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Black Diamond Viper

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Reviews	Views	Date of last review
4	22519	Tue Feb 5, 2008

Recommended By	Average Price	Average Rating
100% of reviewers	$197.50	9.0

Description:

Buy it at the Mountaineer.

Our lightest ice tool is also a great all-around tool due to its clearance, balance and optional attachments. The Viper offers the greatest clearance of any BD tool, making it a superb choice for highly featured ice climbs and steep mixed climbs finishing on ice. With an optional integrated leash and Viper Fang, the Viper can be used traditionally for ice climbing and also leashless for mixed climbing. Run them leashless on the rock with the Fangs and then quickly clip in with the Viper Android leashes for the WI6 finish. Its smaller, hourglass grip provides great control and helps combat the 'dead-arm' syndrome. The Viper is all-terrain, making it an excellent one-tool choice. Comes equipped with a Laser Pick, our thinnest precision ice pick designed for pure ice.

*Superb clearance and leashless capability
*Optional integrated leash and Viper Fang
*Hourglass grip provides great control
*Precision Laser Pick displaces less ice

Technical Specifications:
Leash not included
Comes with Laser pick
Weight: 1 lb 7 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: $219.00 | Rating: 9

Pros:	Light, great grip. Love the Fang and Android leash options.
Cons:	Pick isn't as agressive as Grivel's. Price doesn't include leash.

It's the first ice tool I've owned, so I don't speak with too much authority. However, I've used the Quark and the Tech Wing as well. I like it better than the Quark--nicer swing weight and better pick. I think Grivel has the best pick for water ice though, as it seemed to penetrate more easily and have a slightly better hold.

Overall, I'm extremely happy with these tools set up with fangs and Android leashes. I've been able to unclip the leashes and shake out in places where my partner had to clip into his tools to rest. It's a good system.

Broken Spectre
Addict

Registered: Mon Nov 1, 2004
Posts: 561

Review Date: Mon Jan 3, 2005

Recommend? yes | Price paid: Not Indicated | Rating: 9

Pros:	Great bulge clearing curve. Easy on the hands
Cons:	Leash sometimes pops free at scary times. Laser picks are B rated and weak

I'd give these a 10 if it wasn't for a couple of somewhat big problems. These tools are steep ice machines, easily clearing bulges and cauliflower formations with the big recurve. Having climbed on a pair of black prophets for years, my hands are feeling happy to have not been smacked up yet this season. The grip is not too big like the prophet, making this tool more appropriate for smaller hands. The leashes are great on these tools allowing for easy shakeouts unlike my old lockdowns. These tools really come into their own on WI4 or steeper or wierd ice formations.

Now for the negatives:
1)The pick is probably the worst thing about these tools. The laser pick is simply too weak for hard ice which seems to be ever present in the Northeast. After only 6 times out (without mixed climbing), I had bent the pick (b rated) and damaged the groove in the steel that stabilizes the pick vertically. I solved this by replacing the picks with cobra picks (T rated) which I have never had a problem with. That said, I have had friends repeatedly break picks from Grivel that were also B-rated so it may have something to do with the foundry process.
2) The leashes, though generally good, have a couple of problems. It's hard to mantle on the tool with the leash on because it is really to short. Secondly the leash sometimes releases when swinging making for a few scary moments. Finally, the leash can get in the way while doing belay duty or rope coiling.
3) This tool is not really appropriate for snow climbing. I'm not saying it can't be used, but the finger catch will make it harder to thrust then older tools. With the fang attached, they won't really work for snow at all.

Mike R
Master Guide

Registered: Tue Dec 14, 2004
Posts: 820

Review Date: Sun Mar 19, 2006

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

Pros:	great swing, availablility of parts and add-ons
Cons:	picks are hard to get out of the ice

A very popular tool and rightly so. If you take a big swing, then you probably like BD tools and this one should be on your test drive list. Even a wrist flickker will appreciate the way these handle on steep ice. Expensive but a good long term investment.

I LIKE these tools. I would LOVE them if they cleaned from placements as easily as my Quarks. But they don't. And it's not a matter of tuning the pick, it's a result (I'm convinced) of the design of the picks. The Titan/Cobra are probably the worst, the Laser pick is better but still not good enough. The problem is that the tip doesn't have enough taper, ie. the top and bottom edges are nearly parallel. So it doesn't back out of the hole when you wiggle it up and down. You end up LIFTING the tool out, often after extensive pumping and choking up on the shaft. That's just a waste of energy IMO. Watch BD users climb, you'll see them do this a lot. Now watch a Quark user. Hand never leaves the grip.

icejunkie
Beginner

Registered: Wed Nov 14, 2007
Posts: 21

Review Date: Tue Feb 5, 2008

Recommend? yes | Price paid: $176.00 | Rating: 10

Pros:	Weight, clearance, ballance
Cons:

This is the second ice tool I have owned so far. I should add that I have the newer 2007 vipers. I amsolutely love this tool. It's nice and light but not too light, it still sinks awesome. It clears bulges and the ballance is right on. I also like the insulated grip, keeps my hands a little warmer. I use it with the pommell thingy which makes climbing leashless a breeze. I also love the android leashes, just put them on recently for a trip to smuggs and willoughby and they worked great. An awesome tool that can be had for a reasonable price (especially if your willing to go with the pre-2007 model).

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