New vs old BD Sabertooth crampons?

[Jon H]

Just wondering.... is it just me, or did BD switch the front points on the Sabertooth from "pointy" points (like on the G12's) to a new, beveled front point that looks like a chisel?

 

Any idea when/why this was done? Or am I misremembering completely... have the Sabertooths always had a chisel point?

 

And then of course my followup question: Has anyone spent the time to comparing pointy vs chiseled frontpoints? I have a pair of SS Cyborg Pro's (and an older pair of Rambo IV's) for steep/hard ice... but for long moderate routes with pitches of snow (where I'll want horizontal points) but definitely ice to climbed as well, what type of frontpoints do you prefer?

 

Hope I described my question clearly...

[Dane]

Always a chisel on the ST. Don't think Chouinard/BD has ever done anything but a chisel on horizontal FPs.

 

Climbed a lot in both. On WI and mixed I don't see a differenece. Although I do find the chisel is easier to sharpen and will last longer.

 

Love the G12 and how it fits my boots. But like the newest ST even more because of the extra set of down points, over all weight, easier to strip, stainless and the optional lwt heel.

 

Couple of longer threads on your question here worth that might be worth looking at.

 

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/953998/Re_Sarken_vs_Sabretooth#Post953998

 

Euro 'pons were generally used on snice where pointy points work just fine. Grivel's idea (Simond before them iirc) was suppose to be an improvement. And might well have been for their conditions. NA 'pons (starting with Chouinard) were designed to be used on water ice. Hence the chisel which came from the even older first 12 design. But in reality both designs work fine on water ice if you keep them sharp. How long the front points are makes a bigger difference imo.

[Jon H]

Thanks for the info Dane!

[Coldfinger]

Points on the forefoot are on a much different "rim" on the new sabers.