Black Diamond

Camalot Z4

What Our Gearhead® Experts Are Saying:

"I've used these from desert splitters to Gunks horizontals, and the RigidFlex stem is the real deal — it actually makes a difference getting the cam into tight constrictions without the stem flopping around. The narrower head width gets you into placements where a C4 won't go. Fair warning: the lobes are softer aluminum, so they do show wear faster than older Camalots. That's a trade-off I'll take for the grip, but it's worth knowing going in. Sizes .3 through .75 are my go-to; the smallest sizes take a little more finesse."

Who It's For

Trad climbers working small-to-mid cracks, from desert tips to alpine splitters

If you climb routes where thin crack sections demand small, confidence-inspiring gear, the Z4 is built for you. These cams are especially well-suited to intermediate and experienced trad climbers who regularly encounter constricting placements, pin scars, or horizontal breaks where a standard cam won't sit cleanly. If you're building out a rack for Indian Creek, the Bugaboos, or the Gunks, the Z4 range covers ground that few other cams can.

What It's For

Small-crack trad climbing in technical, thin, or irregular placements

The Z4 is optimized for cracks in the fingertip-to-hand range where head width, lobe bite, and stem flexibility matter most. It excels in desert splitters, granite tips, pin scars, horizontals, and any placement where a wider-headed cam would be too bulky to seat properly. It's also a strong candidate for fast-and-light alpine objectives where versatile, dependable small gear earns its spot on the rack.

Why We Like It

Rigid placement, flexible protection, and a head width that goes where others don't

The Z4's RigidFlex stem solves a real problem: single-stem cams have historically been sloppy to place because the stem bends under trigger tension. Here, independently floating trigger wires keep the stem stiff while you're placing it, then allow it to flex once loaded — reducing walking in horizontals and directional placements. The narrow head width, borrowed from the old C3 profile, squeezes into constrictions that standard Camalots can't reach. Sandblasted lobes add grip on the rock face, and the double-axle design on sizes .3 and up gives each unit a wider individual placement range, which translates to less fumbling and more confident clipping.