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Ice tool recommendations?


kurthicks

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It's a little early to be hoping about a good ice season, but...i'm still considering getting a new set of tools. I have the Grivel Light Machines now and like the small diameter of the shafts, but would like something with a straight shaft for added versatility. any suggestions? anybody used the BD Prophets and have an opinion? thanks.

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I have one straight shaft BP for use as a 3rd tool and I wouldn't want to climb anything verticle with it. It's a fine alpine tool, but, obvioulsy, would suck on WI.

 

The grip is comfy. If you have real small hands, the grip might be too big.

Edited by Bronco
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Wazzumountaineer,

 

I have a pair of straight-shaft BD Shrikes, and a pair of bent-shaft BD Shrikes. Both are great. It is nice to have the tools all using the same type of pick. I'm not into mixed or really steep stuff like WI5, so I can't say how these tools would perform on such routes. But they are great for Cascades mountaineering and moderate water ice routes in Colorado and Washington. I use the bent-shaft tools for waterfall ice, and the straight-shaft tools for mountaineering.

 

Only down-side to the Shrikes is the somewhat lame "tongue-and-groove" system through which the pick is attached to the tool. Requires seriously torquing the bolt in order to get enough clamping action on the pick to hold it steady. The two-bolt systems used by other manufacturers (e.g., Grivel) are better, in my opinion.

 

Still, the Shrikes are relatively cheap and are reasonably lightweight.

 

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I've got straight-shaft CFBP's (with Alaska picks) for alpine ice. Great combination. With re-curve picks they may be OK for easy WI climbs, but I've got Cobras for that. The grip appears to be large, but is sculpted enought that my fiance, with pretty small hands, prefers them to the smaller-shafted Rages.

 

If the straight-shafts are unavailable, try the bent-shaft CFBP's. Good grip, but they still plunge into the snow pretty well.

 

Second Ascent in Ballard has had both every now and then.

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wazzumountaineer said:

.... anybody used the BD Prophets and have an opinion? thanks.

I have two bent shaft Prophets and a straight shaft as a third tool. I also use the straight shaft as a complement to my mountaineering axe on alpine routes, but I wouldn't hesitate to use one of the bents. For anything except steep WI, I use the BD Alaska picks. No complaints about the Prophets...they're tough and have a great feel to them. Should be able to find used ones for cheap.

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I like my Simond Piranhas.

 

I ordered them from Barrabes a few years ago. The shipping was refreshingly minimal: two pieces of cardboard taped around two tools - kind of an ice tool cardboard sandwich. Picks and spikes poking out all the way around. shocked.gif The tools arrived fine, hell, they're designed for abuse. I feel kind of sorry for all of the packages between Spain and the west coast that they shredded apart...

 

-t

 

 

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terrible_ted said:

I like my Simond Piranhas.

 

I ordered them from Barrabes a few years ago. The shipping was refreshingly minimal: two pieces of cardboard taped around two tools - kind of an ice tool cardboard sandwich. Picks and spikes poking out all the way around. shocked.gif The tools arrived fine, hell, they're designed for abuse. I feel kind of sorry for all of the packages between Spain and the west coast that they shredded apart...

 

-t

 

 

Right on! thumbs_up.gif

I bought both my Simond Piranhas on sale at REI a few years ago. A couple of weeks later they were selling out the attachments so I bought what they had left at 50 cents a piece.

Excellent Tools!

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ncascademtns said:

I bought both my Simond Piranhas on sale at REI a few years ago.

 

What? That seems pretty odd. I thought REI only carried two tools, the BD overpriced-whatever-of-the-month, and the Moser XXXar equivalent...

 

I always thought it was funny that the company that claimed "It all started with an ice axe..." only stocked two alpine axes for nearly a decade... rolleyes.gif

 

-t

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shredmaximus said:

Still blowing them out at STP

 

that's kind of why i was askin... i might just get a pair of Prophets, sell my Light Machines and hookup with some new bent shafts smileysex5.gif. probably some BDs because i could change picks that way. hmmm, time to do some actual thinking. madgo_ron.gif

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hey wazzu,

 

Profets are great tools,but they will feel and swing totaly different than the Machines. They will be heavier and the weight is more balanced throught the shaft, but most of all you will notice a big differance in the lake of curve in the shaft.

 

I climbed on Bent Shaft BP's for a while and still love them. It is a beefy tool with a much wider grip than the Machine. But it is a great all around tool.

 

As far as bent vrs. straight...ask yourself what you will be doing more of, Alpine Ice Gullies, or Waterfalls, and buy acordingly.

 

I was also very happy with the shrieks. It feels much lighter and is easier to wield than the BP.

 

But if you really want my advice, quit procrastonating and get yourself a pair of Cobras. bigdrink.gif

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i had the prophets for a while. nice tool but a bit big for my hands.

 

i've inherited a some shrikes. i haven't used them much but they feel pretty good. more comfortable in my hands

 

go buy the cobras. that's what i would've done if i hadn't inherited the shrikes for free. wink.gif

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terrible_ted said:

 

What? That seems pretty odd. I thought REI only carried two tools, the BD overpriced-whatever-of-the-month, and the Moser XXXar equivalent...

 

I always thought it was funny that the company that claimed "It all started with an ice axe..." only stocked two alpine axes for nearly a decade... rolleyes.gif

 

-t

 

I bought them at the old Redmond REI. That was the only REI that had them. Kind of strange.

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Colin said:

I've got a pair of Cobras that I'll sell for $360 ($180 less than a new pair). They are good tools, and in good shape, but I feel that the grips are too big for my hands.

 

They can come with either a new pair of Stinger picks, or a used (but sharpened) pair of Cobra picks.

 

colinhaley@comcast.net

206-232-1798

 

-Colin

The residual mojo comes free with the tools.
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Colin said:

I've got a pair of Cobras that I'll sell for $360 ($180 less than a new pair). They are good tools, and in good shape, but I feel that the grips are too big for my hands.

 

They can come with either a new pair of Stinger picks, or a used (but sharpened) pair of Cobra picks.

 

colinhaley@comcast.net

206-232-1798

 

-Colin

 

Colin, the trick is to take off the rubber. The diameter shrinks and you will find that the sensitivity improves a whole lot.

 

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fleblebleb said:

Colin said:

I've got a pair of Cobras that I'll sell for $360 ($180 less than a new pair). They are good tools, and in good shape, but I feel that the grips are too big for my hands.

 

They can come with either a new pair of Stinger picks, or a used (but sharpened) pair of Cobra picks.

 

colinhaley@comcast.net

206-232-1798

 

-Colin

 

Colin, the trick is to take off the rubber. The diameter shrinks and you will find that the sensitivity improves a whole lot.

have you done this? if so, did you replace it with anything or are you just pulling on the carbon?

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