In reply to Slarti B:
Greetings … I’m the sales director for Omega Pacific and, after our UK distributor notified me of this thread, I wanted to add some remarks.
First off, we are glad to hear that the incident produced no injuries and that Slarti B is in good shape. We take reports of this sort very seriously and we want to do everything possible to fully address any concerns about our gear.
I’ve read the remarks in this thread and appreciate all the comments. I invite Slarti B to contact me so that we can arrange to get the cam back so we can inspect it for any defects in manufacturing or materials that might be to blame for the incident. My email address is
[email protected] … please contact me so we can retrieve the damaged unit.
Since we launched Link Cams in early 2006, we’ve seen some returns with similar damage and, after extensive investigation, determined that each failure was the result of a sideways force being placed on the lobes at the hinge points of the individual links. Whether in real-world testing or in the laboratory, we’ve never seen a Link Cam fail below rating when it was loaded without force being applied to the sides of the lobe assemblies.
That discovery has led Omega to do a few things to address concerns about the safety of Link Cams.
We have re-written our Instructions For Usage and strengthened the message that these units need to be placed very deliberately in the direction of anticipated pull and that the cam not be permitted to rotate, shift or move after it’s been placed. This requires that cams be placed so that the stems point directly to the ground; may require use of slings to prevent rope drag from moving the unit as you climb above it (or to the side as in a traverse) and, if a Link Cam can’t be placed in this manner, another piece should be used. Naturally, this is always proper practice, no matter what kind of protection is being used, but it is particularly important when placing Link Cams. In testing, we’ve seen other cams fail and become damaged, too, but thanks to a traditional cam’s solid, single-piece lobes, they tolerate more “abuse” than Link Cams might. Subsequently, we believe that Link Cams should only be used by climbers that have experience and a keen ability to assess proper placements.
Simultaneously, we also worked to strengthen the units at the manufacturing level. In-line upgrades to the dimensions of the cams and their linkages have been made to make them more robust. Most recently—this past spring, in fact—we also began utilizing a new form of heat-treatment that renders those links stronger and more ductile, so that, should forces be introduced from the side, the cams are less likely to fracture; with the new process, cams may still become damaged if side loading occurs, but the material will tend to deform and warp instead of fracturing, thereby holding in place much better than before. We’re pleased to note that there haven’t been any reports of broken cams that feature this new heat treating process. When we receive Slarti B’s cam, we can determine if his was built prior to the change or not.
At the end of the day, we believe in Link Cams and we’re confident that they can be a valuable addition to a climber’s rack; we have thousands of climbers all over the world who use Link Cams reliably and confidently and make a point to let us know how much they value them. Link Cams are not appropriate for every placement, however, and definitely require a more critical eye and more experience to use safely and reliably. Some climbers may not feel that this is a fair tradeoff for the increased range they provide, though, and we respect that position, too.
In this particular case, we can’t make any assumptions or claims until we can inspect the damaged cam, of course, but when we do, we’ll share whatever we find with Slarti B. Again, please contact me so that we can arrange to have the cam returned to us here in the States and can start the inspection process. In the meantime, if anyone else has concerns or questions, please feel free to contact me by email.
Cheers!
________________
Michael Lane
Sales & Marketing Director
Omega Pacific
[email protected]