|
euroford
Nov 29, 2004, 10:13 PM
Post #1 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 26, 2002
Posts: 2913
|
has anybody gotten these buets into thier paws yet? i've been beating around this ice tool deciesion for some time now, and i think i'm going to go for them. they look very convertable, leashed or leashless and likely a good choice for mixed, waterfall and alpine. so what do you guys think about em? do you think the mixte picks will work well in the ice or should i also pick up some cascades? any good recomendations for some leashes?
|
|
|
|
|
tradklime
Nov 30, 2004, 5:05 PM
Post #2 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 2, 2002
Posts: 1235
|
Haven't tried them yet, but they do look like the most promising new tool out there. Good gamble in my opinion (ignoring try before you buy). I'd say you'd really appreciate the cascade picks for ice, but I get rather excited over lower profile picks. It's a shame that they haven't set these tools up for the liberty leash. Seems like the obvious choice.
|
|
|
|
|
tim
Nov 30, 2004, 6:38 PM
Post #3 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 4, 2002
Posts: 4861
|
They look pretty terrific -- Grivel's picks and swing weights have always felt very refined to me. I am interested to hear what regular (un-sponsored) people have to say about these tools; if I were in the market for tools right now, the Taa-K-Oons would be the first ones I tried out. They seem very versatile for leashed or leashless do-it-all tools.
|
|
|
|
|
akicebum
Nov 30, 2004, 8:42 PM
Post #4 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 2, 2003
Posts: 258
|
These are my next set of tools. I got to mess around with them a couple months ago out on the glacier here. They were a prototype, but I like the feel. They are definitely not your run of the mill tool. My only question is the shaft. I don't like the fact that isn't a molded one piece shaft. But if it loosens you can send them back and just rent, beg borrow and steal until they are replaced. If the shaft is solid then no worries you have a badass tool.
|
|
|
|
|
hema
Nov 30, 2004, 9:36 PM
Post #5 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 10, 2003
Posts: 251
|
When I was hiking & scrambling in Italy this fall I saw these at a local shop. Of cource being the gearhead that I am, I took a couple of swings with these babies at the shop (no ice, so just through the air) and the swing seemed perfect as well as the curve of the handle.
|
|
|
|
|
euroford
Nov 30, 2004, 10:44 PM
Post #6 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 26, 2002
Posts: 2913
|
cool!! you guys got me even more psyched about my soon to be tools :) so any recomendations on those leashes or picks?? does anybody have any side by side or pro/con compairsons of the mixte vs. cascade picks??
|
|
|
|
|
sandbag
Nov 30, 2004, 11:09 PM
Post #7 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 12, 2003
Posts: 1443
|
In reply to: cool!! you guys got me even more psyched about my soon to be tools :) so any recomendations on those leashes or picks?? does anybody have any side by side or pro/con compairsons of the mixte vs. cascade picks?? um Tim, these are leashless buddy :wink: i wielded a pair just this past weekend, they are impressive, and the shaft isnt modular on the final product. Looks like a great tool, but it just depends on what youll be climbing
|
|
|
|
|
sharpie
Nov 30, 2004, 11:16 PM
Post #8 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 8, 2002
Posts: 1111
|
Actually they can go both ways, and that is one very nice feature of these tools. The trigger and pummel can both be removed easily with an allen wrench and leashes attached. And, I think that in this mode they would also make a very nice alpine tool. The cascade pick is a great ice pick, in my opinion probably the best pick out there. The mixte is just what it says it is, a big fat burly pick designed to be unbreakable for mixed climbing where your jamming it an torquing it in cracks. The problem is it ain't the best on pure ice routes. To start out, get the cascades...
|
|
|
|
|
sharpie
Nov 30, 2004, 11:17 PM
Post #9 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 8, 2002
Posts: 1111
|
My suggestion for leashes for these tools would (and the same for any other tool) be a pair of BD androids.
|
|
|
|
|
sandbag
Nov 30, 2004, 11:33 PM
Post #11 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 12, 2003
Posts: 1443
|
looks fine just like that and i think Jack Tackle had some of these at Ouray 2004, and he just left the trigger/hook thing while clipping into the heads with his leashes...he said it was a 'hybrid' deal looks like a fun tool hey aaron, wanna split a pair?
|
|
|
|
|
fern
Dec 1, 2004, 12:25 AM
Post #12 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 29, 2002
Posts: 60
|
so they've taken the upper shaft from the Tech Wings and the lower shaft from the Rambos and riveted them together. Sneaky way to 'develop' a new tool while clearing out factory inventory.
