G14

[Lambone]

Anybody use these? I was thinking of coupeling the Neumatic version with the Sportiva S for a light ice set up.

 

Next option would be the Neumatic Sabertooth by BD.

 

Any thoughts?

[mwills]

have the step-in version with the rear's of the g10L's - very light ~30oz (thats almost a pound light than sabertooths ). i didn't get the newmatic version as i've always used grivel's step-ins on my newmatic boots (trango plus and trango s). i used them last week in RMNP - i think the rambocomps might stay in the closet this season .

[freeclimb9]

sabertooths weigh 34.8 oz. redo your math

[EV]

Would these work on waterfall ice? Or more for routes like Liberty Ridge, Kautz, etc?

[fishstick]

I've got about 15 days using G14s on serac ice ranging

from plastic, to bullet proof and brittle. I also used them

on some straight forward glacial walk-ups. The version

I'm using has the yellow plastic toe lanier.

 

The verdict: The best all round technical crampon I've used.

They'd be my first choice for all waterfall duty, all hard

alpine duty where mixed or hard ice would be encountered.

The only terrain where they'd slip from the gold standard

position would be for extended steep snow or pure drytooling

(I prefer a centered mono).

 

Downfalls of G14s: Snow balls up between the front point

rails (as expected). Get the antibotte. If used in mono point

mode the mono is off-set. I'm not convinced the T section

on the front points actually helps do anything except shatter

a bit more ice.

 

Compared to Sabretooths: G14s are in another league altogether.

I tried the Sabretooth and just don't get what all the fuss is about.

 

Crampons I've used heavily or owned: SMC rigids, Chouinard

rigids, Footfangs (2 pairs), Lightfangs, Grade 8 monos (3 pairs),

Rambo comps, DMM Gladiators, Grivel 2Fs, Simond Pitbulls

 

GB

 

[thelawgoddess]

i've been thinking about getting the g14's myself. i think they're a great all-around "technical" crampon. a step above the sabretooths that way. (i think if you're looking for a comparable bd crampon, the bionic would be more similar - although it doesn't come in the newmatic style binding.)

[Lambone]

nice, thanks fishstick...thats good info.

 

I have the Bionic's also, but they only work with my big clucker boots...I like them so far.

 

Hard to justify another crampon, but the G14 is tempting.

[COL._Von_Spanker]

G14 vs Sabertooth? I had the same dilemma when buying a new pair of crampons, I have not used the G14's but when I was shopping/asking around I was told that the sabers might be a better "all around" alpine crampon, as the horizontal points may have less of a tendency to shear in questionable or thin, alpine situations, whereas the G14's might be better suited for waterice and mixxxed techy bidnass. This was what I was told so take it for what it's worth. Whenever I'm gettin' down to the anal nitty gritty of techy info I just think "people have climbed much harder stuff with considerably less advanced gear", that usually calms me down to the point I can make a simple decision.

 

I'm still not sure if the sabers were the right choice, but I would like to try out one on each foot and see what I like better.

[mwills]

freeclimb - you are right. i meant the bionics ~43 oz. as for the sabertooths, i'd still take the 5 oz and vertical front points any day.

 

fishstick is right - get the antibotte plates. bought the crampons from europe for ~100, now i'm looking at $30 for the antibotte here in the US . as for climbing vertical ice - no problem. oh, and you can walk in these .

[Pro Mountain Sports]

whereas the G14's might be better suited for waterice and mixxxed techy bidnass

 

The Grivel catalog has a range-of-use chart for their crampons. It claims the G14's "perfect" uses are: "ice falls and goulottes" with its additional "suggested" uses being: "classical and technical alpinism" and "modern mixed, dry tooling and competition".

[freeclimb9]

I tried the Sabretooth and just don't get what all the fuss is about.

What fuss? The sabretooth is simply a "Horizontally railed, semi-rigid crampon for both technical and low-angled ice." It's the KISS principle in action.

 

[Lambone]

I have had Sabertooths (frontbail) since '98 or so. they are now all rusty, dull, and beat to shit...but they rock.

 

Thing is that I want a neumatic to see how it is to climb ice in the Sportiva S. I guess when I think about it, I don't really want two pairs of Sabertooths...too bad they don't convert.

[wdietsch]

Crampons I've used heavily or owned: SMC rigids, Chouinard

rigids, Footfangs (2 pairs), Lightfangs, Grade 8 monos (3 pairs),

Rambo comps, DMM Gladiators, Grivel 2Fs, Simond Pitbulls

 

Ladies and Gentlemen ... I give you the Emelda Marcos of the Ice Climbing World ...... fishstick !!!

[Lambone]

Just picked up a pair from PMS. They look pretty tough with the monopoint. can't wait to try them. I'll report on how they climb ice with the Sportiva S next week.

 

 

[Lambone]

I had the chance to use the neumatic G14's for five straight days of climbing in Mt. They kick ass!

 

I used them with Sportiva S's and monopoints. They worked great on everything from grade 2-5 ice, from 1-4 pitches. The set-up did tire my ankles and feet out faster than big bots. But it was great to climb without 5 pounds on each foot. The flexible ankles made it easy to french step and rest, yet frontpointing was no problem.

 

One thing that is kind of a drawback with the S boots is that they are not waterproof. So it is essential to dry them out each night by a heater. But with the right socks they were warm the whole time, and it was down into the teens each morning.

 

Anyway, this is a great set up for ice cragging, and I'd highly recomend it. I will be using the combo from now on.

[COL._Von_Spanker]

Yeah, they say they are waterproof, as long as they don't get wet. Superfiicial amounts of water are n problem, but they don't stray dry for too long if there it lots of slush or rain. I wonder what can be done about this since they are synthetic and all.

[Lambone]

They did better in cold weather/dry snow. Dripping ice got 'em pretty wet. They make Nikwax and other stuff for synhetic materials. I hadn't applied any yet...

Edited December 23, 2002 by Lambone