If you’ve already upgraded to the Spark T1 bindings you may have had some troubles deploying your climbing wires with ease. If you’re not interested in working on your flexibility or doing additional lunges, Spark R&D has a solution for you, the Whammy Bar. The Whammy Bar allows for easy climbing wire deployment and stowing with your touring poles.
Impress your friends with your climbing bar deployment steeze. This retrofit climbing wire with a side arm lever (ie: whammy bar, of course) replaces your stock climbing wire for quick change high-to-low-to-stowed action. Use your touring pole to flip the Whammy Bar down for 12°, then down again for 18°. Flip the bar back up to stow.
Weights: Whammy Bar 1.5oz/pr (42.5g) | Standard One Wire 1.3oz/pr (36g)
Seriously, these make a huge difference. That deep knee bend is a huge pain, and with a multi-day pack it becomes dangerous. I’ve done two day-tours with them and I can’t believe how much easier they are to operate.
I’m kind of bummed out that Spark is not just giving them away to users considering how awful the original bars are. BUT, I also don’t mind throwing money at companies who strive to improve.
I was very excited to install the new whammy bars and make my life just a little easier. So after I installed them I tested them in my living room and found that they don’t really work very well. I have tried many different methods of deploying the whammy bar and found that I still have to drop down and use my hand. Overall very disappointed about spending $30 for basically the same part that I already had on my bindings for another one with a tab welded on the side. And they don’t work too boot.
Hey Sam, the bars will become easier to deploy with use. For me, flipping the pole upside down and pushing it down with the handle of my pole works best. Give it some time, I never bend down to deploy them.