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Topic Date User

Simond Ice Gear 15-Feb-2009 At 4:51:52 PM skink

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On 15/02/2009 Glenn wrote:

>A large part of this is to do with the
>pick. BD are the
>only manufacturer I know of who still do the fat pick. Although this allows
>them to
>market the pick in terms of strength, the pick shatters the ice more and
>this both
>weakens the ice and decreases holding performance.

Maybe your old CF Cobras had fat picks, but BD ice tools (Viper, new Cobra, Reactor) have for years now been fitted with Laser Picks which are 2.5mm(!) thick at the very tip and B-rated. They are also slimmer in terms of height at the tip than many other pick designs. Plus they are already sharply beveled on the top which is usually a waterfall-ice fine tune some people do for other manufacturers picks (which would include the Simond picks). So I think your comment regarding ice shattering due to pick thickness is off the mark for the recent BD waterfall-ice picks.

Also BD's burlier T-rated alpine pick (the Titan) is only 3.6mm at the tip, which is thinner than the tip of the T-rated pick on my Axars (4mm).

How thick are the Simond picks at the tip?

>It is also interesting to note that Petzl have changed the front teeth
>design of their picks
>to be more like Simond's recently, and BD have copied Simond's carved
>shaft design for
>their new range of technical tools.

Now you are sounding like a Simond salesman ;o)

I reckon all the major brand ice-tools are pretty good performers and what you choose should ideally be based on swinging different manufacturers product and choosing the one that swings best for you. The size of your hands, your build and experience swinging hand tools all come into play and so generalising about which tool performs best (or even badly) is a bit strange (kind of like debating which is the best climbing shoe - the one that fits your foot best is the best for you).

I found the swing on the new Vipers very different to the old Vipers and so prefer the old Vipers. And the swing of the Quark is even better for me, so this is presently my favourite tool. I suspect my favourite tool would change if I had the opportunity to swing the new Cobras.