A few pics from Parlee- Dec 22 05

[Paddlerx]

http://paddlerx.smugmug.com/gallery/1060434

cheers.

[martha]

nice pics. Parlee is starting to get thicker, but I see Blue pillar is still just beginning to form.

the Madame Hooks look Rad. I love those tools...

and also very nice to see Rob in his tights again. hehe.

[Fred]

interested in trading those madams for a set of Viers?

[shannon]

Even more excited about going there. Hey who's up for Dec. 28th? We've never been there before! A few guides to show the way would be great!

Let me know if you can make it. We'll be there around 11AM I figure.

[Paddlerx]

Nope, i'm not trading. at least not until i learn to swing them...waaay different swing than the Naja's i had. and the pick displaces a ton of ice.

nice with the leashless though. different and weird. Not the best choice for the shallow slopes of All the Kings Horses, i really enjoyed them on the steeper bits though.

good swing weight for sure and the fun factor of em is high.

cheers.

[martha]

Yeah, there is no doubt they have a nice swing weight. I bet the do suck on the low angles of All the Kings Horses though. I've only tried them on Ministers face which is pretty steep. I really liked them. Once you get used to their different swing you'll be very happy I bet.

though I reckon they would have been better on the Grade 2 stuff if you had the regular shafts in them instead of the leashless ones.

Cheers.

[Paddlerx]

yep. straighter shafts would have been the ticket. but i've made a commitment to living with the funky ones for all but the biggest of climbs.

nice part is that you get 2 for the price of one. and some dude in ontario is working on making carbon handles based on the Mantis handle, i think he's overpriced them but if they get reasonable i'll probably drop for those too...
add the wacked out Mixed picks to the fray and the tool really does have a multiple personality disorder.

i found a few rocks yesterday though...and that makes me sad

[martha]

i found a few rocks yesterday though...and that makes me sad

Thems the breaks of climbing early winter ice! Old pics only until the ice is fat! hehe.

[Mountain_Marc]

i found a few rocks yesterday though...and that makes me sad

Thems the breaks of climbing early winter ice! Old pics only until the ice is fat! hehe.

Or you get Quark picks, those things are bullet proof.

[Paddlerx]

I've got 1 mixed pick now http://www.trango.com/prod.php?id=5
, and another en route from rockshoes.com out of alberta. I'll probably include another set of Extreme picks as well just to have and keep nearby should the worst happen.

the ferver that i was pounding my picks into the ice/rock with yesterday would have even done some damage to T-Rated urainium infused picks i'm afraid.

but 5min with a file and i'm good to go.

also found that the combination of big honkin BD mitts with fleece liners and the oversized rubberized non-leashed grips make for some sweet sweet warm hands on the climbs. Tracy actually had the screemin barfies after one climb, i on the other hand was actually warm...and i'm never friggin warm. wild.

[Fred]

I loved the Leashless Headed Madam Hooks when I tried them. The only thing that I thought could have been slightly better is the triangular grip. I love the cusshy rubber but the sharper triangular edges could be slightly more rounded.

If this guy produces a Mantis-like carbon fibre handle for the Madams I'm totaly considering switching.

The only down side about the ergo handles on the CM's, Mantis and others is they make them for small mixed climbing gloves. Doesn't work very well for us waterfall ice climbers.

[Paddlerx]

dude in ontario said he'd be ready by january with handles. i told him to leave them nude carbon and let the climbers tape em as needed. he's talking 80US /pair. i said that's a bit steep, he said he'll rethink the pricing. i'd do it for 60-70cdn for sure.

i agree with the triangular problem of the handles. if it still bugs me after a few more trips out i'd consider just sanding off the pointy bit. However the point makes for a nice edge when hanging off them. dunno. only tried with my big honkin mitts on so far.

i just really noticed the weight when hoisting them after a while. i suspect the lighter carbon mantis handle would eliminate almost all the bad (weight/gripshape) and add to the good (matching/hand protection).

[Fred]

but it could also throw the swing off

[Paddlerx]

shouldn't. all trangos handles are designed to fit in all other tools. the interoperablity is one of their big boasts.

the angle of the mantis bottom handle is the same as the m.hooks. only difference is that the second higher handle on the mantis is on the same plane as the bottom one (the m.hooks is not) and that causes sssssshifting when matching on rock.

swing should be the same but with a bit of reduced weight in the handle area (may make for a better swing since the head will then hold most of the weight).