tleaf Posted February 4, 2006 Posted February 4, 2006 Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) has Petzl Sarken crampons on sale for $99.98 in case anyone is interested. They are usually $160. Anyone have experience with these? I won't be buying a pair since I just bought BD sabertooth crampons. Quote
Don_Serl Posted February 4, 2006 Posted February 4, 2006 i used Sarkens pretty extensively over the past year and a half, both on ice and in the mountains. in the end, i decided they are OK, but i was sorta underwhelmed. i had no problems in the alpine, but i found the T-section front points shattered water-ice more than i'd have liked. so it was time to move on... on the positive side, using the Sarkens turned me on to Petzl crampons in general, and i "discovered" the Vasaks, which have turned out to be the best-performing crampons i've used in at least a decade (for my approach and technique, anyway). they're light, the metal is pretty tough (stays sharp better than most), and i positively LOVE the front points. i should explain that i'm into flat "chisel" front points. they give better support in alpine neve, they "settle onto" mini-texture on water-ice, and they "snag" tiny edges on rock way better than vertical points. the Petzls come with Euro-typical "V" points, so i filed the "V" off the front of the factory points till i had 4 or 5mm or so width, squared off across the tips. (file mostly flat from the bottom, not the top, to maintain a sharp penetrating plane, and to maintain "thickness" to stand on) the modified points just SLIP into the ice. and they are stable as hell on almost anything on rock. this might even be better than having my old Chouinard rigids "on the road" again! delightful... cheers, don Quote
tomtom Posted February 4, 2006 Posted February 4, 2006 Don, weren't you a big fan of the G-14s at one point? Just so we know what we are talking about, here are the Sarkens: and the Vasaks: Quote
Don_Serl Posted February 5, 2006 Posted February 5, 2006 Don, weren't you a big fan of the G-14s at one point? absolutely. i did everything with the G-14s for about 2 years before the Sarken/Vasak "espisode" over the past couple years. and i've still got a lot of respect for them as great all-rounders. plus the curly toe bails on the Grivels fit my boot welts better than the wire bails on the Petzls (all the designers seems to have forgotten that "hips" are necessary on toe bails, to allow full fit of the curve into the welt and then to provide clearance over the sole structure of the boot). and i find the Grivel heel-pieces simpler and more secure than the Petzls. BUT: in the end, the weight started to "weigh me down". and once i kinda "rediscovered" flat front points i realized how much i prefer them to verticals. i used the G-14s again one day this winter as a reality check vs the Vasaks, and was put off by the comparative difficulty i had "chipping" into steep ice without just creating a couple "divots" and having the points not really grabbing anything. (that was with twin front points - i also used the G-14s over the years some as monos, which i prefered for the little bit of mixed/rock i did, but i never got "in tune" with monos on ice.) call me retro - others may find different "tools" suit their style better - i'm totally satisfied at the moment with the Vasaks. (p.s. with the exception of the toe bails, and if they cause me trouble, i'll pull 'em and substitute Grivels... or old Chouinards...) cheers, don Quote
tomtom Posted February 5, 2006 Posted February 5, 2006 Glad to hear that. I guess I'll just stick with my dull G-12s (pretty much approaching your chisel points by now) and continue to work on technique. - Tom Quote
Don_Serl Posted February 6, 2006 Posted February 6, 2006 actually, tom, i've been seriously thinking about buying a pair of G-12s for more "comparison". i like the Grivel binding system better than Petzl's, and i did have many good days out on the G14s. i feel like i've been "retro-revolutionized" by coming BACK to flat front points with the Vasaks, and i'm pretty keen to try out the Grivel "theory" on how to do this. the only things holding me back are: 1. the G12s are heavier than the Vasaks, and 2. i probably shouldn't just drop another hundred bucks on toys. maybe i'll weaken... btw, just keep those points sharp, and i'll bet the G12s are brilliant. cheers, don Quote
ewhack Posted November 7, 2007 Posted November 7, 2007 don, have you worked with the g12 yet? comments? Quote
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