UKH

Hi All, new to winter climbing- have just invested in a couple of BD Turbo ice screws.Wondering if it is worth investing in Petzl Flutes to stop damaging my new saloppetes and duvet jacket !! Not even sure that the BD screws and Petzl flutes are compatible.
Would be gratefull to hear of peoples experiences/ideas- looking forward to Scotland later this month.
cheers
Bob

In reply to bobpilgrem:

The flutes fit BD and Grivel Screws. I've used them for quite a few seasons now and like them.

In reply to bobpilgrem: They work well,we use them,saves trashing your clothing and they dont stick in you if your into tumbleing!!

In reply to bobpilgrem: I'm not a fan of flutes. The grip isn't secure enough and over time becomes very week. I have lost screws by them falling out when I've leant forwards or by catching on something. I prefer ice clippers. To stop them chewing up my trousers I've stuck a gaffer tap path near were the screw rubs and I use a BD screw up to protect them in the pack. You can get up to 12 screws in it!

In reply to bobpilgrem:

Happy user here - BD and DMM screws mainly

In reply to Kane:
I don't like them for the opposite reason, mine the screws won't come out of the flutes and normally the whole thing comes off my harness (even when properly cliped to it)

In reply to Kane:

Likewise. Never tried the flutes but they add unnecessary weight I think. For my goretex over trousers the knees and inside leg area close to the foot always wear out before ice screws have the chance to do much damage!!

In reply to chopin-smith:

Those 28g each must be what's holding me back :0)

In reply to bobpilgrem:

I have Grivel 360's, and found the flutes a faff once I wanted to use the screws - Having to stow them in my pocket etc.

Bought a BD clipper (medium I think), but find them fiddly to unclip off this too.

Not got the answer yet, me....................

In reply to JohnnyW:

http://xray.bmc.uu.se/markh/climbing/iceclip.html

(Originally brought to my attention by TobyA and, yes, I've tried both Flutes and BD Ice Clippers before settling on these!)

In reply to bobpilgrem:

I've used the Petzl Flute for a couple of years now for ice climbing in Rjukan. Best way I found for me was to put it on a sling worn over the shoulder bandolier style with 5 screws. I rack the rest of my screws on ice clippers on harness. If I'm on a comfortable stance or relatively easy ground will place a screw from a clipper but on steep or strenuous positions I find it great being able to quickly grab and fire in a screw from the flute, no faffing.

Dec C

In reply to bobpilgrem: I've had the flutes for a few years but only started using it again this season. I wear it on a tape over my shoulder which is much less faffing than when attached to your harness. Once you've used it a couple of times I found they work pretty well (I also use a BD Clipper on my harness)

In reply to bobpilgrem:

I've used the flutes the bd and petzl ice clipper and the simond ice rack. The only one i found i like and found to be secure is the simond ice rack.

Personal pref at the end of the day though

In reply to bobpilgrem:

I've also lost screws using these, and haven't used them since. Ice clippers or variations of, are far less faff and if secured to your harness far back enough, the tips of the teeth should sit clean of your gore-tex.

In reply to bobpilgrem: I'm experimenting with clipping them to my rucksack straps- they don't swing around as when they're on a bandolier. Put shorter screws on a clipper.

In reply to bobpilgrem: Thanks for all the info/advise- have decided to buy a couple of flutes and see how i get on.
thanks
Bob

In reply to bobpilgrem:

To help you get on with them a bit better than some seem to, I offer the following:

Pull the tab down before you ty and remove a screw. Empty flutes should therefore have the tab out of the slot. Make sure you click the tab back in when you place a screw in the flute.

I'm not keen on putting them on a sling as they can be tipped upside down, which doesn't help. As I intend to remain the right way up, I prefer fitting them to my harness. On my current harness they fit well on the gear loops (3 on one side, 2 on the other for Scotland, plus a 22cm screw on a clipper).

On a previous harness, a few minutes getting busy with some coathanger wire made a suitable fixing between the gear loops. I think Petzl harnesses have slots to suit, but I may be mistaken.

In reply to petestack:

I've made one of these and it works a treat.

In reply to bobpilgrem:

i use the flutes for transporting screws, but clippers when climbing.

i like the flutes when i tried them whilst climbing, but never found a satisfactory way of getting 9 or so on my harness with it becoming a hassle.

anyone seen/tried that big, weird karabinery thing from kong? kind of a double lobed thing with a gate in the middle and 2 swivels for attaching.

In reply to ice.solo:

I use 5 flutes at the most and use a homemade double clipper and a single clipper if I need to boost the number to 10-12. The beef that I have with the Simond double clipper is that it is upside down - the gate opening needs to be at the top, IMHO.

My DIY version consists of two old krabs, drilled and held firmly as a pair by coathanger wire and araldite. Works a treat, but for Scotland I definitely prefer flutes and for those somewhat stressed placements, tend to grab screws from the flutes - a bit of a strain gauge in that regard - if they are all empty, it's probably been exiting!

In reply to bobpilgrem: I've used them ever since I had a couple of screws detach themselves from BD clippers. I may have been bending my knee at the time and pushed them up whilst twisting. Not exactly sure what happened but when it happened again I binned them. Grivel do a similar tube type thingy to Petzl but in flexible rubber.

Al

In reply to nniff:

But (having built and used my homemade versions) I'd say they're the right way up with the gates opening at the bottom!

In reply to petestack:


Thanks Pete, saved me having to google for it yet again!

They really do work very well. On my Renegade Harness I put my clipper on the second rack back and that seems to stop the screws from snagging on my legs.

In reply to bobpilgrem: I've used the Ice Flutes in Rjukan for 3 years now and like them a lot. I attach 5 flutes to each leg loop and find that this works well for me, once the harness leg loop straps are tighten well up and secured - otherwise they slip down and can be annoying. I've got two BD clippers too but have found that the plastic crab sometimes flexes and the wiregate pops inside out, allowing screws to fall off, so clippers are not proof against lost ice screws! (I was lucky, found the one the did fall and noticed the gate popping the second time it happened.

Harry.

In reply to petestack:


Indeed. But having built MY own version, the Simond ones and yours are clearly upside down - the gate should open at the top!