SummitPost.org

Just bought the petzl ergo ice tools, but too late in the year to test them on the ice. Anyone here have experience with these tools? They are designed for mixed climbing, dry tooling. How do they perform on lower grade ice like WI 4? How about on WI 5?

I've only climbed on my buddies pair a couple of times and in my opinion, the only real application of the Ergo is steep ice (WI4 and up) and vertical to overhanging mixed.

Trying to swing those tools into ice less than 75-80 degrees can be quite frustrating as the pick angle is very awkward - you end up hitting the pommel before getting the pick in. Perhaps one could get used to it after perfecting an over-exaggerated wrist flick? Supposedly the second grip adjusts the pick angle similar to that of the Nomics, but the reduced shaft length really reduces your leverage and the net sum gain is zero.

For me (I'm a petzl guy)

Quarks -> WI2-WI4-, up to M2-3
Nomics -> WI3-WI5, M2-Mharder than I can climb
Ergos -> WI4-WI6, M4-Mwhatever

Just my opinion, of course, and I'm fully aware many hard mixed routes were put up on straight-shafted tools.