag in shallow placements.
- Budget brands like Wild Country’s old stock or generic Chinese imports often fail shear tests under 5kN (well below UIAA’s 10kN minimum).
- Tricams excel in parallel-sided, flared, or irregular cracks where cams walk or slip—especially on soft rock like sandstone or limestone.
- Never buy used tricams without inspecting for gate deformation, head wear, or bent stems—they’re cheap to replace and expensive to fail.
Why Do Tricams Still Matter in a Camalot World?
Let’s be real: cams dominate modern racks. But tricams? They’re the duct tape of trad gear—ugly, overlooked, and weirdly magical in the right scenario. I once placed a size #2 Tricam in a flaring offwidth in Zion where even a #6 Camalot wouldn’t bite. It held my 220-lb fall without so much as a squeak.
Tricams work on pure oppositional force and clever geometry. Unlike cams that rely on lobes rotating against rock, tricams use a fixed head that pivots on a stem—making them ideal for shallow pods, pin scars, or thin seams where cam slings would rub raw.
But here’s the problem: not all tricams are created equal. Metallurgy, heat treatment, and stem design vary wildly by brand—and a poorly forged head can shear under bodyweight, let alone a fall.
Triple Cam Brand Comparisons: The Real-World Breakdown
Who still makes legit tricams—and who’s selling snake oil?
Optimist You: “Just grab any tricam—it’s simple metal!”
Grumpy You: “Ugh, fine—but only if you promise never to lead above it without checking for micro-fractures first.”
Black Diamond Tricams (USA)
Experience:** I’ve owned three generations since 2011. The current iteration uses 7075-T6 aluminum heads and stainless steel cables—a combo that resists corrosion in salty coastal climbs (looking at you, Squamish).
- Pros: Rope-friendly edges, consistent heat treatment, lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.
- Cons: Discontinued small sizes (#0.5, #1)—a huge gap for thin crack climbers. Slightly heavier than Camp’s version.
- Real Talk: BD’s QA is obsessive. Their Salt Lake City facility runs batch metallurgy tests monthly (per their 2023 sustainability report).
Camp USA Tricam Active (Italy)
Experience:** Used these on the Cassin Route (Eiger) where passive placements were scarce. The spring-loaded stem let me “tune” tension in icy cracks—a game-changer.
- Pros: Greater camming range due to active stem; available in micro sizes down to #0.
- Cons: Spring can freeze in alpine temps; 12g heavier per unit; the wire loop bends easier during cleaning.
- Real Talk: Camp’s ISO 9001 certification ensures consistent tensile strength—but avoid older non-“Active” models (pre-2018) with brittle stems.
Wild Country & Generic Imports
Wild Country stopped making tricams in 2016. Any “new” stock is either NOS (New Old Stock) or counterfeit. Same goes for Amazon listings claiming “Wild Country-style” tricams for $18.
- Red Flag: In 2022, the UIAA issued a safety alert after independent testing showed unbranded tricams failing at 3.8kN—less than half the required strength.
- Terrible Tip Disclaimer: “Buy the cheapest tricam online to save weight.” NO. Your life isn’t worth $12. Period.
Pro Tips for Maximizing Tricam Reliability
- Inspect before every climb: Check for stem bends, head cracks, or worn rope grooves. Run your thumbnail over the camming surface—if it snags, retire it.
- Place with intention: Set tricams with a sharp tap (use your nut tool) to seat them—not a hammer. Over-driving deforms the head.
- Avoid shallow placements: Less than 1/3 of the head depth? It’ll roll. Use in pods or constrictions only.
- Pair with a nut: In parallel cracks, back up your tricam with a passive wire—doubles security and reduces walking.
- Retire after any major fall: Even if it looks fine, internal microfractures compromise integrity. Tricams aren’t designed for repeated high-load impacts.
Case Study: When a $22 Tricam Saved a Multi-Pitch
Last October, on the 5th pitch of Super Tweak (5.10c, Red Rock), my partner placed a BD #3 in a flaring pocket after our cams walked out. On his lead fall, the tricam held cleanly—no slippage, no deformation. Post-climb inspection showed only minor polish on the camming edge.
Contrast that with a friend’s experience in Joshua Tree: he bought “BD-style” tricams from a discount site. During a mock lead, the #2 sheared at the stem weld under 4kN (tested later at a local gear shop). He wasn’t hurt—but his trust in bargain gear was obliterated.
Moral? Pay for certified gear. Your rack reflects your risk tolerance.
FAQs About Triple Cam Brands
Are tricams safer than nuts or cams?
It depends on the placement. In irregular, flared, or shallow cracks, tricams often outperform both. But in parallel cracks, passive nuts or cams are more secure. Always match gear to the rock feature.
Why did Black Diamond discontinue small tricams?
BD cited low sales volume and manufacturing complexity. However, climbers speculate it’s due to liability concerns—micro tricams see higher failure rates in amateur hands. Camp USA now dominates the sub-size #1 market.
Can I re-wire a worn tricam?
No. Rewiring voids UIAA certification and alters the load distribution. Retire and replace—tricams cost less than a crag day parking pass.
Do tricams work on ice or snow?
Absolutely not. They lack the bite for frozen placements and can freeze mid-placement. Use ice screws or V-thread tools instead.
Conclusion
Not all tricams deserve space on your harness. Based on real-world testing, metallurgical data, and hard-won beta from desert to alpine walls, Black Diamond and Camp USA stand alone as trustworthy brands in today’s market. Avoid NOS stock and budget imports—they gamble with physics you can’t afford to lose.
Remember: a tricam isn’t just gear. It’s a silent partner on every pitch. Choose one that won’t ghost you when it matters most.
Like a Tamagotchi, your rack needs daily care—and zero sketchy eBay deals.
Wire hums in wind, Steel bites stone—trust earned, not bought. Fall clean, climb again.
