Weight Savings
All that said, Metolius does manage to get a lot out of the removal of thumb loops. The Ultralight Master Cams are superlatively light, even more so than the recently released Black Diamond Ultralight C4 which we’ll be reviewing soon and comparing their respective weights.
Over the course of a long alpine day (or when trying to get a large amount of gear up the talus cone at Indian Creek), it’s not only the weight but the size which matters. This was something that I really came to appreciate about the cams. I took the new Master Cams out on The Scenic Cruise, a route in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National park. The route is the very definition of classic, but at 1800 ft tall, it is long and features appreciable stretches of sustained 5.10 climbing. Trimming size and weight is phenomenal both for long pitches and for long days.
Who’s It For?
So how should all of this affect your purchase? If you’re looking for doubles or triples in certain sizes of cams, I’d recommend buying different brands and styles of cams so that you have more options to tailor the weight and features to your particular objective. Having different cams whose sizes complement each other is a really nice perk if you’re willing to put in the practice to become fluent in a second size-color scheme. I’ve been climbing with a diverse rack for a while now, and I wouldn’t go back.
If you’re looking for your first set of cams, there are many features that the Ultralight Master Cam shares with the Original Master Cam to consider in the comparison to other options like the Black Diamond C4 or the Wild Country Helium Friend. These are things like narrow head width, flexible stem, etc., and are detailed in a previous piece I wrote about the first generation Master Cam. You’ll have to make your own decision on how those factors affect your purchase.
Lastly, the Ultralight Master Cams retail for $60-$65. That’s $5 cheaper than the C4 equivalent in the smaller sizes, and $10 cheaper in the larger (hands) sizes, and around $30 to $40 cheaper than a comparable Ultralight C4. That’s no small consideration (even for just a single cam), and spread over an entire rack, it is an impressive savings
Bottom Line
The Metolius Ultralight Master Cams are sleek, burly, and very slim. While they have a lot to offer, much of your opinion of the updated versions will depend on how strongly you feel about having a thumb loop on your cams. If you are an alpine climber for whom weight and size are primary concerns, or you are looking for a complementary set of cams, the Ultralight Master Cams offer a compelling choice in the weight and size department.