Petzl Ice Tool Failures (Current Generation Quark, Nomic, and Ergonomic)

Kevin Mcbride wrote:

Idk looks like they just changed the colours

Yeah. Those photos are more detailed than what I’ve seen. Maybe less has changed than I believed. 

NateC wrote:

Yeah. Those photos are more detailed than what I’ve seen. Maybe less has changed than I believed. 

Hard to tell in the photos, but the bases (1st and 2nd grip) look narrower than current...

Saw some prototypes in person last week. The shaft hasn't really changed other than materials, supposedly they're a bit lighter. The new handles are significantly longer to aid in swapping first position grips.

Also saw some new Dry 2.0 picks that look pretty snazzy.

I wish they'd put a short spike at the base. Does anyone else find those shallow scallops near useless?

Think you could put one of the new handles on an older tool? That would be sweet. 

Garry Reiss wrote:

I wish they'd put a short spike at the base. Does anyone else find those shallow scallops near useless?

Hi Gary--they sell a handle option with a nice, real spike.  

That said, I like the smoot, rounded, spikeless handle.  I never really use the spike on an ice tool; when I need to plunge, I turn the tool upside down, plunge the head, and use the bottom for my hand.  That's one reason why I find the base of the X-Dream the best in the bussiness.

Hard to believe this thread is still going. Yet every time I check in on it, it seems to vindicate me still climbing on my 1st gen Nomics 16 years later. Waited out the 2nd gens. I guess I'll wait out the 3rd gens too.

I do wish I had that spike though...

Garry Reiss wrote:

I wish they'd put a short spike at the base. Does anyone else find those shallow scallops near useless?

It will be interchangeable on the new model, don't have to buy two different sets of handles like currently

Bruno Schull wrote:

Hi Gary--they sell a handle option with a nice, real spike.  

That said, I like the smoot, rounded, spikeless handle.  I never really use the spike on an ice tool; when I need to plunge, I turn the tool upside down, plunge the head, and use the bottom for my hand.  That's one reason why I find the base of the X-Dream the best in the bussiness.

I've found that works ok on snow but not on an icy slope. 

I hated that old round X dream handle and bought the alpine grips with the spike. Its not very sharp. The spike on the Nomic is much sharper and works better. 

Larry Morgan wrote:

Sorry, a petzl tool with what appeared to be a carbon fiber shaft. I incorrectly identified the brand when I asked what happened and was told by the climber it was Petzl.

Edit: I'm realizing it may not have actually been carbon fiber. Regardless it seems the OP is looking more for a trend with handles breaking which this was not, so my anecdote is probably not reqlly helpful to include. 

Petzl does have a carbon handle for some of their comp team... If you follow the French guys winning the comps you might catch a glimpse and compare... 

Ode to Nomics
Nomic ice tools, sharp and true,
Carved through the frost, a silver hue.
Climbing the peaks, so daring, so high,
But now they shatter, one by one, they die.

The ice cracks under the weight of fear,
The tools once sturdy, now insincere.
Axes that struck with precision and might,
Now splinter and crumble, losing their bite.

The climb feels endless, the summit out of sight,
The grip once firm, now loses its fight.
Blades that tore through frozen seams,
Now dulled and fractured, breaking dreams.

But still, we push, though the ice falls away,
We cling to hope with each fleeting day.
For even broken tools may find their way,
To the top of the mountain, where dawn meets the gray.

Christian,

Pictures of broken tools, without any reference to how they were broken, are not helpful to anyone.  

Karl,

Climbers were climbing with them and then they broke while climbing with them.

‘Tis but a scratch!

Christian Donkey wrote:

Karl,

Climbers were climbing with them and then they broke while climbing with them.

Neither of them were climbing ice…

not with those picks.

also, neither of those tools are nomics.

so this is a false comparison to say that nomics are failing climbing ice because you have photos of hard dry toolers cranking on ergonomics breaking tool

it is wholly disingenuous to continue these kinds of posts.

given that everything breaks, what tools are you saying are impervious to breakage?

Greg Steele wrote:

Neither of them were climbing ice…not with those picks.

"Performance ice climbing and dry tooling axe. The ERGONOMIC ice axe is designed for steep ice and dry tooling." (Source: Petzl.com)

also, neither of those tools are nomics.

ERGONOMIC (please refer to the title of this post)  

so this is a false comparison to say that nomics are failing climbing ice because you have photos of hard dry toolers cranking on ergonomics breaking tool

While I'd agree that hard drytoolers are likely to put the most stress on the product, I didn't say that Nomics are failing because of hard dry toolers. They have literally failed in pure ice scenarios. If you need a memory refresh, please read through the first 16 pages of this thread. 

it is wholly disingenuous to continue these kinds of posts. given that everything breaks, what tools are you saying are impervious to breakage?

I also did not say this either. You guys are really bad at fact checking and good at putting words into my mouth. Literally any tool can break, including my favorite flavor of carbon. Some products are just designed and engineered better than others. Literally, all I'm saying is that I want better products on the market.  Please, if you're ever going to attempt to quote me again, let it be this.

“My nomics are breaking”