Ice Gear - Where do you go?
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Hi All, |
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Order several sizes from REI and return what you don't like. |
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Give Moossejaw a call, they might have a boot on the wall to check out. |
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Thanks guys, |
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Hey Mikeyy,,,PM sent with info and connections to local ice gear and climbing. PM or email back anytime. |
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Sweet! Mark thanks for sending me the additional info. |
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Yeah, you are entering into big money sport. 200 bucks is cheap for good boots, 200 more at least for vertical ice crampons. and ice tools??/Crap....they run 250 for each one these days at least if you are thinking good gear and steep ice. But you can always find a pair of old leashed 'madam hook's for like 75 bucks a pair here at MP sale pages. Good timing too, as ice freaks will be out shopping for the newest stuff for the upcoming season and unload their old stuff for pennies just to get something back on them. Check it out,, nothing is more fun than getting hit on the head and face by flying ice shards and bowling balls from above all day long in below zero temps out in the middle of nowhere in the UP or Canada. |
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Ice is nice. Have fun hunting in the midwest for ice. There are some good spots. |
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Mikeyy..... Hi, I bought a bunch of stuff from REI here in So. California. |
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Good 'ol Sierra Trading post - they just layer on the coupons. I got one of my ropes and a helmet there, among miscellaneous other items. I was looking at the Edelrid hybrid axe / tool on there. Is it a real struggle to use one of these on ice, vs. those super aggressive looking, "Ice tools"? |
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Just checked STP and see they have Edelrid 'Riot' hammers for 119. It's a way better tool for a starter than most would be. Price is good. Check and see if they have extra pics too for that model, either at STP or direct from Edelrid or other big distributer,,just in case you need to replace. No fun finding a discontinued tool also means a discontinued pic. And get two hammers, skp the axe with adze on it...hardly in need these days for steep ice climbs. |
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Step 1! Looking forward to seeing some of you out there! |
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I thought those tools looked more aggressive in the catalog pics. And DO pad that axe adze end, or remove it if you want. They just end up in your forehead when you least expect it. |
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Hopefully they are aggressive enough, they feel like it! If not, sling (leash) attachments might help? It is their second "most aggressive" with the "Rage" model being the most. I think the angle of the picture I took makes them look less aggressive, too. In the accompanying booklet they say this model is sufficient for vertical ice, maybe not so much overhangs and overhang-y drytooling, etc. There are 2 other less aggressive models below this as well according to booklet |
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Looks like the bottom already has an attached finger rest for below the hand. Upper ones come in handy if you do a lot of steep leashless tool changing from hand to hand. Thus more curved, aggressive pics and handles help out for that too. We create a lot of steep to overhanging ice here at the silo in past years. Some, but not always a lot at Starved Rock outdoors. They should be fine, just sharpen up the pics and get rid of any negative' angled pic points for steep ice. Often factory pics are not 'tuned up' for our ice needs and although they are sharp and stick great, they often are not tuned to 'take out' easily from the ice. More on that later when we can look over some tools when you are down here. |