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Black Diamond Camalot X4 Review

These narrow headed cams fit in more places than Black Diamond C4s
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Black Diamond Camalot X4 Review (Black Diamond x4)
Black Diamond x4
Credit: http://blackdiamondequipment.com/
Price:  $80 List
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Manufacturer:   Black Diamond
By Matt Bento ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Jan 30, 2018
73
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Free Climbing - 20% 7.0
  • Weight - 15% 6.0
  • Range - 15% 6.0
  • Horizontal Cracks - 15% 9.0
  • Tight Placements - 15% 7.0
  • Durability - 10% 9.0
  • Walking - 5% 8.0
  • Aid Climbing - 5% 8.0

Our Verdict

Black Diamond X4s are an excellent complement to the Black Diamond C4s, offering more flexibility and narrower heads than their C4 counterparts, and keeping with the same familiar BD size range and color scheme. BD's unique take on the “alien” style cam includes their trademark double-axle design in the larger sizes and a “stacked” double-axle design in the smaller sizes to ensure the highest range possible from each cam. They fit well in flaring pods and pin scars, especially the offset sizes. For those climbers who swear by Black Diamond's cams because of their range, availability, and familiarity, X4s are a great way to expand your rack in the finger sizes.
REASONS TO BUY
Flexible stem
Narrow head
Familiar size color scheme
REASONS TO AVOID
Relatively heavy
Can kink when loaded in pods and pin scars

Our Analysis and Test Results

Our testers were divided on these cams. Some liked them because they are stiffer than the other small cam options with flexible stems, making them easier to place, and others thought they were not flexible enough, causing them to permanently kink when loaded in odd positions.

black diamond camalot x4 - these cams are the only double-axle "alien" style cams.
These cams are the only double-axle “Alien” style cams.
Credit: Matt Bento

Performance Comparison


black diamond camalot x4 - the ergonomic thumb loop makes these cams great for free climbing.
The ergonomic thumb loop makes these cams great for free climbing.
Credit: Matt Bento

Free Climbing


These cams are great for free climbing. Our testers are all very familiar with how each BD size corresponds to how their hands feel in the cracks, making it easy to select the right cam. The thumb loop makes these cams easier to place when you're pumped and give you something soft to gnaw on if you have to hold the cam in your mouth.

black diamond camalot x4 - a .3 x4 sightly under-cammed in a tips crack.
A .3 X4 sightly under-cammed in a tips crack.
Credit: Matt Bento

Weight


A set of X4s from Yellow to Purple is heavier than the corresponding sizes of Metolius Ultralight Mastercams, and that includes an extra cam in the Metolius line to cover the same range. In general, most BD cams are not known for being the lightest, and the heavily metal construction of this cam means that it doesn't top the charts in the weight department.

Range


X4s are available in six sizes covering cracks from 8.4mm to 41.2mm in width. That's sub-tips to thumbs stacks. Our testers are especially fond of the purple (fat fingers), and Green (thumbstacks) sizes because they fit in narrow pods and flexible stems, and have the same feel and familiar range as the corresponding C4 sizes we've been using for years. Experience with the Black Diamond ranges and sizing drew a few of our testers to the X4s, as they didn't need to learn the subtleties of a new brand with different ranges and colors.

black diamond camalot x4 - the beaded sheath design protects the stem in a horizontal placement...
The beaded sheath design protects the stem in a horizontal placement and avoids a few patent infringements.
Credit: Matt Bento

Horizontal Cracks


These cams handle horizontal placements much better than stiffer models. Their beaded sheath over a flexible cable allows the cam to bend in the direction of pull without permanently kinking like a more rigid stem would. Overall, we found these to be some of the very best cams for horizontal placements, although the lack of an extendable runner means that you may need to extend them with a separate sling if they are set well back from an edge.

black diamond camalot x4 - these cams aren't as narrow-headed as the aliens.
These cams aren't as narrow-headed as the Aliens.
Credit: Matt Bento

Tight Placements


Black Diamond X4s have narrow heads that fit and protect where C4s and Ultralights can't go. Pin scars, flares, and narrow pods are what these cams were designed for. The offset sizes are particularly great in these situations.

Durability


As previously mentioned, these cams are more liable to kink than more flexible cams when placed in pins cars or any situation where the cam is loaded in a vertical orientation but no in the proper direction of the load. More often than not, this only results in the cam looking a little bent, but not really affecting the functionality of the cam. We feel that the thumb loop on this cam is heavier and more durable than those on the other small cams we compared it to. If you plan on doing loads of aid climbing, this burly thumb loop feels like it will withstand a lot of Fifi hooking and bounce testing.

Walking


These cams are relatively stable, but they don't have an extendable sling like the DMM or Fixe cams, making them more prone to walking. Bring along some alpine draws and extend your placements when the pitch wanders, and walking won't be an issue.

Aid Climbing


Our cams tend to get the most beat up during aid climbs, where every piece gets weighted, often in strange positions pushing the limits of their designs. The beefiness mentioned above makes them great for aid climbing, and the thumb loop lets you clip in higher than cams without a thumb loop. The X4s still don't trump the Totem Cams when it comes to aiding, since Totems unique design allows them to load on only two lobes. We like the fact that these cams are available in offset sizes, which really helps fine tune difficult pin scar placements.

Value


While these cams aren't the most expensive you can buy, you can still expect to pay a fair bit more per cam than regular Black Diamond Camalots, and they are considerably more expensive than our Best Buy Award winners. Because of their durability and range from the double axles, we feel they are a good value.

Conclusion


The Black Diamond X4s have the quality and durability we've come to expect from Black Diamond and complement a rack of C4s nicely. They are an excellent choice for free climbing, especially if you are well versed in the BD color scheme and don't want to have to learn a new one.

Matt Bento