What's the preference amongst Gunks locals? I just replaced my Aliens with Master Cams (green - blue) and I picked up the red and blue zeros.

Zeros seem to be a hair stronger and more flexible and the 3 sigma testing is nice. What are the opinions of people who are using them in the field? I'm trying to decide the best way to replace my blue and black Alien, but refuse to go C3.

Thanks.

Seems to me that you're in the best possible position to determine which units you prefer, since you have a couple of each.

FWIW I have the red and blue Zeros but the action seems a bit inconsistent - the blue over-compresses too easily. I have been a Met. fan since my first TCUs and enjoy the larger MCs I recently added to my rack.

Zero heads are way too wide to be broadly effective in Gunks placements. Can't speak for Mastercams. Camalot C3's are the best small Gunks piece, in my opinion.

Much of the time it doesn't matter, but when it does you remember the situation. I am a moderate, gumby climber, having never lead a gunks ten. In my experience the small C3s fit where nothing else will and often as well as a hybrid in a funky scar. I might not always need that but it is pretty sweet when I do. I also carry blue and yellow MasterCams and like 'em lots.

Dude, suck it up and get C3s!

I don't climb in the Gunks nearly enough any more to get C3s, since I live in WA these days and I hate TCU cams. I'm not buying them.

A friend claims that he's seen zeros pop twice. He climbs much, much harder than me and is biased towards Master Cams because he lives near Smith.

Has anyone ever seen a Zero pop? Holding them both, zeros seem to be the winner in my mind but you guys have logged the hours on both so I'm curious to know which is better between the two.

Every cam of every size ever made has popped out of placements thousands of times. Without a lot more specific details, it's as pointless as arguing if something in Harry Potter is possible.

Call it drivers error. Unless a cam breaks or is so poorly designed that no one would ever buy them they shouldn't "just pop" if placed correctly. I climbed many years on Zeros, but recently have moved to C3's. C3's have made things possible to protect which up until they came out was impossible to protect (which is how Mike and I bypassed the bolts on this thing (he led the third pitch and I'm going back this fall to do the third pitch on gear, and for most of the placements no other gear works) http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/566738/Lost-Canyon-Shangri-la.html

It's Aliens + C3s for me for the small cams. (i.e. red alien and below).
--Misha

I'm a big C3 fan, and also a fan of the newer Metolius single stem cams.