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jimdavis
Jan 20, 2006, 11:03 PM
Post #26 of 39
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Registered: May 1, 2003
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Thought I'd bump this one back up to the top...see if there were more people out there with some feedback on this tool.
Thanks,
Jim
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akicebum
Jan 23, 2006, 2:44 AM
Post #27 of 39
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Registered: Sep 2, 2003
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Last weekend we were working a cave problem at the glacier. We had three sets of tools; my Ta-Koons, and two pair of Cobras, all anyone used we the Ta-Koons, the mixed pick is unreal. I lovem and I will take them everywhere.
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boulderinemt
Jan 26, 2006, 12:29 AM
Post #28 of 39
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Registered: Feb 9, 2003
Posts: 282
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i really like them, but the mixte pick i have mixed feelings over hehehehe...i just don't like the way it cleans...but tahts my personal experience with it. i tried some petzl nomics, though, and LOVED them...if i only had that kinda skrilla
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tradman
Feb 1, 2006, 4:02 PM
Post #29 of 39
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Registered: Jan 14, 2003
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I've been using the taa-k-oons for about four months on a variety of terrains:
Alpine:
If you're a beginner, don't even think about buying these. They plunge very poorly and the heads are less than comfortable to hold ready for an arrest. If you're more advanced, the tiny spike gives just enough bite for security, but you'll need to be competent with your crampons.
Ice:
The "Mixte" picks are quite thick and result in a lot of dinnerplating and shattering. The cascade picks are much better. The tools are a touch heavy and get tiring if you're not strong; anyone who's used to Quarks or other light tools will find these exhausting on long routes. The picks bite very well and the first two teeth are really aggressive, allowing quite acceptable placements in thin ice. They give plenty of feedback and are reasonably easy to extract.
Mixed:
Fantastic. With mixte picks on, they feel strong and rugged and can take a battering without a problem. The trigger and horn curve towards one another and create a tight hand space which feels secure even without the leashes. The stamped picks allow for noticeably superior torquing and jamming, and I've never felt less than happy with them.
Dry Tooling:
Again, outstanding. Without leashes they give excellent feedback, and the picks feel tight and safe on even on very tiny nicks and scratches, with the triggers feeling very natural and giving great control for very precise placements. The shaft angle brings the horn into good contact on the vertical and they're very easy to mantle on. Torquing is, as previously said, brilliant, and steins, hand swaps and figure-fours feel good. Surprisingly, they're only a very little more tiring leashless than they are leashed, but you will get bruised knuckles as the trigger doesn't protect them the way the BD Fusion or Quark Ergo grip does. Only one bum note drytooling; on really steep terrain (over 50 degrees) the pick configuration cause the weight to shift onto the second tooth, creating a slightly uneasy placement, but this is only noticeable on very hard routes (M8+) and is inconvenient rather than dangerous.
Summary:
Great tools. Lose the leash straight away though. They're highly customizable and perform well to brilliantly in most applications. they're definitely not for beginners, and roof masters might get irritated by them, but anyone in between should seriously consider them.
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mattshove
Feb 28, 2006, 1:15 PM
Post #30 of 39
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Registered: Dec 20, 2005
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Simply Superb as leashless tools. Nice swing and nice weight. Cover the shaft in rubber splicing tape and you are good to go!
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taino
Feb 28, 2006, 2:02 PM
Post #31 of 39
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Registered: Jan 2, 2003
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They swing well, and the trigger is great - but I can't stand the picks (Cascade). They don't clean well at all, IMHO. On a recent weekend of ice, we had a pair of X-15s, the Koons, and a pair of Hummingbirds - one tubular and one standard pick. The best-liked tool was the X-15; the second were the Hummingbirds. NO ONE liked the Koons, because while they swung well and bit hard, they sucked ass to clean. C'est la vie.
T
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capn_morgan
Feb 28, 2006, 2:53 PM
Post #32 of 39
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Registered: Oct 7, 2003
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A little file work on the top edge of the picks will go a long way towards making them easier to clean. Also, if they were consistantly getting buries, try not swinging as hard. Particularly with a tool like that youll find that a wrist flick sort of motion will be much more effective and efficient. Im glad to hear there is still some ice back east someplace.
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pieter
Feb 28, 2006, 3:47 PM
Post #33 of 39
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Registered: Oct 31, 2003
Posts: 43
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I have the taakoons and i think they're great. Very good swing easy to climb with. But 2 weeks ago we went on a week long course with a bunch of grivel gear. The tools that impressed me most were the new Xmonsters. They handle a least as good as the taakoons, are lighter and half the price. The wrist is in a more ergonomic position. The swing is nothing like the original monsters that were difficult to use in moderate ice. I would almost sell my taakoons and buy xmonsters but i need something i can use in alpine also.
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taino
Feb 28, 2006, 3:58 PM
Post #34 of 39
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I'm a huge fan of Quarks, and was using the same "flick" technique with the Taa-K-oons; I wasn't putting the axe in the ice more than 1" - barely 2-3 teeth. IMO, they really swing beautifully. The other folks were swinging for the fences, but even a shallow placement resulted in dinner-plating the ice around it just to remove the axe.
Filing the teeth away, or beveling the sides of the teeth?
Oh, there's ice. Thin, mostly, but there's ice. ;)
T
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taino
Mar 1, 2006, 2:14 PM
Post #36 of 39
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Registered: Jan 2, 2003
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That's why I like the Taa-K-oons; they're nearly the same arc as the Quarks. It's the pick that kills it.
And that fucking clipper leash sucks ass. BD Androids, all the way.
T
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brent_e
Mar 1, 2006, 2:27 PM
Post #37 of 39
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Registered: Dec 15, 2004
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In reply to: In reply to: I'm a huge fan of Quarks, and was using the same "flick" technique with the Taa-K-oons If you lay a quark and a taa-k-oon on top of each other, the curve profiles are almost identical. The taa-k-oon is heavier but the balance seems similar. Of cousre the taa-k-oon doesn't come with that great quark clipper leash, but who uses leashes these days? :wink:
a friend of mine says that leashes are cheating. if you want to be :robert: you have to go leashless!!! 8^)
:robert:
:lol:
Brent
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mattshove
Mar 2, 2006, 2:46 PM
Post #38 of 39
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Registered: Dec 20, 2005
Posts: 5
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If you're climbing steeper ice, they come out easy, it's with limited experience one might get these picks stuck, especially on easier 2-3 grades. You place tools at the far back of a bulge and then you can't lever them out because the top of the pick is contacting with the bottom of the next bulge. Those charlet pick are sweet, but they don't take much abuse. They don't wear all that well.
The trick with an advanced tool like this is not to swing so damn hard. They're designed for efficiency, and water ice, not soft alpine ice.
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tradman
Mar 2, 2006, 3:05 PM
Post #39 of 39
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Registered: Jan 14, 2003
Posts: 7159
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Yeah?
I'll bear that in mind; haven't done a lot of pure water ice this season.
Thanks!
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