Metolius  Ultralight Master Cam

This product is not available. Good news: we have a newer version.

The new Metolius Ultralight Master Cam design 20% lighter than the original but features the same optimized cam angle and single-stem design for solid placement in tight spots.

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Features

  • Single-stem design allows cams to fit into tight spots; flexible cable reduces walking and enables placement in horizontal cracks
  • Long body provides excellent reach when top-stepping in aiders and stretching for hard-to-reach placements
  • Narrow head enables secure placements in pin scars and small, uneven cracks
  • Ergonomic thumb piece creates excellent control while placing and removing cams
  • Range Finder markings eliminate guess work: Green Zone for go, Yellow Zone for caution and Red Zone for stop!; Range Finder markings only apply to sizes 2 - 8
  • CNC machined for much greater precision than stamped or extruded cams
  • Color-coded 11mm Monster sling, thumb piece and trigger
  • Slings are replaceable, and should be replaced every 5 years or earlier
  • Hand-built and tested by Metolius in Bend, Oregon

Made in USA.

View all Metolius Cams

Technical Specs

Best Use

Rock Climbing

Reviews
12 reviews with an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars

92% 11 of 12 reviewers recommended

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Most Helpful Favorable Review

22 people found this review helpful
5 reviews with an average rating of 5.0 out of 5 stars
8 years ago
bacon saver
The gray 00 save my bacon yesterday, three pitches up in eldorado canyon. It was the last piece I placed and I didn't expect to fall, but I did, big time. Little guy must have been placed very well, 'cause it held.
ericsforsyth
Broomfield, co

Most Helpful Critical Review

7 people found this review helpful
5 reviews with an average rating of 2.0 out of 5 stars
5 years ago
Really light, really fragile
These cams are light, and fit into snug placements and complement any rack. However on my 4th outing the trigger wire(cord) broke on both my 7 and 8 because of how the cord runs against the metal. So now I get to pay 40 bucks (8 dollars per cam plus shipping) to have them repaired. Metolius called it normal wear and tear. I call it poor design. Will no longer purchase metolius cams as the internet has shown this is a common problem they are unwilling to pay for themselves
Reicustomer26
Ojai califo4nia
RicketyRoll
Location:Indianapolis, IN, United States
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
8 years ago

These guys are a great complement to any rack

Ive bought size 2-6 now and have used them for about a year. Thoughts are as follows. Narrow head size is awesome, for a similar sized C4 these fit all 4 lobes in the space the C4 takes for 3 lobes. Gives more placement opportunities. Strong spring and smooth action inspire confidence when placing. Light weight works well when planning long approaches or pairing down your rack for alpine ascents. Be careful of the indicator dots, It may be a good placement if your in the upper range of green, but you may not be able to get the cam back from the rock easily Loss of a thumb loop doesn't really affect me, Never really noticed the lack of it. YMMV These are my go to pieces in the 4-6 range absolutely love them.

Andrew
Location:SLC, UT
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
7 years ago

First Impressions, NO THUMB LOOP???

I picked up numbers 3-6 as an extra set for finger size cracks and to compliment the in-between sizes of my c4 sets. I was initially hesitant because these didn't have a thumb loop. I saw that some people didn't like the change, especially outdoorgearlab. I mostly wanted to know how unpleasant this feature would be on my first few climbs, until I got used to them. I'd have to say that I didn't notice any drawbacks to not having a thumb loop at all. Besides being a different color and size than I'm used to it was super easy to handle. I'd go a step further and say that for LCC/City of Rocks/Jtree type granite these cams feel sticky in the crack and offer a lot of confidence. Overall I was surprised how much I liked these cams, especially after using the c4s for the last decade.

ericsforsyth
Location:Broomfield, co
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
8 years ago

bacon saver

The gray 00 save my bacon yesterday, three pitches up in eldorado canyon. It was the last piece I placed and I didn't expect to fall, but I did, big time. Little guy must have been placed very well, 'cause it held.

Christopher
Location:New York City, NY, United States
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
9 years ago

One of the best for small to medium sizes

These cams are as good or better than any other for sizes 1-4 (blue - red). They hold great and are light. Some folks like the BD X4s better but I think they are very similar. The Totem Basics might be a little better but, if so, it is really just incremental. I suggest Size 1-4 for the following reasons. below size 1 (i.e. the grey and purple) they are not rated such that I would be confident whipping on them. They might hold but they might not. Above size 4, they don't feel as stable and the limited range really shows. It's not that they are bad cams in larger sizes, but there are so many better options in those sizes (C4s, Totem cams, and dragon cams to name a few well known ones). Note: I thought elimination of the thumb loop would bother me but it does not.

Climbing Gear
Location:Seattle, WA, United States
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
9 years ago

4.5 stars

Lightest on the market, bomber Metolius design/build. Mine are getting plenty of use already. Paired with a Camp Nano 22 racking biner, these things are completely featherweight. I do miss the thumb loop, ding of 1/2 star for that. An excellent product in every other way.

Reicustomer26
Location:Ojai califo4nia
Rated 2.0 out of 5 stars
5 years ago

Really light, really fragile

These cams are light, and fit into snug placements and complement any rack. However on my 4th outing the trigger wire(cord) broke on both my 7 and 8 because of how the cord runs against the metal. So now I get to pay 40 bucks (8 dollars per cam plus shipping) to have them repaired. Metolius called it normal wear and tear. I call it poor design. Will no longer purchase metolius cams as the internet has shown this is a common problem they are unwilling to pay for themselves

FlyMontag
Location:Northern California
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
9 years ago

Best Micro cams in Lieu of Totem Basics

I've been using the old Mastercams for a few years now and the UL's for the better part of one. Well-built (in Bend, Oregon), lightweight 4 lobe camming devices that--in my mind--are second only to Totem Basics (if by some miracle, you can find them). They fit in shallow placement and pods better than my double axle units (X4s), and they're much more stable than 3 lobe units (TCUs, C3s). I've heard crusty aid climbers grumble about the lack of a thumb loop, but I haven't had any complaints aiding w/ them, as the slings are fairly short. That being said, these unit definitely feel more at home in the realm of fast-and-light free-climbing (w/o the shorter shelf-life that comes with the dyneema stem of the UL C4s). I do wish they were a bit more flexible in the smaller sizes. All-in-all light, affordable, bomber units for when Basics are all sold out (read: almost always).

Maxwell
Location:Seattle
Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars
8 years ago

Great Cams

These cams are great for the alpine because of their light weight. I have been using my set for about a year and I haven't had any durability issues with the cables or the sling. I loved the range finder function when I was learning how to place cams. The only reason I gave 4 stars is because they don't have as much range as a double axle cam like a camalot but that is part of why they're so light.

Christian
Location:SLC, UT
Age:35–44
Used for::Trad Climbing
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
2 years ago

Excellent cams

Love the excellent handling of the UL Master cams. They are light, have narrow head widths for tricky placements and the lack of a loop make them very easy to pull the trigger in a variety of different ways. I only wish that they had a #9 size to complete the range

Age:35–44
Used for::Trad Climbing
Jacktheburro
Location:Sacramento, CA
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
7 years ago

Place amazingly well, are wonderfully light

I've got two full sets of these. They're fantastic. Highly recommend them. I only use these and Aliens.

1 - 10 of 12 Reviews

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