Black Diamond Reactor ice tool reviews

I am thinking about purchasing the black diamond reactor ice tool, I would appreciate if some of you out there can post what you think of them... Thank you

Great all around tool. Versatile, affordable, durable, slightly heavy (so you just get stronger)...

theres a reason its soo cheap

superkick wrote:theres a reason its soo cheap

And that reason has more to do with marketing and hype than reality.

The reactors are a really well-balanced tool and probably one of the best "budget" tools out there. The design is a bit odd, since it doesn't really have the clearance you'd expect from a tool with offset grips, and it doesn't plunge well like a "regular" grip. However, it does the most important thing right: balanced an angled for an easy stick.

Would I rather have a pair of nomics or cobras? Of course. But it's $100+ less PER TOOL than either of those, and climbs pretty damn well.

Reactor review thread from january

These were my first tool and they were worth every penny. Very good for beginners. As you get better, you'll graduate away from them but they are awesome tools IMHO.

Agree that they are a good value and an appropriate first choice. But BD picks still require more effort to remove from the ice than say a Petzl. If you can score a pair of Reactors for under 200, go for them. But a little bit more should land you a pair of gently used first gen. Quarks (which will suit you for YEARS).

I thought the head weight was a bit light, so, added a set of the larger hammers. Made a fair difference for me.

Great tool for the money.

Gunkiemike wrote:Agree that they are a good value and an appropriate first choice. But BD picks still require more effort to remove from the ice than say a Petzl. If you can score a pair of Reactors for under 200, go for them. But a little bit more should land you a pair of gently used first gen. Quarks (which will suit you for YEARS).

Good comment all around.

Reactor is underated imo. Older Quarks a much better tool by comparison and every bit the equal to the current Cobra and with better picks. YMMY of course.

I read in a different post that black diamond was discontinuing the Reactor. Any word on why that is?

And thank you all for the great posts so far...

Gunkiemike wrote:Agree that they are a good value and an appropriate first choice. But BD picks still require more effort to remove from the ice than say a Petzl. If you can score a pair of Reactors for under 200, go for them. But a little bit more should land you a pair of gently used first gen. Quarks (which will suit you for YEARS).

I disagree. I have the new gen quarks and they swing and have balance like the dickens, but they are insufferable to remove sometimes! A real sumbitch!

Big difference in picks between first and second gen Quark.

Mocco wrote:Big difference in picks between first and second gen Quark.

Indeed there is; that's why I specified first Gen. Quarks. The new ones are too light and hang up in the placements like an old fashioned BD pick.

Oh...good call didn't notice that. Any experience with pick weights on the new quarks?

I was using a friend's axes this weekend which were much heavier than the quarks and I loved the solid swing, but I really like the balance of the quarks over any other tools I've tried.

I like the new quarks with pick weights much better. stilla pain to remove because of those new picks though!

Takes two minutes with a file to fix the newest Petzl picks so they aren't sticky in ice. Old Cascade pick was a better water fall ice pick. New ICE pick is a better mixed pix in factory form. Still decent on ice.

New Quark is simply a Nomic with a straighter grip. No one seems to bitch about the Nomic. New Quark set up the same way a Nomic would be for climbing will climb virtually the same. Old Quark and Cascade picks is still a great tool and every bit the equal of a Carbon Cobra but with a better pick imo.

No hammers or adze, pick weights and a Cascade pick or a Ice pick set up on the new Quark or a Nomic is a sweet combo for technical ice.

Petzl pick mods here:

coldthistle.blogspot.com/20…