Old style Fusion - keep or?

[matchswain]

In my dirtbag quest for the least expensive ice climbing gear, I ended up with a brand new (old style) Fusion (orange). I'll be climbing mostly alpine ice but would like to get into vertical, waterfall and mixed. I'm curious if it would work for the former well enough to try and find a second one, or if I should get rid of it and save my money for some Quarks, Cobras, Taa-k-oons, etc. Anybody have good things to say about climbing on the older Fusions?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Farrgo]

I liked the old fusions in general (not for alpine), but the newer tools are a huge step up. Though people have and do climb alpine ice with old fusions the quarks and cobras are WAY better for that purpose than the old fusions. I guess it depends on how much you're going to climb. If you might do one climb per year, then why spend $600? If your going to get out every other weekend.... you'll wish you spent it sooner.

[summitchaserCJB]

What about the reactors? I don't know all that much about ice climbing but I like them.

[counterfeitfake]

I don't know all that much but I think this thread could be about me

 

shut up.

 

 

OP, if you want to climb alpine ice, that is probably not the tool for you. It won't plunge very well and consensus seems to be that it swings weird. Like Farrgo says it's meant as a mixed climbing tool. Search for the recent "first tool suggestions" thread that had a lot of good advice.

[Jon H]

I think your best bet is to dump the old Fusion on ebay and put the cash towards a better all purpose tool.

 

The Fusions have a weird swing for pure ice - a couple guys I know who have them hold the pommel *above* the grip for climbing vertical ice. I hear they're quite difficult to get good sticks when pulling bulges. They only really start to shine when climbing severely overhanging routes. Couple that with the fact that you want to do some alpine and all factors point towards you getting a different set of tools.

 

I've got a set of new Vipers that I enjoy greatly. I bought them new when BD cleared out their stock last season at 25% off. Geartrade.com has a set of the old style vipers for pretty cheap right now - might want to check them out. They're a very capable tool and I owned/climbed them myself for a full season before getting the new ones, and only because they were on a good sale and I found someone to buy my old ones.

 

There's also a guy selling a set of Trango Scorpions for sale on mountainproject right now ( http://mountainproject.com/v/for_sale__wanted/fs_ice_gear_brand_new/106862325 ). I was thinking of snagging them myself actually, but decided to be financially responsible for once. I really don't need 5 ice tools.

Edited August 18, 2010 by Jon H

[summitchaserCJB]

I don't know all that much but I think this thread could be about me

 

shut up.

 

 

OP, if you want to climb alpine ice, that is probably not the tool for you. It won't plunge very well and consensus seems to be that it swings weird. Like Farrgo says it's meant as a mixed climbing tool. Search for the recent "first tool suggestions" thread that had a lot of good advice.

asshole. Who died and made you an authority.

[matchswain]

Great advice. I suspected as much. They'll be on CL and eBay by tonight and I'll keep an eye out for something dedicated to alpine. Thanks for your replies...