Pommel issue with new Nomic / Ergo
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Having just purchased new Nomics, I was disturbed to read this... |
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Blame Ueli. They send the guy out to product test on the Eiger and he returns 3 hrs later, hands them back the tools and says, "Done. Everyzing ist ok." |
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"If Ueli Steck is late, time better slow the fuck down." |
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Having bought new Ergos and Nomics...plus sold my old Nomics to in part ease the pain of the transiton ...think how happy I am. |
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I could it see it being dangerous if you're making big moves on rock, getting pumped, and hanging more and more from the pinky rest - then it snaps off... |
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Kevin Landolt wrote:I could it see it being dangerous if you're making big moves on rock, getting pumped, and hanging more and more from the pinky rest - then it snaps off...Looking at the pics Dane posted, I don't think the pommel would snap off outright, but it could rotate to the next groove. And while just a small angle change, when you're at the limit and pumped that certainly could be enough to send you. Definitely a major design flaw on Petzl's part. Just thinking about the design conceptually, someone should have gone, "duh, no way can we build it like that, the aluminum notches will strip out." My guess is that during product testing they used the same plastic pommel interface design as the previous Nomic, but the plastic notches on it likely stripped from the extra torque put on the new pommel with its serrated metal "spike" strip. So they thought, hey, let's use metal and we're good to go. I can't tell from the pics, but if they went with that thought pattern, they likely just extended the metal from the serrated spike-strip through the plastic pommel. Is that the case, Dane? Definitely poor design. Dane, have you brought this issue up w/Petzl yet? I'm interested to see how they correct it, because it is definitely going to be an ongoing problem. |
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I sent Petzl SLC a link to the problem yesterday. But they were talking on the phone about it and had seen the pictures earlier in the morning. |
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Erik W wrote: |
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I sold all my aliens, my haulbag, offset nuts, pin-rack, hammer, and wall-climbing ambitions to afford my new set of Nomics (plus another $90 for the hammers). This is bullshit - the real "achilles heel" of a $300 tool that has been around for years. I think it would be horseshit if the pommels were beings stripped after a single season of use,rendering the tool useless - but after a few outtings? I've only climbed once on my set, and the pommels look fine, but I'll be sure to blow a gasket if I examine any degradation after a few more days of use. |
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I talked with Rick Vance @ Petzl NA this morning. His year old "new Nomics" don't show the wear my week old Ergos show. None of the R&D tools in climber's hands for the last year have had the same issue. Rick is hunting done serial numbers now looking into the shaft materials to see if that is a partial cause on the failures. |
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I was just a couple weeks away from buying the new Nomics or perhaps even the Ergos, but this issue is putting a freeze on that purchase, no doubt. I'm sure Petzl will take care of you guys, but I just don't want to buy into a known problem. Hopefully they'll fix it soon. |
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Dane wrote:I talked with Rick Vance @ Petzl NA this morning. His year old "new Nomics" don't show the wear my week old Ergos show. None of the R&D tools in climber's hands for the last year have had the same issue. Rick is hunting done serial numbers now looking into the shaft materials to see if that is a partial cause on the failures. Rick said stripped pommels is a new issue to him and Petzl as of yesterday morning and Daniel's tools. I believe that. Obvious issue...but Petzl will warrenty the broken tools and solve the issue in short order I suspect.Sounds like some "value engineering" at production time. Does Petzl still manufacture in the EU? As BD has discovered, I suspect problems like these are going to become increasingly common as companies continue to offshore and the production plant sees opportunities to increase their margins. If you don't understand the design/use of an item, I'm sure a lot of climbing gear looks over-designed. One of the advantages of employing climbers to actually make climbing gear. |
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the ergo and nomic are being listed as being made in france |
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Here is a short term fix until Petzl comes up with something better. |
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Forgive me but I don't really swing axes... ever. I don't see the mechanism that is causing the wear... and I don't understand how the cord fixes if? Could someone fill me in? Just curiosity... |
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The cord has nothing to do with the pommel failures and doesn't address those failures in any way. |
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I hardly see how fault should be placed on Ueli Steck! He doesn't manufacture the tools. May have a hand in design, I don't know? And I'm sure he's not the only one testing these products. |
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It is not an issue on the new Quarks..as they have no pommel adjustment. |
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Thanks Dane for the info. Curiosity though.... I'm assuming (I know, not always the best idea to assume, but...) that because the Nomic and Ergo tools are a high'er performance tool is the reason for the adjustable pommel where as the Quarks do not have that feature? Thanks again! |
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Yes and no. The much larger hand support on the Nomic's and Ergo's pommels make them higher performance tools on steep technical ground. Having the pommel adjustable doesn't make them higher performace just more complicated. Adjustable pommels allows one tool to fit more climber's hand size. |
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Erik W wrote:e-OMC had the new Fusions on sale a bit ago for around $209/ea., I'm guessing they'll do the same at the end of the month again... might have go with those for the season. Step it up Petzl.For that price I would so be in!!! Someones gotta PM me if that shows up again. |