UKH

Hi all,

Quick question which I am hoping someone on here will know the answer to as nothing obvious coming up when trawling Google hits.

My climbing partner and I are off to Canada in Feb 2016 for an ice climbing week based out of Canmore and I am looking to know if my current boots/crampons will fit the bill in terms of specificiation.

I am using the Mammut Monolith GTX boot with a Grivel G12 crampon. So far, these have been used for winter climbing in Scotland (up to grade 3/4) and ice climbing in France/Italy (up to WI4) - They performed well in both of those environments but am just wondering if they will cut it for Canadian ice.

Anyone any experience of this and if so, what are your opinions and what gear did you use?

Cheers,

DB

In reply to Davey_HB:

I'd definitely recommend mono points for ice climbing, something like the G14 is ideal. A friend had been climbing all week in G12s then did a few routes in G14s set up as monos, he said it was like the difference between trainers and rock shoes.

R

In reply to Davey_HB:

Seriousley consider an upgrade, I went a few seasons on sabretooth crampons and 'bendy' (bendier) boots. Cried my way up most WI4's and had to scream my way up WI5's in horrible form. It wasn't that the setup couldn't necessarily handle it, I simply didn't trust it on steeper lines, so would freak out whilst getting desperately pumped.

Switched to long monos with stiffer boots and its like swapping from a pair of rollerskates! Completely transformed my mentality and ability.

The right equipment will make your week far more enjoyable. If you don't want to splash out on a full set, consider buying the boots and rent the crampons whilst you are there, or consult a local forum and see if they can help.

In reply to Davey_HB:

I'd concur with what the others have said regarding crampons. Also axes, leashless make a big difference. Regarding your boots, I'm not familiar with that boot but if it's not capable of keeping your feet warm in temperatures around -20C then I'd consider investing some that are, ditto for your gloves and clothing.

In reply to Davey_HB:

Most people use dual points for ice out here and monos for mixed. I find dual points better for ice and monos less stable. More importantly than the mono-dual discussion is go for something with vertical points, such as the G14. These make a world of difference.

I've had a quick look at the boots and they don't look either stiff enough or warm enough. The minimum spec is probably something like a Sportiva Nepal Pro. It may or may not be brutally cold in February - most locals wouldn't bother below -20C, but then if you're only here for a week you want to make the most of it.

All this sounds rather expensive. The economic option would be to hire from the MEC or the University of Calgary Outdoor Centre:

http://www.ucalgary.ca/outdoorcentre/rental
http://www.mec.ca/AST/ContentPrimary/Services/EquipmentRentals.jsp

Have fun.

In reply to Stephen Reid - Needle Sports:

You better get a bank loan lol

Cheers guys - Not really the answers my bank balance watned to hear..

I have taken the advice of GarethSL and have joined a local ice climbing forum - Will post the question up there and see what I get back - I will update this feed with any info that I get.

If anyone happens to see the G14's on special offer anywhere, be sure to let me know.

George - Where did you get info on the boots? I could not find anything concrete and have lost original documentation that came with them. I did see something on the web though that stated they were good down to under -20.

DB

In reply to Davey_HB:

I bought Phantom 6000 double boots off the back of a great but very cold footed trip to Canmore wearing Nepal Evos, but I do run cold. On the other hand, I think Will Gadd chooses to climb pure ice in sabretooth crampons as he thinks its easier (I use monos, but am no Gadd!).

In reply to Davey_HB:

Go Outdoors are flogging off their G20 monos again at just over £100 - picked up a pair a year or two ago for about the same price. May help a bit with keeping the loan total down

In reply to Davey_HB:

I found that with bigger boots (I use Phantom Guides) the fit of the G12s was not good as they did not protude much out from the front of the boot and I therefore got very pumped and could not trust foot placements much

This may naturally have a lot to do with being quite rubbish but I got a pair of G22s for Christmas last year and the difference when climbing pure ice was astronomical.

In reply to Davey_HB:

Have a great time. Are you going with Yamnuska?

I guess like everything it all depends on how much cash you've got!

I did a week with them in about 1995. At the time I was cash poor and time rich so I spent my money on the trip and not the gear. I used some quite old and rubbish Koflachs with a really thin footbed / sole and some fairly ridgid Stubai crampons (axes Camp Golden Eagles circa 1984). My feet were generally freezing. The worst we had was about -35C - which is bloody cold. -20C is cold, -12C is normal and anything over that is toasty warm. I used toe warmers in my boots and had a bit of a problem walking across Bow Lake to get to Bow Falls (post holing through the snow only to get wet feet from the wet ice- which then froze when I pulled my feet out- this was a bit crap).

I think I'd have had a better time with better gear- Nepal Tops / Grivel Rambos / Predators. But I just didn't have the money for the gear and the trip so made do.

The ice can be very hard / brittle and it can get very cold very quickly- and since you'll have travelled along way you will want to climb even if it would be a better idea to stay inside!

Try ebay?

In reply to Davey_HB:

Join this forum:

http://www.gravsports-ice.com/icethreads/

loads of good advice, kit for sale and if you get down to switching gear in Canmore, you can normally buy second hand kit. (second hand shop for outdoor kit)

For what its worth, last time I went it was bloody baltic and ended up buying/borrowing kit from th friendly folk on the above forum and as some folk have already suggested, dual points and I also used Scarpa 6000's as I run cold.

In reply to Davey_HB:
I haven't climbed in Canada, but I used to climb ice all winter, every weekend, for over a decade when living in Finland. For years and years I thought you MUST have monopoints and there was no way classic crampons could ever work. Then I broke my terminators, and while DMM were very kindly sending me replacements, needed to use my G12s. What I found is they worked absolutely fine, even on cold ice (which I would call -15 to -20 sort of temperatures. When I bought warmer boots, I would normally just chuck in my G12s as it was too much hassle to change the size of the terminators. If you look at the pics in this review http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=6103 you can see the G12s in use on what I remember was a rather nippy -17 day! I would be very sceptical about claims that you "must have" a certain pair of crampons - like Nick said Gadd uses Sabretooths for everything and he's better on a bad day than most of us will ever be!

I would think that if money is an issue, I would worry more about not getting frostbitten toes than your crampons. I used to use my light single boots on colder days in Finland sometimes, but it's all single pitch, ab off a tree and walk back to the car in 10 minutes kind of stuff. In Norway I would always err on the side of caution and have warmer boots even if that meant they are a bit heavier. I've got Sportiva Baruntse which are superb, always cheaper than Spantiks and I got for a ridiculously good price late one season. But they don't seem to exist in the UK - could be worth looking at European shops though if you know you fit Sportiva.

Cheers for the advice.

All useful and all edging down the same lines. Better boots (and poss better crampons) required. Just a question now as to wither I invest in the kit or hire over there.

I have signed up to the http://www.gravsports-ice.com/icethreads/ froum and am just awaiting my confirmation. Once done, I will post the question there as well to see what the locals have to say.

freeheel47 - We are going with http://www.cdnalpine.com/

DB

In reply to Davey_HB:

I would think your boots would be more of a hindrance than your poon's, warmth and stiffness they're not. Vertical or monos would be considerably easier and secure to climb in.

Just my thoughts.

Stuart