|
|
|
|
|
sharpie
Dec 1, 2004, 3:36 AM
Post #14 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 8, 2002
Posts: 1111
|
In reply to: hey aaron, wanna split a pair? Sure! You know me...the local gear bitch...
|
|
|
|
|
sharpie
Dec 1, 2004, 3:41 AM
Post #15 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 8, 2002
Posts: 1111
|
BTW- If anyone is interested in a brand new set of grivel top wings (new, never swung) drop me a pm...one has a hammer and the other a tail, both have the cascade picks...the set is yours for $380 (usually $240 each).
|
|
|
|
|
sandbag
Dec 1, 2004, 9:18 AM
Post #16 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 12, 2003
Posts: 1443
|
In reply to: BTW- If anyone is interested in a brand new set of grivel top wings (new, never swung) drop me a pm...one has a hammer and the other a tail, both have the cascade picks...the set is yours for $380 (usually $240 each). man you really are a gear biatch
|
|
|
|
|
kungfuclimber
Dec 6, 2004, 4:27 PM
Post #17 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 6, 2002
Posts: 162
|
I've seen them in the shop. Those tools are burly (heavy). Compared them with the BD and Charlet Moser equivalents and there is a big difference in weight. Keep in mind that I climb with some rambo II so I'm used to a tool with mass. I'd love to try them on the ice but they feel more like a mix tool to me; stronger, heavier, made for torquing.
|
|
|
|
|
mother_sheep
Dec 6, 2004, 4:33 PM
Post #18 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 18, 2002
Posts: 3984
|
In reply to: In reply to: hey aaron, wanna split a pair? Sure! You know me...the local gear b----... SLUT!!!! :wink:
|
|
|
|
|
euroford
Dec 6, 2004, 5:04 PM
Post #19 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 26, 2002
Posts: 2913
|
I'm getting; 25 oz = Girvel Taa-K-oon 23 oz = Black Diamond Viper 23 oz = CM Quark 22 oz = DMM Xeno so, yes a touch over the average weight, a problem??
|
|
|
|
|
kungfuclimber
Dec 8, 2004, 4:05 PM
Post #20 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 6, 2002
Posts: 162
|
It would be worth while for someone to compare real weight of these tools. I think some manufacturers report a weight with a light pick but ship the tool with a heavier pick.
|
|
|
|
|
euroford
Dec 8, 2004, 10:14 PM
Post #21 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 26, 2002
Posts: 2913
|
i was actually thinking along those lines, and thinking that the listed high weight of the grivel tool might have something to do with the majorly beefy mixte pick, where in reality i'll be fitting them with cascade picks for most of my use.
|
|
|
|
|
tradklime
Dec 9, 2004, 6:30 PM
Post #22 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 2, 2002
Posts: 1235
|
I just got a pair in the mail yesterday and they actually feel pretty light, mixte pick and all. If there is a real weight increase over other tools, it is hardly discernilbe to me. Also, climb without the hammer and they will be even lighter.
|
|
|
|
|
simzboardr
Dec 13, 2004, 12:19 AM
Post #23 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 9, 2002
Posts: 232
|
I ran up a pitch of waterfall ice on them today. Freakin sweet. I love the swing, great weight to them and the pointer finger thing is awesome. When you choke up on it the thing behind the pointer finger hook fills your hand nicely. If they weren't so pricey i would probalby get some of these
|
|
|
|
|
sharpie
Dec 13, 2004, 5:16 PM
Post #24 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 8, 2002
Posts: 1111
|
I climbed with them on Friday. Great tools. Without the hammers they are so light that I found it difficult to control my swing, I might add the piccolo hammers just to add a little head weight. Weight is definitely not an issue with these tools.
|
|
|
|
|
tradklime
Jan 18, 2005, 3:26 PM
Post #25 of 39
(7726 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 2, 2002
Posts: 1235
|
I thought I would follow up with my impressions of this tool. They are great, just plain great. The swing is very natural and easy to control. To me, for some reason, most leashless tools seem to have a very unnatural swing in ice, the offset handle i suppose. This is not the case with the taa-k-oons. I've tried them with leashes and without, they climb better without leashes in my opinion. I've been resisting the leashless movement for awhile now, I'm sure glad that I hopped on the bandwagon with this tool.
|
|
|
|
|
|