Grivel Monster X

Howdy,

Very curious about how the Monster X climbs and feels on pure water ice, swing weight, balance, penetration, etc. It has a GREAT price.

Thanks!

Ive got 2 and love the first generation design the best. The last on I got( in leopard print) is just too curved for my liking. Only works for hooking very steep and the grip is twisted too far under for a swing of any kind. I love my red and black version, as it's not as radical. Pretty dam good tools for the 125 price they had 4 years ago. Nice sturdy squared off grip for leashless tool use.

Coldfinger,
The pick steel quality is superb. They are a bit shorter than most, but work excellent on steep ice, hooking, slab ice, mountaineering, and rule on mixed. The only downside was dry tooling cracks in the .75 range. They flex a bit when torsional torquing. You can not clip into the bottom spike with a regular biner, but accommodates a spinner leash. Leashes are available for this tool as well. I got mine for $80.00 per tool two seasons ago. Even at $125.00, it is a great bargain and you will not be disappointed. It takes a little getting used to. They usually stick on the first swing in most ice. They are a little funky on hook drags in chandelier aerated ice, but I try to stay off of that nightmare stuff anyhow, and any tool can be sketchy in those conditions. They are flat which enabled me to carry two sets of tools for town cragging with no bulk problems. Hope that helped.

Thanks guys, very helpful!

I love mine for drytooling -- so light! -- but they're chattery and flexy when you flick them into ice.

For straight up drytooling what do you people who have them think of them compared to Nomics or Fusions?

Black Diamonds pick steel is not good and does not last long when drytooling. I also did not like the feel of the Fusions. I have a pair of Reactors for backup, but they usually just sit there and collect dust. The Nomics are excellent on everything and the pick steel quality is durable. If you have large hands, forget it. The downside is the steep price. For the purpose and price, the Grivel Monster X's would be my first choice. They are the tools I use for all types of ice and mixed climbing. I might buy the Nomics if the price was right.

I have a pair from 2006 or so. The picks were a bit thicker then, and the tools are pretty heavy -- 26 oz, more with the 'snake' grip protector normally included. They work ok, definitely better for hooked out stuff than virgin ice. Still, some of my partners hate them :) They are kind of my 'loaner' tools.

Initially picked up the x monsters for playing around on Sierra mixed, which usually has some amount of torquing. The springiness of the shaft is kind of neat for those moves and I worry less about breaking it.

I wonder if the current model is actually as light as the Grivel website says. I get the impression the newer picks are more refined, based on the more recent quantum tech's I have which share the same head.

no comparison against the new fusion or nomic, in any respect. I had a pair of first gen monsters, which have been replaced by matrix tech tools w/ a trigger. With the exception of the pick (for dry-tooling) the matrix is a far superior tool, for WI, or mixed. That said, I am working towards a new set of nomics. Someone once told me that the tools don't matter, it's all about motivation.
-Z