kylenicolls wrote: I was originally looking to just get a second bent neck axe along with my straight 65 but then figured why not get a pair of older tools for about the same price as a BD Venom that could be more appropriate.
Is 130 worth it? You reccomend a different approach? These are primarily to get my foot in the door for steeper slopes.
Couple of thoughts for you from my perspective/opinion. First one is your straight shaft tool (Venom)may not be the best for doing steeper terrain. I don't say that lightly having climbed a bunch of grade 5 and some grade 6 water ice with straight shafted tools and leashes in the distant past. Using both curved picks and reverse curved picks and literally everything in between.
They say it is a poor craftsman who blames his tools. And I am the first to tell you that most of the difficult pure ice climbs that have been done every where in the world were done with straight shafted tools. And most of those tools about as effective by comparison to the current generation of tools as a wooden club with a nail in them. And I really like my old clubs
The first tools that really changed ice climbing was the Simond Chacal with a reversed curve pick. (1979/1980) Same basic pick every tool uses now.
Weight? Weight has almost zero as in -0- to do with the performance of an ice tool. Swing balance and the ability of the pick to be easily placed and more importantly easily removed does. Reverse curve picks and the resulting design changes are definative for both.
Cutting edge ice tool weights in order introduction by production dates ?
Chacal 1# 12oz
Forrest Life Time 1# 13oz
BD C/F straight Piolet 1# 9oz
BD C/F Black Profit hammer 1# 7oz
1st Gen c/f Cobra adze 1# 9oz
1st gen Quark hammer 1# 7 oz
1st gen Nomic 1# 6oz
The lightest tool listed, a Nomic so easily out climbs them all, by anyone's standard, for the rank beginner or the true expert.
Not a huge help on your decision I know. And price is obviously always a concern.
You will quickly out climb the tools you have pictured. (which were never very good even on the day they were first produced) Not that they are bad tools just that there are so many better ones available now (or then) for not a lot more money. Once you swing a betetr tool you will realise you wasted your $130. on those BDs.
I would really encourage you to think ahead even a season or two and buy the best you can afford with your $130. Even if you have to save up a bit more to get just one really good "modern" technical tool. Think about going leashless on one or both tools initially and use a set of umbilicals. Yes leashless...it also the place you really want to start on steeper terrain. Even for a beginner on steep terrain. As long as you
use a umbilical system and you are using a modern tool specifically designed for leashless climbing.I've been doing this a llloooonnngg time and I shit you not. If you want to really climb steep terrain easily, securely and adroitly get some modern tools and umbilicals. Your money and time in the mtns will be better spent.