Upgrading ice tools and boots, could use some advice

I'm trying to get back into ice climbing after an 8 year break, and I need to update my gear that was obsolete when I bought it over a decade ago.  

I'm looking at 2 pairs of boots: the La Sportiva G2 Evo and G5 Evo.  I don't think anything else will fit my narrow heel.  I tend to get cold toes very easily so I was leaning toward the G5 as it's a double boot, but I'm worried it will be kind of clunky on technical ice.  Thoughts?

I'm also looking to upgrade my old Petzl Aztar tools to a modern tool.  I'm torn between the Grivel Tech Machines, Grivel Dark Machines, and the Cassin X-Dreams.  In the past, I've done well with the Petzl Quark due to the natural swing- I'm not very good at the wrist flick, so Nomics never worked very well for me.  I have size large hands so I'm worried about the grip on the Tech Machines being too small, but the swing felt very nice to me.  The X-Dreams also seem to have a nice swing and a nice handle design, but I'm not sure if the high curvature will be good for WI3 and below.  The Dark Machines are kind of a wild card because they look really light and balanced and the handle design is more simple, but I can't find them anywhere to test.

Obviously, picking ice tools is a highly personal thing and there's no right answer, but I'll probably have to buy the tools without being able to adequately test them if I want to climb ice this season.  It's pretty hard to evaluate the weight of a swing with all that paper hanging off the head in the store.

Looks like you are in Fort Collins, head into the Gearage and see if they have some X-Dreams to demo. They may also have some Bladerunners and Alpinist Tech crampons to try out. If you like a heavy headed tool note that you can add headweights to the X-Dreams. These demos typically don't come with headweights. I'm way into having headweights on mine. Also, the grip may have the big rubber spacer in it, that is removable if you need more volume for your gloved hand.

Overall, ice gear has gone through a massive evolutionary jump since you last climbed. Enjoy!

For boots, while I don't have either of those, I've followed plenty of wi4+/m6 and led up to wi3/m3 in Spantiks. These older style double boots were totally fine and not a hindrance. If you think you have cold feet I would spring for the double boot.

I have x dreams and I think they're great. But you already know you should probably go demo tools. You're never going to know unless you spend some time with each one. They all climb comparably and it comes down to personal preference. I've seen a few sponsored folks switch sponsors and climb just as hard with new-to-them tools.

Congrats on getting back out there! enjoy!

X dreams

Tech machine grip vs dark x. Dark x is easier to put psi in the lower trigger cause no crescent shape. I can use the tech only with minimal gloves,  the dark x I can wear any glove. 

G2 Evo is the warmer real double boot. G5 is sometimes called a 1.5 boot. 

Mark Straubwrote:

I was leaning toward the G5 as it's a double boot

G2 is the double FYI

As of last week, the Gearage had some consignment G5s (idk what edition/year or might be gtechs?), size 43 that looked in great shape. If that's your size and you are actually in Fort Collins, you might be in luck 

Nomics now come with a "pur ice" pick that has a less aggressive angle. They swing very naturally with the "pur ice" pick.

Thanks for the help everyone!  I ended up getting a set of used Tech Machines from the MP forums.  Got a chance to swing the Dark Machines and they weren't for me, the weight is really different from the Tech Machines, it feels more like the Nomics.  Bummer because I like the simple handle better.  X-Dreams look sick and I'll switch out for those if the Tech Machines don't work out.  The upside to the Grivel tools is that the picks seem rock solid, I've always had good experiences with Grivel steel.

It turns out that the G5 doesn't fit my heel at all and the G2 pinches my ankle when I walk, but the G-Tech almost does.  Narrow-heeled climbers take note!  I found my size, conveniently enough, on sale at a European ski shop- kinda funny since I drove down to Boulder and neither La Sportiva nor Neptune Mountaineering even had them in stock.  The boots aren't as warm as I would like, but it looks like La Sportiva is coming out with the G-Summit double boots next season, and I think they're supposed to fit similarly to the G-Techs.  

Anyway, the only thing left is to actually climb some ice.  Any recommendations on somewhere that has good WI3-WI5 within a 2 hour drive of Fort Collins?

Congrats on the new gear. If you can swing it, your best bet is to just make the trip to Ouray or Lake City to get some mileage on your new kit. 

Mark Straubwrote:

Anyway, the only thing left is to actually climb some ice.  Any recommendations on somewhere that has good WI3-WI5 within a 2 hour drive of Fort Collins?

Boulder Canyon has some flows that are good for low-commitment gear testing.  

Loch  Vale in RMNP is another good spot.  

It's been awhile, but isn't Steamboat Springs accessable in winter from Ft. Collins?

I remember there's a cirque you can hike to and there was some easy ice that you could lead or toprope.

Of course you always have Boulder if you can find some place not overpopulated

Steamboat is about 3 hours away, I think Ouray and Lake City are 5-7 hours.  I was able to make it out this season to Loch Vale back in November and that was pretty cool.  Is there much in the Big Thompson canyon or maybe up in the Medicine Bow/Snowy Range area?

Mark Straubwrote:

Steamboat is about 3 hours away, I think Ouray and Lake City are 5-7 hours.  I was able to make it out this season to Loch Vale back in November and that was pretty cool.  Is there much in the Big Thompson canyon or maybe up in the Medicine Bow/Snowy Range area?

I believe the canyons have ice, maybe the Greyrock guide would have some info, like i said; it's been awhile

I absolutely love the Snowy Range, just don't believe there's any ice.

There's an aquaduct that runs from Nederland down to Boulder, 20 odd years ago I was hanging out with a guy named James, and ran hoses from the aquaduct down over cliffbands.

Some of the whiney sport climbers back then complained to the authorities, even cut up our hoses and threw them into the woods.

Maybe somebody could resurrect these shenanigans