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The cold world of skimo & alpine climbing

The cold world of skimo & alpine climbing

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

More on the new Ergo....

I am beginning to love this tool and I really liked the Nomic.  But this thing is addictive.  As I described the Ergo this morning to a buddy...."think a Nomic after a massive dose of steroids".   Ya, a big step up even at my level of climbing.  This tool is going to open even more climbing than most ever expected.  Even with pommels that strip out the Ergo is good enough to even over look that fault short term.

Here is a good read on the new tool.  I was of the same opinion originally....too radical.  Now I am thinking it will go into the alpine with me.  Some might recognise the climber in the You Tube video, uber hardman, and obviously  still stick'in it, Scott Backes.

http://www.pembaserves.com/2010/12/petzl-ergo-versus-the-hate-factory/

5 comments:

Luke said...

Hi Dane, love the the site. So do you think the ergos will replace your nomics for everything, even alpine? Or are the nomic still the best bet for all around use? Do you think the Draculas and such of the future will get done with ergos instead of nomics?

Dane said...

Hi Luke,
This is stepping out a good bit with my crystal ball as I had never thought the Nomic would make a good alpine tool.

Bjorn Elvind is really the guy to ask.

Gotta say now for me after a few weeks on the new Ergo is it will indeed replace the Nomic in many places where the Nomic has been used before it. I have not found a climber yet...beginner to expert that hasn't liked the tool on water ice..easy or steep. And you can image just how good it really is on hard mixed.

If Iwas asked which to buy...I'd say the Ergo or the Quark....sad as that may sound.

Luke said...

Darn! Thanks for making my buying decision that much harder!

In all seriousness though, the one issue with the Ergo for alpine that I can see is that while the Nomic/Fusion shape actually works pretty well for piolet canne the Ergo looks like it won't work at all. I guess I'll have to try these guys in the field though before I put down the cash.

Dane said...

Amazingly enough the new Ergo works fine in piolet canne, high dagger and reverse canne...as good as the Nomic does (or better) in any position actually.

Dane said...

FWIW after seeing these tools last year at the OR show I never thought I would ever use a pair past a quick demo. Once I had a chance to demo them I was off and running and bought a pair...and I don't like spending money on new tools. These have been a good investment. Trying to figure out just how much use I'll get out of my Nomics now...and that would seem not much from my experience climbing on the Ergo to date.

A buddy who I'll be climbing in the alps this with asked me, "what you taking to the Alps?" I shook my head in disbelief and said, "I'm thinking these." (holding up the Ergo) YMMV