Mono- or two-point?

I'm curious what recommendations/rationale/prons/cons y'all have for using mono vs two point crampons for ice climbing?  It was recommended I start (as a beginner) with two for greater stability, but am curious when a mono-point might be a better option (e.g., mixed climbing, precise placement, ice condition, etc.?) or at what level of your climbing you made the transition and why?  Please advise.

Mono is the only way to go for mixed due to cracks and balance point.

But for ice... really good climbers make the choice depending on the quality of the ice and the climb. I leave my lynx in mono because I'm not really good, I find it helps in making sure I'm fully on my secondary points, and it makes really hard ice a little easier. I made the switch when I bought a dedicated pair of ice crampons (was previously climbing in vasaks, which are fine!) and just felt like leaving them in one configuration was good enough. It's also one less point to sharpen...

Mono all the way. I feel actually less secure with dual points. With monos you can climbed mixed or dry routes where duals is not recommend.

Here we go again…

I hear folks recommend dual for beginners ("more stable" etc), but over the last 20 years I have taken out probably a hundred first-time ice climbers, and a common issue is that many, many of them have a weak kick. And a weak kick all too often does not get the front points effectively in the ice. With duals, the result is skidding crampons and, after repeated efforts, a mess of shredded ice that won't hold a crampon. NOTE - this is on waterfall ice; if you're looking for a steep hard snow crampon, then duals are the way to go.  On more occasions than I can count, I would switch the client over to a monopoint and they proceed to climb with relative ease the same line(s) that they struggled on earlier. I hear things like, "These are a game changer" and , "Why didn't we start out with these". I point out that for a given "kick energy" a mono will go twice as deep into the ice as two points.

For climbers beyond the beginner stage, monos shine on delicate or thin ice, where the duals could initiate a horizontal fracture.

Still, climbers all across the spectrum have their own preference, so the only thing you really must do is... try both and see which you like better.

I have tried both and prefer mono for the reasons @gunkiemike mentioned.  Secondaries are much easier to engage and if you are climbing steep columns the mono can get purchase in the folds and features of the ice or where the duals will be much less secure.   Where duals do have an advantage is WI2ish and steep snow gully climbing where you are at 60 degrees or less.   Much less calf fatigue.

Get the Black Diamond Snaggletooths.

Great all-around crampons with the benefits of mono points but with greater versatility for snow/glaciers, mountaineering, etc.  They climb well on water ice, alpine ice, snow, neve.  

Eventually, when you're doing hard mixed and very steep ice, you can add a vertical mono point crampon like the Petzl Dart or Grivel G20 to the quiver.  

These two types of crampons will get you up anything with maximum efficiency.  

Still a novice on ice here, but when I tried mono for the first time I was surprised to find that they had just as much stability as dual but also made getting solid foot placements easier.  I think if you try both you'll probably end up going mono.  The fact that when you go to Ouray or Hyalite you see most of the veteran ice climbers going mono tells you something.

Imagine if you had two picks on each ice tool.  Would it make it easier or harder?  Same logic applies to crampons in my mind!

Show me one really good ice climber who is in dual points? And, no I don't mean your uncle who climbs WI5 and hasn't  changed his game since '92. I mean someone for whom Wi5 is a walk in the park and climbs much harder and has access to try all the things. What are they using? Guaranteed they're in monos.

Mono

Sam Bedell wrote:

Show me one really good ice climber who is in dual points? And, no I don't mean your uncle who climbs WI5 and hasn't  changed his game since '92. I mean someone for whom Wi5 is a walk in the park and climbs much harder and has access to try all the things. What are they using? Guaranteed they're in monos.

I did see a video were Philip Setter was mixed climbing on duals, though he said he hated it! So it only proves your point

I prefer monos for everything but airy, unbonded icycles or sun-rotted ice, as Scott mentioned.  However, I  can't be bothered to swap configurations so I just deal with it.

If you already have convertible crampons you can always try different configurations on each foot and see what feels better.  Give 'em a fair go, though (a pitch or two won't  be enough to judge).

Sam Bedell wrote:

And, no I don't mean your uncle who climbs WI5 and hasn't  changed his game since '92.

 Reminds of me of a local hardman. He’s in his 70s and still climbs 5s in foot fangs.

Scott Biegert wrote:

Does Will Gadd count?

https://willgadd.com/664/

Scott Biegert wrote:

Does Will Gadd count?

https://willgadd.com/664/

I can't speak for Will, of course, but it's possible he could have had a change of opinion since 2012, especially with the advent of better monos/convertibles.  I've only climbed with him for 2 days, but both days (ice; no mixed) he was wearing monos.  That said, I seem to recall him saying something along the lines of, "I just couldn't be bothered to change to dual points today," and, of course, he's not your average weekend warrior either.

One very important thing I learned from Will (among many!) is the importance of the secondary point geometry and the bail setup (i.e., how far in front of your boot toe the secondary points extend).  I think that is really far more critical than whether you have one or two primary front points.

EDIT:  Typed in ignorance of Christian's reply to the same effect!

I am back on Monos after a pretty good run  on duals. I got hooked on duals when climbing a lot with a partner who used dual Cyborgs on everything up to M7 at which point he would go straight to his fruit boots. he got hooked on that program from climbing with some old  punter from NH named Mahoney..  on super thin x rated  crapfests I prefer duals.  I have let the first pitch of the Gent in really spice conditions on  Grivel rambo mono, Stingers Mono, M10 crappy Mono,  Cyborgs dual and two versions of Cassin alpinist dual pros. the super thin  spicy stuff just feels more secure to me on duals than monos.  then when it gets candles and funky there are some cool moves like camming icicles between your front points that you can do with duals. I am on Bladerunner monos now and they are great but not so great that I climb any better this season than last season. not even a half a grade difference. Zilch, Nada.  Bottom line is that most of these modern crampons are really darn good. and don't let anyone tell you that  duals suck  just because that person dosent like them. try different crampons at ice fests and make your own decision.