TITAN Titanium Ice Screws

[Couloir]

So, I'm tempted to buy some of these ice screws. They're anywhere from $11.50 - 13.50 and seem to be up to the task. I have heard something about their performance on hard, brittle ice. Anyone else have any thoughts on these? Seems crazy not to get a few to add to the rack. Afterall, they're lighter and stronger than the standard screws on the market...at less than half the price. What's the catch??

[jja]

Try and place one on a hard wi lead, and then you'll discover the catch

[Big_Sky_Ry]

For water ice they're crap unless you're into torquing your screws with a pick. For soft alpine ice they are marginal, even in white ice it takes some effort to get them in.

 

I used these on a climb of the Middle Teton Glacier Couloir in white ice-black ice-water ice conditions and ended up (thankfully) leaving two of them on the mountain as rap anchors when we forced to rap in a storm.

 

In comparison, the Ushba Ti screws are quite a bit nicer, although I haven't really thought about or figured out why. I have no problems using Ushba screws in white or blue ice, but they are still inferior relative to steel in black or water ice.

[sill]

I second what everyone else has said. The weight and money you save on them is cancelled out by the lack of duribility and the time it takes to place them. Funny thing is that they will probably break while you are placing them so you won't have to rely on one of them for pro.

[Couloir]

All great points fellas, I appreciate the insight.

[ken4ord]

I had some where the hangers came off. I trust them as much as I would trust a coat hanger placed in ice.

[Dru]

Those are Irbis. are Irbis the same as Titan?

[ken4ord]

Your right it was Irbis screw, hmm, I don't know if I have seen the Titan screws then.