Ice Tools Wanted

[Josh Lewis]

I know that I'm shooting the moon here, but its worth a try. Is there anyone here selling a pair of ice tools for around 100$? My friend bought a pair for around that much.

[Bug]

Check at Seond Ascent in Ballard.

They will probably be straight shaft at that price but maybe you'll get lucky.

[rocketparrotlet]

You could probably get a pair of Black Diamond Shrikes or X-15's for that amount. Just wait for them to come up on here or check Craigslist a lot.

 

If you end up going to Second Ascent, bring me. I love that store.

 

-Mark

Edited December 31, 2009 by rocketparrotlet

[Josh Lewis]

Just went there today in the pouring rain, and blame it they were closed at 4 because of new years, atleast I got a gps from a friend on the way and it was only 1$ for the multy bus rides which took hours. Oh well you live and learn. I guess I'll have to watch out for the holidays. Also Mark if you want to join me your going to have to take the bus with me. ;-)

[rocketparrotlet]

That's fine. I'll take the bus. How long does it take?

 

-Mark

[Josh Lewis]

That's fine. I'll take the bus. How long does it take?

 

-Mark

 

As long as you do not have a side stop you could do it in about 1 hour and 15 minutes one way, and thats from my house, if you do it from your house it may take longer, unless you come over to my house and then we both go. Now when you throw in extra stops and such it becomes a bit more complicated. I plan on going back in a while. I could still see the inside of the store and it was just filled with so much gear that it almost had me drooling, even the ice tools were visible with the ice screws and such.

[rocketparrotlet]

Bring all your money if you go. You can come out of there and find yourself poor easily.

[Josh Lewis]

Bring all your money if you go. You can come out of there and find yourself poor easily.

 

It's worth it lol! I brought all my money last time, but I could not spend it, they are also closed today, so I was thinking mabe tommorow.

[montypiton]

Also keep and eye on Ebay & Craigslist. Extraordinary deals pop up on a pretty regular basis. you may be surprised at what you can get for $100. If you don't trust your judgment on older model tools, shoot me an email - I'll be glad to advise...

[G-spotter]

Also keep and eye on Ebay & Craigslist. Extraordinary deals Stolen gear pops up on a pretty regular basis.

[Josh Lewis]

Went to Second Ascent with Mark the other day and the cheapest ice tool they had was 40$ which is a good deal, but it was old fasion style and was a little iffy. The cheapest good modern ice tool I saw for a single tool was 130$ or so. So I'm guessing Mark got his ice tools (100$ for two) for a deal that is almost never heard of. Suppose I'll wait it off a while.

[rocketparrotlet]

Somebody's selling a pair of BD Rage tools for $175- that's a good price. Still a lot of money, though.

 

The deal I got was GREAT- there was no turning it down. Maybe in due time.

 

-Mark

[Bug]

Went to Second Ascent with Mark the other day and the cheapest ice tool they had was 40$ which is a good deal, but it was old fasion style and was a little iffy. The cheapest good modern ice tool I saw for a single tool was 130$ or so. So I'm guessing Mark got his ice tools (100$ for two) for a deal that is almost never heard of. Suppose I'll wait it off a while.

Patience is it's own reward.

[godskid5]

if you don't mind straight shaft tools, and both adzes (their out of hammers), you can't beat the price tag for new tools.

 

http://blackdome.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=49&products_id=31

[summitchaserCJB]

Are you sure about that site? My computer tells me it might be sketchy.

[marc_leclerc]

Save your money for good modern ice tools, like Cobras or Nomics. Or you might end up like me trying to climb WI5 with shit tools and wondering why I didn't just spend another 100$ for a set of something decent.

[Dane]

Save your money for good modern ice tools, like Cobras or Nomics. Or you might end up like me trying to climb WI5 with shit tools and wondering why I didn't just spend another 100$ for a set of something decent.

 

Glad someone said it. Right on Marc.

Same reason there is a lot of cheap second hand tools out there, most are long obsolete. That includes some really "new" ones. Doesn't mean you can't climb with them and climb hard...but why would you want to? Nothing they will teach you a good modern tool won't teach you faster and with less effort.

 

You can rock climb hard in boots as well but most prefer doing so in a modern rock shoe. Same idea.....way more than you might think.

[EastCoastBastard]

That being said, there are some really good ice tools out there that are "discontinued" - the rages being one of them. You can also pick up the old cobras for a pretty decent price sometimes. For the right price, a pair of bent shaft Black Prophets would be sweet too, at least for the first year or so. An advantage to buying BD is that the picks are the same as the ones on the current tools.

