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Black Diamond Bionic

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Reviews	Views	Date of last review
6	10758	Fri Dec 17, 2004

Recommended By	Average Price	Average Rating
100% of reviewers	$162.83	7.7

Description:

Buy it at the Mountaineer.

Designed for steep ice and mixed climbing, this season’s Bionic sports a flexible, metal toe strap for added security. Tapered front points offer razor precision and superb penetration so your feet are less likely to shear in chandeliered ice. Lengthened secondary point spurs provide excellent stability in the grimmest of conditions like junky foam and aerated or slushy ice. Its curved center bar and semi-rigid design create a rock shoe-like feel with increased sensitivity. A Micro-Adjust heel lever ensures a fine-tuned fit and each pair of crampons also comes with a Bionic Spacer Kit so you can choose to run either mono, dual or dual-wide points.

Sizes: S/M (men’s 4.5–10), M/L (men’s 7–13)

*Sharp, tapered frontpoints penetrate well
*Lengthened secondary and serrated points offer better bite and security
*Micro-Adjust heel lever for perfect fit
*Adjustable/replaceable mono or dual frontpoints

Technical Specifications:
Vertical Dual or Mono points
Semi-rigid
Weight: 2 lbs 10 oz

Author

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jwellford
stranger

Registered: Mon Oct 18, 2004
Posts: 51

Review Date: Tue Oct 19, 2004

Recommend? yes | Price paid: $179.50 | Rating: 8

Pros:	Easy to set up, nice adjustment.
Cons:	Heavy, doesn't fit Arctis Expe very well.

Overall I'm very happy with these crampons. It's easy to switch from dual to mono, which I did several times last season based on the conditions (at home of course--you can't switch them in the field). This year I'll probably leave them in mono, and use my Sabretooths when it's warm and the ice is soft.

The fit is great on my leathers (La Sportiva), but not so great on Koflach Arctis Expe plastics.

They are heavy for their category--G14s are 3 ounces lighter per pair. Not that I've noticed or anything.

steve prettyman
green horn

Registered: Tue Nov 2, 2004
Posts: 187

Review Date: Thu Nov 4, 2004

Recommend? yes | Price paid: Not Indicated | Rating: 8

Pros:
Cons:

I find that the front points wear out quicker than my grivel or CM crampons but I do like them. To get them to fit on my plastics (yellow koflachs)I had to use a dremel tool to grind out notchs for the front bail to sit in as it came down to the crampon rail/attachment hole (on the side of the boots).

Mojojojo
member

Registered: Wed Nov 10, 2004
Posts: 6

Review Date: Mon Nov 15, 2004

Recommend? yes | Price paid: Not Indicated | Rating: 6

Pros:	cool looking, orange fangs
Cons:	should of been tested more before it was out on the market

I recommed the latest version of this crampons. But not the first generations- that is what I have. And I thought it didn't fit many boots well- especially the plastics. My version didn't have the micro adjustments, secondary points were too far back. Im glad they changed it, but I still paid too much. They're cool looking...

Groovyclimber
stranger

Registered: Mon Nov 1, 2004
Posts: 39

Review Date: Sun Nov 21, 2004

Recommend? yes | Price paid: Not Indicated | Rating: 8

Pros:	Good all around use.
Cons:	Older version- secondary points too far back.

Great all-around crampon. Flexible enough for approaches and stiff enough for steeper ice. It has a good amount of adjustment- Front Points (mono or dual), lenght of front point and tow bail location adjustments. I'm climb with the crampon in mono exlusively so I have extra points if needed.

My biggest complaint is the secondary points. The are set back a tad far, resulting in some calf- burning on steep ice.

The redesigned model apparently has addressed the secondary point issue.

GEAR-HEAD
journeyman

Registered: Sat Nov 6, 2004
Posts: 396

Review Date: Fri Nov 26, 2004

Recommend? yes | Price paid: $150.00 | Rating: 8

Pros:	Tough. Good adjustability.
Cons:	secondary teeth.

I have the first generation model of these and they rock. I almost always use monos and that gives me two extra fronts. Tha adjustabilty in sizing was a snap, and they can collaspe to a smaller length to pack or store. However, setting up the bail and front points was a bit of pain in the arse( required a little too much muscle). They are also fairly easily maintained(sharpening, etc) but I've noticed they tend to rust QUICKLY...I've resorted to using rustproofing spray after each climbing day. I haven't noticed any weight problems but I climb in NEPALS. I can definately recommend these to anyone.Also they are in two pieces, so they flex well when you walk, and I haven't had much trouble with balling.

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I'm all about compassion; just not on my dime

icetool44
-

Registered: Wed Nov 10, 2004
Posts: 21

Review Date: Fri Dec 17, 2004

Recommend? yes | Price paid: $159.00 | Rating: 8

Pros:	Tremdous bite, security, with enough flex to improve walking (versus rigid).
Cons:	Secondaries still a bit too short, didn't really chage much.

I have both 1st and 2nd generation, and called BDfor the 2nd style thumb adjusters after mis-understanding the first (there's a wedge you gotta pull before turning the adj. screw, or you'll rip the useless plastic threads out of the adj. in 2 seconds). The wedge allows like a half-adjustment between size settings, locking the adjuster either in the high or low position.
SOLUTION: I called BD for the 2nd gen adjusters for $20.00.
Secondaries: They claimed to extend the secondaries, but they really didn't. That's my only wish.

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