UKC

I found an old copy of High in the loft recently and on the cover was Rich Cross (I think) torquing fiercely on the hammer head of a DMM Alien in a crack on the Dru.

People used to talk about (and presumably do) torquing when climbing with axes all the time. Now you frequently see pics and vids of climber doing routes with axes that don't even have hammers.

What suddenly made torquing obsolete? Not necessary when leashless? Standards are so high and axes so good it's easier to hook a crystal edge?

Thinking about it, it seems like I used to torque more before I bought Quarks. Or am I imagining it?

In reply to Flashy:


You should have gone for Vipers instead then!

In reply to Flashy:

DMM Aliens, only stopped climbing with them two years ago, still have them and will no doubt use them again, good axes!
Torquing still happens, just got overtook by the fad of leashless so pictures of torquing don't look so good in magazines

In reply to Flashy:
I thought it was twisting the picks, adze or hammer in a crack!
Out of interest a few routes I know were probably easier with older style axes. Alternatively you could try this, see http://youtu.be/9Uw-wsU0xMw?t=28m1s

In reply to Ron Walker:


Me too.

In reply to Ron Walker:


Cheers for that, Mega Route X is on my list of climbs to do, very inspiring - it is the climb that got me into climbing!

Depressing to note that I still wear plastic boots, once they wear out will replace them with modern boots

In reply to Flashy:

We don't torque anymore...

In reply to Flashy:

I still torque with mine, I use fusions which don't have hammers but the picks are twisted in to cracks all the time.

I've jammed half the shaft in to a horizontal break and mantled up on to it, I wouldn't have got it in if it had an adze.