Dear ice tool manufacturers...

Please stop producing technical ice tools with "ergo" handles with a notch/bump for your trigger finger unless the handle size is adjustable! It doesn't fit all hand sizes and annoys me like no other.

Examples:

annoying grip #1

annoying grip #2

I don't have any experience with that Grivel tool I do own a pair of X Dreams. I like the trigger but that could be due to the size of my hand. I wear XL gloves so maybe the trigger works best for bigger hands. What size glove do you wear?

The X Dreams come with two triggers. The bigger one in the picture and a small one that's barely noticeable. Have you tried the smaller trigger?

Bill Kirby wrote: I don't have any experience with that Grivel tool I do own a pair of X Dreams. I like the trigger but that could be due to the size of my hand. I wear XL gloves so maybe the trigger works best for bigger hands. What size glove do you wear? The X Dreams come with two triggers. The bigger one in the picture and a small one that's barely noticeable. Have you tried the smaller trigger?

Not only that, but the trigger is flippable so it goes higher and lower, depending on how you set it. And it comes with an insert to set the bottom of the pommel higher. It's a very, very flexible handle system.

Also totally feasible that, since the whole handle section of the x-dreams are removable, it is totally plausible that Cassin might eventually put out new grip styles.

My gloves are typically size M, ideally size M-L but that's for another thread. I have smaller hands for sure, which is why neither grip fit. Both instances my finger falls directly on the bump and the solutions (above bump, below bump or deal with it) aren't especially comfortable.

I know the Xdreams have the smaller finger rest; I used it when I owned them.

The Xdream also has the rubber insert/shim thing at the lower pommel. They tried to make the size adjustable. Ever try putting the rubber insert back in? Sheesh.

Grivel on the other hand is take it or leave it.

Ergo-handled tools are a bit like boots - you have to buy the ones that fit you.

Gunkiemike wrote:Ergo-handled tools are a bit like boots - you have to buy the ones that fit you.

That's my point. It doesn't have to be this way with ice tools. Eliminate the finger bump and they'll work for everyone. Or make an adjustable handle size. BD nailed it the green Fusion. Petzl also found an adjustable solution that works well enough.

Odd... I am a Medium in pretty much every glove I've tried and the new Grivel handle fits me fine.

But, I do agree that grip size should be adjustable. I love what BD have done with the Fusion/Fuel handle.

And as posted above, the X-Dream handle is more adjustable than any other I've ever seen, though I do think it's too big for either extreme of hand size: I have friends for whom the handle is too big, and others for whom it's too small.

shoo wrote: [...] it is totally plausible that Cassin might eventually put out new grip styles.

There's an alpine grip available in Europe:

Have you ever heard of a file? I hear allot of complaints of the new ergonomic grips if your unhappy with it do one of two things:
1. Don't buy it, nobody is forcing you to spend your hard earned cash on a product you don't like.
2. Modify it to suit your needs better. When did everything have to fit well and comfortable right out the box? Stiff leather boots often have to be modified and stretched out to get the correct fit, In double boots any decent liner is heat moldable. You could use either a file or a really hot knife to flatten out the features.

that guy named seb wrote:Have you ever heard of a file? I hear allot of complaints of the new ergonomic grips if your unhappy with it do one of two things: 1. Don't buy it, nobody is forcing you to spend your hard earned cash on a product you don't like. 2. Modify it to suit your needs better. When did everything have to fit well and comfortable right out the box? Stiff leather boots often have to be modified and stretched out to get the correct fit, In double boots any decent liner is heat moldable. You could use either a file or a really hot knife to flatten out the features.

What's a file? Is that the object you poked yourself in the eye with so that you couldnt read guideline 1: "don't be a jerk"

Haha.

Jason, I have small hands and have climbed with with Raptors and Nomics. I think what happens is that my hand angles more extremely than it would if the bump weren't there. It saves my pinky a lot, but probably weakens my grip. I try to use my 1G Raptors for mixed and dry tooling, because the grip is smaller, maybe it helps with this.

Jake wander wrote: What's a file? Is that the object you poked yourself in the eye with so that you couldnt read guideline 1: "don't be a jerk"

Do you dislike my solution or have any thing to offer to the topic? Oh wait, you don't.