Cobra Alaska Pick

[mneagle]

Anybody used these? I'm wondering if there is any difference in performance between the standard and the alaska picks. I'd be using them mostly for waterfall ice in the lower 48.

[PaulB]

I have both Cobra and Alaska picks for my Black Prophets. I tend to use the Alaska picks for lower angle alpine stuff, where the reverse curve of the Cobra can be a bit annoying.

[JoshK]

I believe the Alaksa pick is also stronger and designed more to take abuse at the cost of some performance.

[David_Parker]

I use both.Reverse curve on my Cobras for waterfalls and AK on my x-15 straight shaft for alpine. I did a lot of water ice with the AK and it was good, but not as good clearing bulges, hooking or coliflower ice. As for alpine, I think it's funny that people use reverse curve picks. They suck for less than vert ice or making that placement when your reaching over a bulge. Alpine climbing is about speed and I move faster with the alaska pick by far. I'd use a classic curve before I'd use reverse in the alpine.

[fishstick]

The Alaska pick doesn't require a flick at the end of the swing, so you can dial more power and speed into the placement. I haven't tried them on waterfalls, but they feel VERY secure on overhanging, bullet hard serac ice.

 

I switched to the Alaska pick after finding the Cobra very fragile. I snapped one, watch another friend snap four, and a friend of his got 6 in a season. Between the three of us we’ve got close to 50 years on water ice.

 

I suspect that they’re going to hook “differently” on water ice, but the steep angle at the tip should be a benefit. They’re superb dry-tooling. My only dry-tooling complaint (which would cut down on ice performance) is the low profile of the blade limits the width of torquing opportunities.

 

My one big complaint about the Alaska pick is the fact that the top of the blade sticks out the head of the tool, and gets driven through the palm of your hand when using the tool in canne position.

 

Oh, I use the picks on rages.

 

GB

 

[Ade]

I "modified" my AK picks with a hacksaw to remove the top of the blade that sticks into your palm. This seems to improve things and doesn't effect the swing etc.

[J_Fisher]

The biggest drawback to the Alaska picks on waterfall ice is they are noticeable harder to clean. If you overdrive one, either b/c of a panic swing or you misjudge the the density of the ice, you will pay a much higher price trying to get it back out.