OVERVIEW

Rethinking the approach to climbing vertical ice

The Hydra Ice Tool was the first project I worked on at Black Diamond, and it presented a unique challenge. When I joined BD, the project had been shelved.. 90% of the tooling was discarded, deemed unusable as a product, and we started over from scratch. Over the following three years, I led the industrial design, CMF, and branding efforts while championing extensive body weight ergonomic studies to design the most comfortable and effective grip and shaft possible for every skill climber with as many hand sizes as possible. Each component was carefully designed and optimized to reduce weight without sacrificing durability or the confidence climbers need when hanging off a frozen waterfall. Working with multiple professional athletes around the world we refined and honed shapes, tested countless materials to find the perfect combination of comfort and durability. Balancing lightness with strength, while ensuring it performed flawlessly in swing and stick - required close collaboration with my engineering counterpart. Together, we created a modular system that works for climbers tackling water ice, mixed, or dry routes—all while meeting the demanding standards of climbing PPE.It’s been incredibly rewarding to see the Hydra Ice Tool system come to market and be so well-received by the climbing community. This project was a great example of the power of thoughtful design, teamwork, and persistence - kudos to all the marketing, engineering, QA, photographers, field test coordinators and athletes alike that don't get mentioned in the fancy marketing videos.

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https://www.climbing.com/gear/review-black-diamond-hydra-ice-tool/