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I Need Cams ! 29-Sep-2003 At 12:01:05 PM dodgy

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Sorry but I don't take any notice of the reviews in Rock, as far as I can tell most of the reviews are simply reprints of whatever information comes from suppliers, combined with advertiser bias. If you want real reviews that actually involve testing, try Rock and Ice or Climbing from the states. Climbing's annual gear guide is more of a what's available listing, although the general introduction is normally well written and informative.
Re - "no name" cams and other climbing gear - the technology and basic designs are well known. The basic 13.5 degree cam angle is almost universal, and there are plenty of designs to copy.
So what you often get are Se Asian or Russian made rather than US or European. Little or no testing after prototyping, that is, they test the samples then produce thousands.
For instance Black Diamond test every batch, of everything, in fact BD's second biggest "customer" is their own quality assurance department (behind REI). And their testing is to destruction, so of course you end up paying for that, and I for one am happy to do it. If you want the best testing look for "three sigma", it's a statistical method that means 98% plus, of units will exceed the rating.
When a company says every product is tested, that is "proof" loading, normally about 1/10th of rating, so no damage is done.