ice tool rentals in Seattle

[rob]

Hey, where can I rent a variety of ice tools? I'm ready to buy a set, but I want to try out several different brands until I figure out what I like.

 

Anybody have good recs for a shop that has a variety of tools for rent? I'd like to try the quarks (new quarks, and ergos), cobras, alp wings, etc

 

second ascent?

 

Worst comes to worst, I guess I could always "buy" a pair at REI, they'll always take them back, right?

[ryland_moore]

I doubt there is anywhere that has all of the nicest tools for you to try out or rent. If any shops even have one set of ice tools, I am sure they are old skool x-15s or the like.

 

Also, if you buy them, I am sure they are treated like all other climbing gear and are not returnable. Ice axes are not, nor are crampons.

 

I think your only chance is to go to an ice comp where you can demo gear or go with friends who have different tools to try out....

[rob]

really? REI won't accept returns on ice axes or crampons? Is this empirical knowledge, or second-hand? I have a friend who says he has returned crampons to REI before

 

Their website sounds like there are no restrictions.

 

Every item you purchase at REI is 100% guaranteed to meet your high standards.

(emphasis added)

 

Also, I hear that mountain magic in banff has lots of different tools for rent, I was hoping there was some place closer though

 

thx for the reply

[kurthicks]

REI takes ice tools back, a friend of mine did it.

[rob]

OK, I got off my ass and made some calls.

 

Second Ascent does not rent ice tools. Nor does feathered friends, or REI. I asked the guy at feathered friends, he said there was some lawsuit in Montana which caused them (and others) to stop renting ice tools.

 

Marmot does rent them, however -- they have a couple shrikes, alp wings and the x-15.

 

I called REI's customer service dept. and they said that they do accept returns on climbing gear. So, maybe that's the way to go....

 

Any other places I didn't think of?

 

[ryland_moore]

REI accepts returns on climbing gear!? This only reaffirms why I never shop at REI. I wonder if they have the same policy for biners, cams, ropes, and harnesses? I am sure everyone else has opinions on this, but I would never buy ss"used" or even "pre-sold" climbing gear from anyone. This includes buying used tools.

 

I guess tools are less likely to have failure issues, as well as crampons, but most places will not take any climbing gear back. remember the guy that was trying to sell a once used ice axe on cc.cm a week or so ago, becasue he bought the wrong length?gear stores typ cally do not take this gear back, nor would I ever buy climbing gear from a store that does.

 

That is cool that the place in Banff rents high-end tools. I still think the best way to try them out is to go to a climbing comp like the one they used to have in Lillooet or check out Ouray or Bozeman, or just go climb with a bunch of guys with different tools.

[ericb]

REI accepts returns on climbing gear!? This only reaffirms why I never shop at REI. I wonder if they have the same policy for biners, cams, ropes, and harnesses? I am sure everyone else has opinions on this, but I would never buy ss"used" or even "pre-sold" climbing gear from anyone. This includes buying used tools.

 

I guess tools are less likely to have failure issues, as well as crampons, but most places will not take any climbing gear back. remember the guy that was trying to sell a once used ice axe on cc.cm a week or so ago, becasue he bought the wrong length?gear stores typ cally do not take this gear back, nor would I ever buy climbing gear from a store that does.

 

That is cool that the place in Banff rents high-end tools. I still think the best way to try them out is to go to a climbing comp like the one they used to have in Lillooet or check out Ouray or Bozeman, or just go climb with a bunch of guys with different tools.

 

Ryland - I think you are incorrectly assuming that they resell them "used" after being returned, which is not correct. I think they eat it (or perhaps have some agreement with the manf. to share the cost). The reason most small stores do not accept returns is that they will not be able to resell them, and don't do enough volume to recoup returns. Somehow REI is able to make it work financially. There are legit reasons to not want to shop at REI, but in this case, the fact that climbing equipment volumes are small relative to their high margin apparel business allows them to have return policies on climbing equipment that the smaller shops can't match.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

REI accepts returns on everything (including cams, ropes, everything). How hard is that to understand. They dont resell climbing protection. My guess is the stuff gets returned to the manufacturer or trashed.

[fheimerd]

i've been thinking of returning a pair of skis

 

would that be wrong?

