FS DMM Cortex Ice Tools

DMM Cortex with Ice tech picks - $800 OBO

Will cover shipping.

Used them on a few trips last season but I’m not good enough to be swinging tools these expensive. I’m tired of disappointing the entire crag with my lack of ability and these beautiful tools. 

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Sick looking tools!

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Maybe lower price. Retails for $530. Do some research.

Coley Joywrote:

Maybe lower price. Retails for $530. Do some research.

That’s the price for a single tool… do some research:

In all seriousness, I would love to try these, but I too am an absolute ice punter not even worthy of my Nomics

No retailer is selling these for $530 for a single tool.  Backcountry..all are $700 a single tool (excluding Black Friday sales)

akafaultlinewrote:

No retailer is selling these for $530 for a single tool.  Backcountry..all are $700 a single tool (excluding Black Friday sales)

Nice. So I’ll raise my prices to make everyone happy!

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Ah I see. My bad, sorry about that. Not sure why I thought that.

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just out of curiosity, can anyone explain why these tools are so expensive?? They weigh the same as nomics, and I haven't heard people claim they perform better?

Ellen Swrote:

just out of curiosity, can anyone explain why these tools are so expensive?? They weigh the same as nomics, and I haven't heard people claim they perform better?

They’re pretty sweet tools. Machined from a single billet of alloy, so they’re absolutely bomber in terms of construction.  Well balanced and swing felt similar to a nomic with pick weight. 

Ellen Swrote:

just out of curiosity, can anyone explain why these tools are so expensive?? They weigh the same as nomics, and I haven't heard people claim they perform better?

The major reason they're so expensive is because (like a previous responder said) they are CNC machined out of a solid piece of material. 

• There's going to be a lot of waste, because you start with a large billet of material and machine 90% of it away, turning that waste into small metal chips. The waste metal chips are certainly getting sold to the local recycler for a small fraction of the original cost, so DMM will not recoup much of the original material cost that way.
• There are cost savings by nesting parts to get multiples out of a single rectangular piece, or creative bandsawing, but in general the ice axes do not lend themselves to efficient use of stock material.
• CNC machine time is expensive, and each tool will take a decent chunk of machine time. For them to get those nice, organic curves, they're using a round profile end mill (ball nose, bull nose, tapered ball, barrel, etc.) and making long length, but short in depth cuts, like following the lines of a topographic map, but with a line for each 1/64" difference in height instead of every 100 feet.
• And that's just for manufacturing the shaft! The shaft is the big difference in the cost to manufacture by my guess, because the other steps (anodization, mold the handle onto the shaft, manufacture the picks) aren't that much different than other aluminum shaft tools on the market (I can guess some differences in the handle molding step from other tools, but I don't think the differences are as large as what I've just described)

They are expensive because if I don’t sell them I’m going to custom mill pur’ice picks into them and blow everyone’s mind. These things don’t flex at all. No spike. Can build anchor out of them. The neck of tool is tapered so it can cam into cracks and constrictions. The tool will last nuclear holocaust.

Also regarding economics, I got these imported for roughly the same price on a wild deal from a Scottish outfitter. So it’s really just catch and release. Cheers!

Argyle Nelsonwrote:

They’re pretty sweet tools. Machined from a single billet of alloy, so they’re absolutely bomber in terms of construction.  Well balanced and swing felt similar to a nomic with pick weight. 

lol you and I both know these tools are sick. We just suck too bad to be using them lol.

Talk yourself up man, grow into those tools, become the bad ass. Hang off them in the garage for 1min 3 days a week. Quit being negative to yourself.

Matthias W wrote:

I am serious about frankensteining pur’ice picks into them. 

Seems the forecast tools are the dmm cortex franken pick you are looking for since they have the same basic design but take petzl picks out the gate...

Why did you get the most bombproof monsters for ice climbing???  Any extruded aluminum shafted ergonomic handled ice tool will perform approximately the same on ice. To my eye milled aluminum is only a benefit on harder mixed and dry tooling where stiffness and durability are more important! Good luck finding em a new home, the price is good

Nicholas Budkawrote:

Why did you get the most bombproof monsters for ice climbing???  Any extruded aluminum shafted ergonomic handled ice tool will perform approximately the same on ice. To my eye milled aluminum is only a benefit on harder mixed and dry tooling where stiffness and durability are more important! Good luck finding em a new home, the price is good

Because they looked sick and deserved a test run at a good price.