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Best 'Biner for Ice Screw Racking?


trainwreck

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After breaking 2 in a fall and loosing all the screws racked on them (I think you heard about it Grant) I switched to WC anodized heliums + those old yellow plastic "rubber bands" that Arcteryx use to offer with the Verro harness (am I dating myself? :laf:) to keep them in place on my harness.

 

I've done almost two seasons on them and though yes they weigh more than the plastic ones I no longer have to worry about having to bail on a route because I lost all the screws. I've found in combo with an ultralight harness using metal instead of plastic the overall setup doesnt feel that heavy on my hips

 

I think the anodized is key as it allows you to quickly identify which biner on your gear loop has the screws especially in situations where you can get get a clean look at your harness. If all your other biners are anodized (mine arent) get a color that is different the rest. Lastly I like the clean nose the WC helium has as I can pull the screw off cleanly and quickly.

 

I friend of mine uses two single BD wire ovals as he can rack his entire rack on just those two and seems to really like it.

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Both OP and Wild Country make large carabiners with extra-wide gate openings. I rack screws on these without issue. Advantage is that I can use the racking carabiner for anchor or pro as well, which you can't do with the plastics pieces of shit. I hate having things hanging on my harness that can't be used to anchor or protect me.

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John, you're in the Yellow Rubber Band club too!!! I think those are still the best racking option - I use a bent gate petzl spirit biner.

 

 

DANE! Do you do plastic injection molding or know what kind of rubber that was?

 

~10 years and still holding strong on those bands I got with my Verro harness (which BTW is still the best harness ever made).

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Do you do plastic injection molding or know what kind of rubber that was?

 

~10 years and still holding strong on those bands I got with my Verro harness (which BTW is still the best harness ever made).

 

If you go to a place that specializes in zip ties I think you can find something that will do the exact same thing... if not better.

 

I thought the Verro was a better trad than snow/ice harness with the oversized front gear loops for larger racks... still a great harness for sure. If only they would make the 350a with oversized front gear loops... now that would be swwet :)...

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Couple of off hand thoughts/remarks meaning no respect to other's posts.

 

I have cut up and used shoe laces, wrist loops and the gear sling to get off climbs. So not everything is full strength on my "rack". Plastic racking biners are no big thing to me. I like how well they work... for me.

 

Taking 40' whippers at the beginning of the serious climbing on a alpine route and loosing your entire rack of screws I might take as a devine act of intervention and not gear failure. Have to wonder the end result of having aluminum biners in the same position though? Physical injuries or just no lost screws?

The things I ponder :)

 

I have however now seen a couple of climbers unable to keep gear attached using the plastic biners. After some thought I "think" it is because they are not getting the biners locked down tight as required on the harness, as in a harness slot, intended for the racking biner's use. That results in twisting the wire gate out of position on the biner when pulling gear off as the result and the unintentional loss of gear coming shortly behind that.

 

I've also seen climbers that couldn't hang on to their own dick if it wasn't attached.

 

My answer is use a harness designed to hold the plastic biner. And have yet to have a problem. I also carry rap tat these days and try really, really hard not to fall off things:) If I thought I might fall I'd rack differently for that pitch. Old school may be but stuff would go to a gear sling if I had any doubts. Half of it does anyway, so again, no big thing. I do like the plastic for racking my tools on decents though and in that case would like to see more durability.

 

No hurry to get rid of the plastic part (I do replace them at least once a year which I think helps on the gate reliability) but if say, BD, would make their racking biner slightly bigger, same claw on the back fro slotting oin the harness and mades from aluminum I'd buy the first two available.

 

Harness? I really like the Petzl Hirundos for ice and alpine.

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I find then a POS but so far a delicate, but a realively trusty, POS :)

 

Handier than you would think, no question fragile, but worth keeping on my rig till something more durable and equally useful comes out.

 

Left side too far back? Shit, and I was just thinking I just needed to drop a few # to get it around.

 

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Looks a bit like one of these -

 

http://xray.bmc.uu.se/markh//climbing/iceclip.html

 

A few years ago in Cody an older ice clipper broke while I was on rappel. Fortunately it was near the end of the rap, and there was just soft snow below, and only an ice tool was hanging on it. I've heard of these things breaking on other folks too. I've started using wiregates instead (BD hotwires + the rubber things the ice clippers came with).

 

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Broke a BD Clipper a couple weeks ago. Had a tool hanging in it and it snagged on rappel and twisted - snapped the clipper instantly. Luckily I was able to get the tool back before descending any further.

 

I went home and made two of the DIY "Simond" clippers that RHYANG linked to about 2 posts up and so far, I think they're great.

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Does anyone know where to get the Simond Ice Screw rack or equivalent? I've been looking for a bit and when I asked the Ouray climbing shop, they said Simond isn't distributed over here anymore.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

I'm 99% sure I saw it in the Campmor (NJ) store this season so you might try their website. www.campmor.com

 

But seriously, that thing costs something ridiculous like $40. Just make your own. It takes 8-10 minutes, seriously. http://xray.bmc.uu.se/markh//climbing/iceclip.html

 

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If people like dane are making their own picks cause bd ones break so much it shouldn't be much of a stretch to make your own, duplicating the clipper-biner shape (flat spine, gate opening big at bottom, concave top for sorting on) in something stronger. i'm sure there's lots of people out there who would pay $100 for an unbreakable ultralight carbon fibre racking biner :grlaf:

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Anyone used the "big bro" version of Petzl's Caritool?

That was going to be my next purchase.

 

Available in two sizes:

- CARITOOL (P42): maximum load: 5kg, weight: 25g

- CARITOOL L (P42 L): maximum load: 15kg, weight: 60g

 

 

p42-1.jpg

 

p42-2.jpg

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