Rage or Shrike?

[highclimb]

for what you are going to do.......the shrike all the way. it is way more versitile than the rage. i have swung a pair of these time and time again and they have a great feel and they stick to. you will be able to do many more diverse routes with them to. you might want to think about grivel rambo or geronimos(sp) i have heard goods things about both of those tools.

Aidan

[This message has been edited by highclimb (edited 04-03-2001).]

[SpongeBob]

I wouldnt leave home without my geronimo`s! With their straight shafts they make axcellent steep alpine climbing tools that will hold up to alot of abuse. "totaly bomber".

[LhotseDreems]

Hey Latch,

I feel your pain. For quite awhile i went back and forth about these same two tools with the same demons. Do i want an alpine ice tool?.. or a bad assed water ice tool that will go into the alpine?

To make a long story longer, i went with the bent shaft Shrikes and i'm not sorry. The super light weight and versatility... you can't beat it. Put one more vote down for the Shrikes

... oh, yeah, and i forgot to mention they are MUCH cheaper tools, that was really the cincher for me.

[This message has been edited by Lhotse (edited 04-05-2001).]

[Latch_Holeflaffer]

Well it's time for this old climber to get a couple of new tools. I've done the search thing and gone down and fondled the offerings at he local shops, but their is nothing like putting steel to ice. I will be using the tools mostly for steep alpine routes, Cascades, Rockies, Tetons and Summer play in the local ice fall. I would like to do more waterfalls ,but it has been seven years since the Gorge iced up and I don't do much travel for waterfalls anymore. So, I like the feel of the BD Rage ,but I am concerened that it is too specialized. The Shrike is light and looks like it would work better in an alpine setting and it feels pretty good as well. What are your thoughts?

Thanks.

[daler]

My vote is for the Rage. The bend comes at the head not the grip( if you get the bent shrikes ) which allows for better pluging once the pinky guard is shaved off. Also with the Alaska pick the rage actually has a better angle on less than vertical terrain. And the rage has a modular head so if you ding the threads or want to change out the adze or hammer you don't need a whole new tool.

Dale

[highclimb]

i seriously doubt that the adze of the hammer would be very likly to break on the shrike.......i have never heard of this happening to anybody......has this happend to any body?

Aidan

[daler]

The point of changing out the head is not because the hammer or adze will break. It is possible to ding the threads ( where you attach the pick ). Also it is usually better to climb water ice with two hammers ( no need to have the weapon staring you in the face all the time) And usually better to have an adze in the mountains( chopping ledges, bollards, opening cans of tunafish )

Dale