[ryland_moore]

I doubt the manufacturer eats it, since it is REI's policy to accept someone's retrurn when nothing is wrong with it mechanically. But I do see your point. Or maybe REI is the big box wal-Mart of the outdoor world, where, becasue they do so much volume from the manufacturers, they can dictate to the manufacturers what to do with returns (ie. eat the cost, or we will not carry your product anymore).

 

In that case, then buy 3 or 4 sets of tools, take them all out at once, whack them to hell and return all the opthers that you don't like. Good to keep in mind.

 

Has anyone ever refused to buy gear just to use it for the weekend and then returned it when finished? I say you could outfit a whole trip like this with ropes, pro, gear, or a week-long kayak expedition up in the San Juans, or a big bike tour somewhere. What would prevent anyone from doing something like this and returning everything, except for a guilty conscience?

[ericb]

Has anyone ever refused to buy gear just to use it for the weekend and then returned it when finished? I say you could outfit a whole trip like this with ropes, pro, gear, or a week-long kayak expedition up in the San Juans, or a big bike tour somewhere. What would prevent anyone from doing something like this and returning everything, except for a guilty conscience?

 

The fear of Divine Retribution?? - oh wait, wrong thread....

[TrogdortheBurninator]

Exactly, the percentage of customers that could feel morally ok with abusing the system to that extent is negligible.

 

In regards to your first comment, REI effectively has all of their manufacturers by the balls. The volume associated with distributing at REI basically means REI calls the shots. It is a very big deal for many manufacturers to get products into REI.

[ryland_moore]

I was playing "Devil's Advocate" Eric!

[DPS]

Rob,

 

I have a couple different pairs of ice tools you could borrow: Aztars and Shrikes. The Shrikes are not a good comparison, however, because they once belonged to Colin Haley and are so infused with mojo that they will make you climb much better than any other ice tool on the market.

 

Dan

[fenderfour]

Instead of rentals, maybe we could organize a tool lending tree in seattle.

 

I have some Tech WIngs (very similar to Taak00ns) that I would lend.

[Alpaholic]

Try AAI in Bellingham. I rented from them a few years ago.

[Blake]

I have Ta-ka-oons, if you are ever going through bellingham (Like to Pan Dome or Lilooet) you are free to borrow mine.

[montypiton]

Once upon a time I was under the impression that pro-mountain sports would allow potential buyers to "demo" tools. is this not the case these days? even if not, it might be worth your while to spend some time with Jim Nelson and get his recommendations. I've yet to hear of anyone coming away dissatisfied...

[rob]

Sweet, guys, thx

 

I'm heading out to leavenworth this weekend, and I'd much rather borrow a pair then rent -- and making frequent returns to REI would make me feel a bit guilty (but not too much ) So, expect PMs....

 

 

 

[sill]

Marmot used to have a couple of good sets of tools for rent, they always got some new ones every couple of years. But that means you actually have to step foot in the place.

[tthirloway]

REI will take back anything they sell, including climbing gear. For the most part, the gear gets destroyed and the cost gets eaten not by the manufacturer but by the REI employees.

 

So really, it's much better to make an informed decision on the gear you're buying and take responsibility for getting the "right" stuff.

[selkirk]

A few shops seem to be ok with demo-ing tools as well. Jim at PMS lent a couple of us a pair of Monsters to spend an evening drytooling with, and heard some scuttlebut that Marmot led a fellow demo a pair of DMM Rebels last weekend

[Lupin]

REI never resells climbing gear. Typically they eat the cost of returned items. (everything except climbing gear is resold at garage sales for ridiculously cheap) certain vendors will sell there products to REI at a price the essentially accounts for defective items returns etc. the only stipulation for REI is that they can't resell them. So REI doesn't have to eat it all. IN regards to outfitting entire trips and then returning it all you could technically do that but from what I understand if this becomes a habit or looks out of the ordinary (more or less renting plethoras of gear at REI's expense) then you get a phone call from member services and you account is flagged and they keep an eye on you I am not sure of the actual consequences. Maybe not allowing you to shop at REI or return things or something of the sort I guess it essentially stealing. I don't know anyway just thought I would add my $0.02 But from what i here comps like ice fest in colorado (i think)are good places to test tools.