Came across a couple threads on RC.com and Supertopo discussing reputed recent, post-recall Alien failures. WTF? See Micah Dash's post from May 1:

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=365159&tn=20

Mine are all pre-dimple era units, and I've fallen on several of them, but it still makes one wonder.

I'm well past wondering at this point.

I'm just looking forward to new ones from whomever takes over the business. My newest one is '03, but I was thinking about getting a grey or so. I'll wait.

CCH's response (and didn't they claim to have tension-tested all post-recall units?) is just unimagineable ... especially in light of those pictures!

There is considerable conjecture currently ensuing over the photos of the Alien in question. Was it brazed properly, did the cable break, was it not inserted fully, was it tensile tested (no image of the stamp)... And so on. Note the date 03/07 of manufacture.

Here is CCH's current response:
Testing

Here are the pictures of the failed Alien:

The picture might be deceiving, but it sure looks like the cable was barely inserted at all! I lost all confidence in CCH after the first round of defects when Dave clearly demonstrated in just a few posts that he didn’t have a clue about ISO, good manufacturing practice, or the concern or desire to learn. I’ll use my (few) old Aliens, they were made years ago, probably by Dave himself, and I assume he knew how to assemble them.

Hmm, perhaps I shouldn’t, he didn’t know anymore about QC then than he does now!

Just bought a set off C-3s. Had already tried Zeros and wasn’t all that impressed. I might go back go back to Aliens if someone else produces them, but I don’t think I’d ever buy them while produced by the current group.

I looked at all mine this weekend. All except my Gray are circa 2001. The Gray is stamped "606." I'm taking it off my rack. I've placed it a bunch of times, but have never fallen on it. And I don't want to start doing so now. I've fallen on my old Blue and Green Aliens, and they held nicely, so I will continue to employ the older ones. But I'm now solidly in favor of making the switch to the C-4s. Which really bums me out, because I've been a huge fan of Aliens for a while now. But how can you have any faith in something that is failing at the rate that Aliens are? When was the last time you heard of a Camalot or TCU failure? Me personally, never.

Does it seem to you as though that disc may have been caught such that it became a chock rather than allowing the force to pass through to the lobes?

What disc?

Do you mean the trigger handle? At the bottom of the black part?

The black part is just a fabric tube through which the cable is passed... And is only part of the trigger assembly.

Dawn,

I’m not sure what you mean by the disk? Are you referring to the trigger bar or retractor cable platform?

Either way, or even no matter what the cable and stem should not separate below the units strength rating, if it did I would not expect the pictures to look like these. I would expect to see something broken, really broken. I would not expect to see something that looks like there never was any contact area to solder or braze.




Hmm, hmm, and I’ve never tested/fallen on mine.
Guess that’s why I didn’t think to long when I bought the whole set of C-3s.

Ok Dawn and others, how many do you have!
Me? I think only three.

I want to use my Aliens. I don't like C3s. I don't like Metolius TCUs. I like Aliens. My regular Aliens are all pre-recall but my offsets aren't. They were "inspected" by R&S and two had dimples and went back. The others haven't been tested. Or fallen on, to the best of my recollection. I still want to use them. I love them.

I was referring to the trigger bar. I was wondering what would happen if the trigger bar got stuck like a nut, if that would transfer the force to the piece in a weird way. But everyone seems convinced there's visible evidence of it not having been manufactured right in the first place so I guess I'll believe them. I have no knowledge on that subject.

Still want to use my Aliens and I'm going to but I'm getting less happy about it.

Dalguard, I'm with you. I love my aliens and can't imagine giving them up. I don't think any other small cam can compare but this quality control problem sucks!!!