Anarchist Editorial Review

DMM's Anarchist DMM Wales DMM's Anarchist - Photo: DMM Wales.

So there I was wondering what a rock climber from Vegas knew of ice climbing when I realized maybe the real question was what did he know about me. I mean there I am, an admitted scaler of frozen waterfalls and here he goes asking me to review a mixed climbing tool. Well he obviously knew I liked to play with new toys, and he obviously knew that despite lip service to particular disciplines of climbing, I dabble. It's a nasty rumour that I once chose to leave ice climbing over the new year to visit some Mexican rock and clip bolts..... really.

The DMM Anarchist is touted as a mixed, leashless tool but as I discovered, that is only part of the truth. I may have been extremely satisfied with my tools for the last six years and lagging in the current swing towards leashless, but this tool revised my opinions slightly. That process actually started last summer when I saw and held it, when I considered it to be one of the most aesthetic looking tools on the market. While it has been on the market in Europe since last winter, it was only this winter that DMM released it on the North American market. One of the most eye catching features is the shape of this tool. While most manufacturers favour tubular aluminum shafts, DMM took the hot forging techniques they use for carabiners and applied it to ice tools. The results are the only hot forged tools on the market, the Anarchist and the more standard Rebel. The Anarchist is the leashless version with an adjustable ergonomic handle, an I-beam cross section, and a very visually appealing presentation. This process allows removal of metal along the shaft making it lighter without compromising strength. The pick with it's "hedgehog topped" shape is similarly hot forged and useful when stein pulling or sometimes when walking up short snow slopes during a climb.

So off I go into the mountains and in the early season before the ice has really formed I actually dabble in some drytooling, but it's a toss up which will arrive first; the ice or the Anarchists. Well despite the ice arriving first, I continue to try some mixed amongst my ice swinging, often carrying two sets of tools. Now while familiarity plays a big part in my preference, with my own tools coming out on top, the Anarchists gradually gained respect. At first the ergonomic handles seemed awkward to control and having the pick strike to the side of where I'd aimed was offputting. This was a different beast though and I just needed to become familiar with it. In sections of rock, it was also a relatively new experience. Indeed the freedom from leashes allows switching, matching, choking up, and other shenanigans that can be fun at times. Stuff that's good to try on TR if it's not your forte.

Grant transitions from rock to ice Richard Carr Grant transitions from rock to ice - Photo: Richard Carr.

Grant transitions from ice to less than his forte Richard Carr Grant transitions from ice to less than his forte - Photo: Richard Carr.

It wasn't just the drytooling that these tools were handy at as I discovered when I took my roomates out for the first time ice climbing. As beginners, with the possibility of dropped tools, I relinquished my tools and leashes and instead lead away up the classic Cascade Falls W3 overlooking Banff. I found that when topping out bulges, the tools had a remarkably good swing when holding them by the upper handhold with the index finger over the pommel, the thumb behind the shaft, and the remaining fingers under the pommel, that suited such low angle terrain. It made for a shorter tool that was well balanced and swung just right for a solid placement. I later used the same technique with good results when downclimbing other climbs on the descent. On the other hand the ergonomic handle provides a poor stability when used piolet style despite the spikes embedded in the base of the handle, there was a tendancy to skate out on solid ice as the handle does not have the spikes to the very bottom. These same spikes do help greatly while on vertical ice because they are at the appropriate angle to bite into the ice face reducing the tendancy to slip sideways as you change body positions.

Close up of the handle with the adjustable trigger grip and lower spikes. Darkside Close up of the handle with the adjustable trigger grip and lower spikes - Photo: Darkside.

Choking up on the upper pommel allows better swings on low angle terrain. Note the postion of the fingers. Darkside Choking up on the upper pommel allows better swings on low angle terrain. Note the postion of the fingers - Photo: Darkside.

The injection moulded handle also features an adjustable trigger grip to suit various sized hands and it's lower pinkie rest is big enough to give reasonable protection from knuckle bashing. Overall a good handle for vertical ice and mixed but with it's poor lower spikes and lack of plunging ability, it's not surprisingly less than ideal for alpine terrain. That would be better suited to the Rebel.

I'm far from being a mixed master but maybe because of that I tended to subject the tools to a little bit of abuse. At times it made me cringe such as when I saw what I was doing to the nice paintwork. The shiney aesthetic coating seemed prone to chipping when jammed into cracks or between rocks for purchase, and the pick's powder coating like cover didn't fare any better. Merely planting them in ice started to flake the coating off and the lack of friction wasn't encouraging when I was willing them to jam in thin cracks or niches without slipping.

The pick shows signs of wear, and the slight bird-beaking at the upper front edge Darkside The pick shows signs of wear, and the slight bird-beaking at the upper front edge - Photo: Darkside.

The picks do seem to make for decent placements and a few friends who tried them thought favourably of them but I found that when the ice was brittle, there was more shattering than the picks of my own tool. I will admit that I'm biased on that, seeing as I already stated my preference. Where I found them lacking was when trying to remove the tool. Few manufacturers make picks that are perfect as sold so I tried bird-beaking the upper front of the picks. I always do this to my new picks and the result was improved extraction. Another modification I didn't try was to increase the bevel on the underside. I didn't feel it was neccesary but I'll leave that for you to discover.

Grant enjoys a view of Banff and freedom from leashes on easier terrain Grant enjoys a view of Banff and freedom from leashes on easier terrain.

The folks who designed this tool must have put some thought into it, and it shows in the details. Small things like the way the hole in the tool's head set has cut away edges streamlined for a leash rather than just merely a through hole. Even the clip in point mid shaft that allows for the use of a leash for people or times when leashes may be desirable, reflect consideration of making the tool more appealing.

Overall with it's high clearance and good balance, DMM have made a good tool with a modern look. While it has some less than perfect aspects, the Anarchist is a reasonable choice that proves to be useful for more than just leashless mixed climbing. While I'll choose my own tools for harder ice, when mixed fun is to be had, I may just go leashless again.

Tech Specs

• Length - 50cm
• Weight - 650g
• Pick Type - B rated hot forged
• Approximate retail - $270 usd

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Full Disclosure: The manufacturer of this gear provided it free of charge to rockclimbing.com for review. Rockclimbing.com in turn provided to the reviewer as compensation for his review. This company does not currently advertise on rockclimbing.com. Feb 25th, 2007