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Scarpa Phantom Guides and Toe Bail tweaks?!?!?

Ray Pinpillage · · West Egg · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 180

Dartwins fit perfect on my Phantoms. I switched to the front half so that left is on the right and right is on the left. No movement what so ever and the points are straight instead of tipped in. I would bet that the Lynx fit nearly the same.

Chris Graham · · Bartlett, NH · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 545
Ray Pinpillage wrote:Dartwins fit perfect on my Phantoms. I switched to the front half so that left is on the right and right is on the left. No movement what so ever and the points are straight instead of tipped in. I would bet that the Lynx fit nearly the same.
I might try that Ray, great suggestion. you would think that this stuff would or could have been worked out with the manufacturing. I think the fault lies with Scarpa on this one...why such a narrow profile on the toe? Never had issues with my Las Sportivas or Kaylands. Strange...seems like a lot of tweaking...
Ray Pinpillage · · West Egg · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 180

I think the crampon fit with the Phantoms is better than Nepal Evos.

Auto-X Fil · · NEPA and Upper Jay, NY · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 50

My two cents - the fit of Grivel G20s on my size 42 Phantom Guides was complete rubbish. I swapped to Petzl bails and they are perfect. It took some serious gorilla-ing to cram the Petzl bails in to the smaller holes of the G20s, but it happened.

Thanks to the folks at the Mountaineer in Keene Valley for stocking every known bail. It only took 5 minutes in there to find the perfect fit.

Chris Graham · · Bartlett, NH · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 545
Auto-X Fil wrote:My two cents - the fit of Grivel G20s on my size 42 Phantom Guides was complete rubbish. I swapped to Petzl bails and they are perfect. It took some serious gorilla-ing to cram the Petzl bails in to the smaller holes of the G20s, but it happened. Thanks to the folks at the Mountaineer in Keene Valley for stocking every known bail. It only took 5 minutes in there to find the perfect fit.
Funny you mentioned the G20's. I sold mine for exactly that same reason. Never thought to mix and match bails. Good on you! I really did like the geometry and they way the G20's climbed.
coop Best · · Glenwood Springs, CO · Joined Jan 2005 · Points: 485

hmm, can't decide between the dartwins or lynx for the scarpa phantoms

i like the flexibility of the lynx, but not at the sacrifice of performance/fit

Steven N · · CO · Joined Dec 2004 · Points: 80

Anyone have some space Petzl bails laying around? Like others, I have Phantom Guides and use either G-14s or Sabretooths.

I'd love to give the Petzl bail a try

Ray Pinpillage · · West Egg · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 180

Petzl USA has spares. Call them and buy a set, they are cheap and Petzl is very good about shipping them out.

Steven N · · CO · Joined Dec 2004 · Points: 80

Contacted Petzl and they said they're only availablet for warranty issues. WTF?

Chris Graham · · Bartlett, NH · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 545
Steven N wrote:Contacted Petzl and they said they're only availablet for warranty issues. WTF?
Petzl can really suck sometimes...
APBT1976 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 55

Idk so far my Lynx fit my Phantom guides just fine.

Yes the front points are pigeon toed a bit but that was the case last year on a pair of Baturas.

Sux that Petzle would do that regarding the front bails..

Kevin Hart · · Evergreen, CO · Joined Jan 2008 · Points: 20

Hey,
I have the same boots/lynx ... oddly enough if you swap the linking bar (left right), you can then align the front points almost perfectly by messing around with their toe bail. When the linking bars were not swapped, I had the same pigeon toe points and could not change them enough with just moving the toe bail around.

Chris Graham · · Bartlett, NH · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 545
Kevin Hart wrote:Hey, I have the same boots/lynx ... oddly enough if you swap the linking bar (left right), you can then align the front points almost perfectly by messing around with their toe bail. When the linking bars were not swapped, I had the same pigeon toe points and could not change them enough with just moving the toe bail around.
Hey Kevin!

I ended up doing the same thing and they look much better...so messed up. I wonder if the linking bars for the Vasak or Sarkens would work too as they seem to be less extreme with the curve? I am keeping them like this for now...messed up design?!?!?
Ray Pinpillage · · West Egg · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 180
Chris Graham wrote: Hey Kevin! I ended up doing the same thing and they look much better...so messed up. I wonder if the linking bars for the Vasak or Sarkens would work too as they seem to be less extreme with the curve? I am keeping them like this for now...messed up design?!?!?
I'm surprised Petzl won't send out bails, I called them a few weeks ago and they sent me a pair of Lynx soft bails. Tell them it is to fix your crampons.

Did you try swapping the front sections? I asked because reversing the center bars binds up the crampons a lot and that boot is pretty flexible.

Vasak and Sarken link bars will fit, Petzl crampons are like legos.
Chris Graham · · Bartlett, NH · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 545
Ray Pinpillage wrote: Did you try swapping the front sections? I asked because reversing the center bars binds up the crampons a lot and that boot is pretty flexible. Vasak and Sarken link bars will fit, Petzl crampons are like legos.
Ray, I did exactly that...just switched the front sections over. It isn't perfect, but they feel secure and a much more natural kick is noticed now. I don't ever remember having these issues with my darts or dartwins.
Yotsuba · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2012 · Points: 75

So I just got a pair of Phantoms, toe welt is a lot more narrower than I expected!

Just had a question to ask, since it seems to be on topic with the current thread...

I have G14's at the moment that I'd like to fit on there. I went to put the crampons on, and as expected, the front toe welt makes very little contact with the bail. The curled circular sections on the sides of the bail however appear to be flush with the boot and doesn't wiggle.

Hoping to set the bails to a vice to do some crunching, however, with the sides of the bail sitting flush with my shoe, will that be cause for concern? I feel like it would be difficult to slide the boots into place afterwards with a narrower opening.

On a side note, does anyone have advice on how to move the front bails back a notch? Having a lot of trouble pulling them out.

Thanks!

Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,492
Yotsuba wrote:I have G14's at the moment that I'd like to fit on there. I went to put the crampons on, and as expected, the front toe welt makes very little contact with the bail. The curled circular sections on the sides of the bail however appear to be flush with the boot and doesn't wiggle.
I'd say if you have 3 points of contact at the front bail (the tip of the welt, and the two sides) then that's good enough.
Auto-X Fil · · NEPA and Upper Jay, NY · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 50

I used G12s with no issues on my Phantom Guides. The curled pieces on the side do indeed hold the crampon in place side-to-side. I wouldn't mess with it.

Joe Palma · · Stouffville, Ontario · Joined Feb 2011 · Points: 35
Yotsuba wrote: On a side note, does anyone have advice on how to move the front bails back a notch? Having a lot of trouble pulling them out. Thanks!
Moving the bails on G14's is extremely unpleasant and way more of a problem than it should be. Used a vice, large slotted screw driver, hammer and lots of muscle to get mine out/in. Wear leather work gloves to protect your hands as well.
Steven N · · CO · Joined Dec 2004 · Points: 80

I used a sling to pull on the bail as I held the crampon sideways (with shoes on!)

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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