For example, if you turn it on and it is in distance mode, turn it off and turn it on again and it will be in proximity mode.
Weight with Batteries: 110g, 3.9 oz (62G without batteries)Įach time the Storm is turned on in white mode it will alternate between distance and proximity modes. Max Burn Time: 50 hours (Triple Power LED), 125 hours (Single Power LEDs) Max Distance: 70m (Triple Power LED), 25m (Single Power LEDs) LED type: 1 triple power, 4 single power (2 red, 2 white) On the upper end of ice axe weights Rating: 8.5/10 The Material used on the leash absorbs a lot of water if in contact with the snow and thus your hands get cold The leash can be a bit cumbersome as it is designed to allow for a lower grip Shaft handle grip is easy to hold and prevents as many chips on the sleek paint job CONS: Hybrid design to tackle a variety of terrain Fear not though as it will still work well as a standard mountaineering axe for self arresting your fall or anchor building and step cutting. The Venom is designed as a crossover ice axe for more technical use in steeper terrain so it is only available in shorter lengths of 50cm to 64cm. The replaceable pick is ideal for more technical adventures or to keep your axe like new over the long term as you can always pop in a new pick with just an allan key. The Black Diamond Venom Ice Axe is a high quality mid weight axe with an ergonomic shaft design and lower grip that make it really comfortable to use. The dual density grip on the lower shaft gives some warmth from the cold aluminum while the Lockdown Leash decreases the chances of you glissading away without your trusty ice axe. The Venom's spike is minimal but provides good grip on ice and snow and plunges quite easily. You can order the Black Diamond Venom Ice Axe with the standard Adze or optional hammer if your adventure requires it. This subtle curve provides clearance for your hands on more vertical routes and a more ergonomic feel. The Venom is designed not just for your standard mountaineering alpine terrain but is also at home on steeper ice and colouirs thanks to its curved upper shaft. The Black Diamond Venom Ice Axe is not the lightest ice axe on the market but it's a solidly built hybrid ice axe. Since we weren’t intending on doing any night missions or early morning starts in the dark (no alpine starts needed when a lift takes you to 3800m), but really you never know in the mountains, the Storm seemed like a great choice for the trip.
Being a hybrid axe, the Venom seemed to have the versatility we were looking for and because the Colouir is lightweight and easy to stash in an already full pack it easily made the cut. As such, I was super excited to acquire a few new Black Diamond products and was stoked to try out the Venom Ice Axe, the Storm headlamp and the Colouir harness. As we considered what gear to bring weight, size and versatility were huge considerations as the threat of excess baggage fees loomed over us. The Storm 400's PowerTap Technology enables you to quickly and easily access maximum brightness with the touch of a finger.Black Diamond Storm Headlamp, Venom Ice Axe and Couloir HarnessĪt the end of a summer in the Rockies my partner and I decided to take a climbing trip to Chamonix, the birthplace of mountaineering. The headlamp has our Brightness Memory feature, which allows you to turn the light on and off at a chosen brightness without reverting back to the default, full power setting. The Storm 400 also has three different colored night vision modes and peripheral white lighting for close-range activities like carefully re-racking for the final summit pitch in the dark. In addition, the updated optical efficiency not only provides brighter light, but also saves battery life that you can now easily track with a six-setting, three-LED battery meter. With a new, compact body, the Storm 400 is more ergonomic, and the updated user interface includes a secondary switch for easy mode selection. The Storm 400 is engineered for epics in all conditions, featuring a robust waterproof/dustproof housing and 400 lumens of bright light. Featuring a more compact design, updated user interface, and a multi-faceted optical lens design that saves battery life and provides 400 lumens of powerful light, the Storm 400 is ready for any mountain mission.
The new Black Diamond Storm 400 Headlamp is still the burly, fully-sealed waterproof and dustproof headlamp built for rugged adventures, only now it's brighter, easier to use, and housed in a more compact body.