New Ice Tool Video Review of all the Petzl Tools! This really rocks!

Michael.. I know a couple guys who keep old screws like that to bail from. I guess they figure it's only a few bucks! I on the other hand leave all kinds of stuff behind. Cordlettes on trees, cord at rap stations. I even have two pieces of webbing and rings on my harness if I know that I'll want to rap off somewhere that maybe doesn't have a spot.

Kirby,
Me too. That is why I bought the 4 LOWE Snargs for pretty cheap $$ on eBay that looked brand new and I always carry some homemade 1" tubular web 24" long slings in-which I can leave when rapping, etc.

Guys if there is enough ice to sink a Snarg there is more than enough ice to cut a V or better yet an A thread. Good skill to have and easy enough to learn. Stronger and safer as well, than rapping on a single screw.

It is a much cleaner and safer world on the ice these days :)

since this thread has turned to reminiscing in the past figured it couldn't hurt to jump in, espicailly since Kirby gave me a chuckle about being a product of the late 70's... I'm early 80's and the pic was my first tools and rack, guess I had good fortune of starting pretty early for my age.

sadly the rack was a consequence of being on an all expense paid trip to Kodiak over 3 winters when you just couldn't get the new good stuff that was coming out up there. even worse was I didn't have a rope buddy so every time I got on ice over those years was free solo, and really no need for a rack....

first thing I did when I got back to the lower 48 was buy a full rack of BD's and some new tools/pons.

For Dane, since you brought up the Grivel screws, have you gone hands on with the new petzl screws yet? Would love to know what you think about them.

scott cooney wrote:Dane, since you brought up the Grivel screws, have you gone hands on with the new petzl screws yet? Would love to know what you think about them.

Saw and played with them at the Winter OR show. Petzl has promised me a demo rack to play with this winter. So no field tests yet, but hopefully soon. They look good, set quickly (I placed a couple in the ice block at OR over a dozen times) and love the weight on the aluminum versions. Cool tool though was the hand hand held screw sharpener.

They will have to really WOW me to get me change over from the Helix though. The aluminum version just might.

LOL! My old Chouinard axes and hammers had the slippery blue shafts and investment cast heads! LOL. Straight shafts - they sucked! Tho I did like my Grivels and my Simond's MUCH better after!

Dane wrote:Guys if there is enough ice to sink a Snarg there is more than enough ice to cut a V or better yet an A thread. Good skill to have and easy enough to learn. Stronger and safer as well, than rapping on a single screw. It is a much cleaner and safer world on the ice these days :)

Good point Dane! Thanks for the tip!

Funny I just found this guys on eBay!
These are the old 1980's and early 1990's Chouinard ice screws and the Chouinard ratchet tool they made as well!

Michael Urban wrote: Hey Ben - we are nearly neighbors. I am from Schenectady, NY!

Yeah I noticed that! Get out climbing lately? Hoping to make my way up to the 'Dacks for some shady ice this weekend

Ben Brotelho wrote: Yeah I noticed that! Get out climbing lately? Hoping to make my way up to the 'Dacks for some shady ice this weekend

No Ben - just recovering from a nice bout of the FLU - which I no doubt got at work (I am a RN!) LOL. And I never normally even GET sick! So it sucked!

Looking to get out soon again tho - trying to plan something tho for after 3/11 again....

Dane.. these guys I'm talking about use them to bail off of thin ice and frozen moss. Don't ask.. yes they are crazy! I on the other hand I carry cord to back up rap stations and for A threads. I understand As are stronger than Vs. No way am I using old screws like a picket!!

Ben.. Good luck this weekend. I'm heading up either Tuesday or Wednesday. Wish I could get there sooner as the forecast keeps getting warmer. I'm hoping for one more trip before the only option is Huntington.

Kirby1013 wrote:Dane.. these guys I'm talking about use them to bail off of thin ice and frozen moss. Don't ask.. yes they are crazy! I on the other hand I carry cord to back up rap stations and for A threads. I understand As are stronger than Vs. No way am I using old screws like a picket!! Ben.. Good luck this weekend. I'm heading up either Tuesday or Wednesday. Wish I could get there sooner as the forecast keeps getting warmer. I'm hoping for one more trip before the only option is Huntington.

Kirby - lemme know what your plans ARE for this coming week! I'm def UP for a 'Dacks ice trip this week and can tailor MY work schedule pretty-much around things to climb again! :)