 

There are a lot of SHITTY cheap tools out there. But if you could get some tools from one of the big 3 (Petzl/charlet, Grivel, BD) it'd be hard to go too wrong.

Quasars, Axars (charletmoser) could be good too. Grivel's "wing" tools are only a few years off the current lineup and are pretty sweet too.

 

Buy smart, not cheap.

[Bug]

Ditto.

I climbed on straight shaft tools for decades.

They worked.

About four years ago I bought a pair of second hand Cobras.

It is AMAZING how much easier they are to climb with.

Cobras are now somewhat obsolete.

If you really want to get into ice,

Sell your Magic cards.

Sell your XBox.

Sell whatever you have to and God forbid, maybe even offer to mow a lawn or two.

But get good modern tools.

[stevetimetravlr]

I recently upgraded my tools from the old straight shaft models, to the new Petzl Aztars. HOLY SHEEP SHIT, WHAT A DIFFERENCE!

[Dane]

Curt (Monty Piton) made the point many times of buying a set of the new Cobra for $150 per tool, $300 for the set, earlier this year. A pair of new Cobras just sold for $212 each this morning on Ebay.

 

I've not been so lucky but have bought them for $175 each. I've also gotten Nomics and Quarks *new* for under $200 per tool several times and used Quarks even cheaper.

 

But it has taken some effort looking on Ebay, at 2nd Ascent and watching the online sells @ Moosejaw and Eastern Mountain Sports on line. Eastern Mountain Sports has been my best source for discounted ice tools.

 

If you really think you are going to get into hard technical ice (an have done some hard technical rock) I would save my money, wait till the end of the season and keep track of all the above.

 

Most of us would loan you tools to climb with till you get your own..so waiting won't stop you from climbing.

 

*Lots of older tools that you can climb hard with.*

 

But you have now idea just how much easier it is with a Nomic, new Fusion, Quark/Quark Ergo, newest Cobra, newest Viper, Reactor, DMC Rebel or Simond Anaconda Cup. Everything (I think that covers it) else is just not in the same ball game for technicla water ice. Trying to give you a "best" list and might want to put the Quark Ero and the Reactor as iffy on that list imo. But either can can be had *really* cheap used which would make them attactive to me.

[skeletor]

So, newbie question here: I've always heard that if you want to climb alpine ice, better to go with more of a traditional, straighter shaft, and if you want to climb waterfall ice, go with the newer curved shafts.

 

Is that still true? I'm interested in ice climbing in order to expand the types of mountains and routes i can climb, say something like North face of Hood or triple couloirs on Dragontail... what sort of tools would you guys recommend?

[EastCoastBastard]

I don't think that necessarily holds true. I think that with modern, all-around ice tools (Quarks, Cobras etc... that have a spike and a hammer, not something like the Monsters or Nomic) are so well designed that there are few/no disadvantages in terms of technical performance on alpine ice. I think that you might not see the full potential of Cobras, quarks etc.. until you get on some hard stuff, but they would be excellent for everything, whereas something like the aztarex would be great for steep hard snow, but little else.

 

just my thoughts.

[Josh Lewis]

The people at second ascent were quite honest, they were telling me I "could use them" but modern tools were better quality and nicer to use. I have more of an interest in steep snow climbs, something like Big Four Mountain when snow covered. But I could always wait longer and get the modern tools.

[Dane]

EastcoastB is right on with that comment, IMO.

 

Here is where I am coming from. I was at first appalled at the thought of taking even a slightly curved tool like the original carbon fiber Cobra on a big mtn route. Questioned Mark Twight's choice of tools in person before he left for the Slovak/CZD on Denali infact with House and Backes.

 

Mark's comment to me was, "open your mind".

 

Took me a few years to actually pry that pea open and really understand some of what he was saying but now I am using Nomics everywhere. Not the best tool on moderate terrain but with an open mind I make it work.

 

North face of Hood or Triple Couloirs (both good technical climbs) can easily be done with curved tools and straight shafts, or even easier done in bad conditions (read hard ice) with more modern tools and bent shafts.

 

One disadvantage of more modern tools and recurved picks is the ability to self arrest. But you learn quickly most stuff even beginners can now climb easily you can't self arrest on anyway. Trick is not falling. My thought is the more secure your tools are the less likely you are to fall.