I got a couple of great Christmas gifts, a copy of Cold Climbs, a Black Diamond Express ice screw, a Petzl clipper, and a donation towards my new axes from my folks! So thank you very much guys!
The new axes I bought were the Black Diamond Fusion 2 axes earlier this month. I had said to myself I was going to get a pair of Nomics since last year, after hearing people claim that they increase your ability by a grade just by using them, and my old DMM Fly axes were getting seriously worn and did my head in.
I had modified the Fly's to be used leash-less by drilling a hole through the bottom and fitting a quark grip-rest on the bottom. It did make a huge difference, much better then using conventional leashes, but it still had its drawbacks. Firstly, if the pick ever went deeper then expected with a hard swing, your fingers got mashed against the ice, very painful. And secondly, if the above happened, the grip-rest would pivot on impact, closing on your little finger. This would often actually trap it and you would need the other hand to free it. Not ideal at all. Plus my Fly's picks were about 4-5 teeth shorter then they should have been. So gone are the days of having to pull back the grip-rest after each swing, and of nursing mashed hands at the end of each day.
I did want the Nomics, they're the tools that everyone talks about, the new ones solved the issues of the old ones by adding a hammer or adze if you wanted it, and by having some sort of spike on the bottom. I didn't really realise there was any competition to it, so Nomic it was going to be. So I tried ordering a pair, and it turned out there aren't any! Lyon do not have any in stock, and wont until mid Jan or later. And it seemed no shops had them either, even trying on-line. So that was that. I was pretty gutted.
Out climbing with Jim from V12 one day, we got talking about axes, and Jim suggested a load of alternatives to the Nomics. Quarks, Vipers, Fusions, Reactors... All really good axes, but slightly different and aimed at slightly different uses. Quarks and Vipers amazing all round axes, for Welsh winter, and even Alpine stuff. With hammer and adze, quite light weight and not overly technically shaped, so still very usable on easier angled stuff and for plunging the shaft. The reactor, a strange beast, but highly rated. A bit like a Fly, but with a bucket handle. Not as aggressive as the Quark or Viper in shaft shape, but with a bucket handle. A good idea really, the Fly shape is not bad, but the bucket handle will stop you smashing your knuckles, provides loads more support, and keeps your hands off the ice keeping them warmer. They are cheap too. Well worth considering. I know a few people that use them and think they're great.
Last on the list the Fusion 2. Pretty much exactly the same as the Nomic in its shape and use. There are a number of differences though that I have read about and found looking at the different tools:
- Weight, the Fusions are heavier then the Nomics, even when fitted with the weights, hammer and adze
- Grip adjustment, Fusions adjust by changing the handle spacers, maintaining the handle shape, the Nomic adjusts by angling the grip-rest, which leads to less support for larger hands.
- Grip, both are comfy, the Fusion's grip extends to the upper grip, whereas the Nomic just has tape. For daggering the hydro-formed shape of the fusion givers better grip then the Nomic.
- The head, Fusion has micro hammer on each axe. Usable, but not the best hammer in the world. The Nomic as standard has nothing, but you can add a hammer, which is better then the fusions, or you also have the option of adding an adze.
- The picks, although there is not a great deal in it, the Fusion picks are more expensive, though I cant comment on how the picks actually perform, some people tell my BD picks are best, others say BD picks are prone to breaking and need replacing more often. I doubt there is much in it.
- Swing, I only tried this in air, the Fusion swing is a little heavier as they are more top heavy.
- Spike, the Fusion has quite a decent spike, that you can clip directly into. The Nomic has a sort of spike, but not great at all. Plunging is still hard because of the aggressive angle with both, holding the top of the shaft seems to work best.
I think that sums up the basics. I'm sure there are other little details that I haven't mentioned, but those were my main observations.
So based on the fact that I couldn't get Nomics for at least a month, and having had a good look at the Fusions, I decided that I would rather have the Fusions. And went and bought a pair first thing the next day. I'm glad I did too, now Petzl have recalled the Nomics as the grip-rest is prone to breaking, so I wouldn't be able to get them at all until October now I've heard. Plus these Fusions are amazing!
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| The Devils Kitchen |
The first time I used them, the swing was very weird in comparison to the Fly's. It took a while to learn how to get them getting one hit wonders every time. But that day I lead a grade 5 ice pitch which I had never done before. The extra clearance, the better hand support and picks that stick solid with a single swing made so much difference. I was made up.
It might have also helped that I had changed my crampons to having a mono-point for the first time. I use Black Diamond Cyborgs, which I have not had long. Mono-points are amazing! No more awkward angling on the foot before kicking in, and much more accurate on mixed ground. And the front points on these actually project from my toe a decent distance, so I get good purchase, the old ones were really short and hardly penetrated, and were horizontally aligned, vertical seems much better.
So new tools and crampons, and I have stepped it up a grade. I hope that I'm actually getting better at climbing, but I do think they make a big difference. And I'm super psyched for it now, even more then before. I might have a go at the Devils Appendix tomorrow if its still in. That would make my year!
Bring it on!
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