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TJH

Reviews

OVO

CAMP
CAMP OVO
5.04

I feel like a European guide when I use this...

Pros
Lightweight
No moving parts to futz up
Super fast way to belay one or two climbers; rope is a breeze to pull up and through
Secure "lockdown" if the rope is weighted...
Cheap
Cons
Trickier to rappel with
Tough belaying a leader with it
Familiarity
I’ve used it a ton

It may sound unecessary, but I carry one of these and a DMM Pivot at all times. The OVO is bringing up the second, the DMM is for rapping and belaying the leader. 
I feel having the OVO for belaying the second is key for a few reasons:
- Very secure locking mode if the second climber weights the rope; no rope creep or slippage
- Handles a variety of rope diameters well, and is super smooth when taking in rope
- Lightweight, and lives on my back gear loop when not in use

All that being said, it is never my first choice to rap with. I have used a few tricks to help with the friction (two carabiners for the rope vs. one, etc.) but it is not where this device shines. 
For my money, it is the most simple, easy and effective device for bringing up one or two climbers securely and safely. 

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X-Dream 2019

Cassin
Cassin X-Dream Ice Tool
5.04

I Had an X-Dream, and it was great....

Pros
Wicked sharp pick, swing "tracks" easily, grip is comfy and secure on steep routes. ...
Cons
Grip tape is a bit rough on some glove palm fabrics. Big hands/gloves can be a bit snug in the grip.
Familiarity
I’ve used it a bunch

I picked these up in late 2019, and had a chance to use them on early season thin/mixed routes and later on in Dec. and into 2020, around mid-March before everything shut down. 
Out of the gate, these things have a really nice swing for such a 'technical' tool and angle. I used them on everything from lower angle mixed scratching, WI5, WI4 and flowing, plastic ice on easier WI3 routes. Some of my climbing partners switch out from the aggressive angled tools to more 'all mountain' style tools when the routes get easier, but I found even on less than vertical or flowy routes, the X-Dreams worked well. I liked the fact that I could still swing away on the easy stuff, and then keep on trucking when things got steep, thin or both. 

They really shine on mushroomed blobs, steep pillars and the like, and the pick is wicked sharp. Another bonus is the picks resharpen easily. If I had to do it over, I think I would have gotten the Alpine X-Dreams, just to have a bit more of a one tool quiver for alpine stuff (N. Face of Athabasca, etc.) that you could still use on classic waterfall ice. 

Overall, these things checked all the boxes for the type of climbing I do. I am no Will Gadd, but enjoy trying as many kinds of ice/alpine/mixed climbing as my abilty and tolerance for fear with take. 

4 out of 5 stars. Get a pair. 

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