UKH

Well, I guess this could also go under Gear Forum, but more Lively talks here. 

So What ya seen, heard or wish to know more. 

The carbonfibre Grivel icetools seem really heat and light. But prolly spendy and maybe not the best tool for Scottish winterclimbing. 

Singingrock seems to be offering some ice Screws, that from the photos I’ve seen might be a reasonable option for Petzl steel screws (Granted they would need to perform and be cheaper, but If that is the case I might be tempted to switch from BD to those as my workhorse screws).

The new Petzl Dart seems (by them pics) have sorted out much of the shortcomings from the Lynx. Namely secondary point configuration, but until I see side by side pics I can’t be sure. Hoping that this is the case, as I do like the original Darts (at least until they started to wear out).

Anyone have any sneak peaks on What BD might have on the line? Or anything other interesting and out of the box kind of stuff (a’la Beal Escaper a few years back).

Seen the new darts in a shop in cogne last week and they do look good, now with anti ball playes front and back but for me has to be the ice rock couger crampon, looks amazing, be interesting to see if there is a mono point version waiting somewhere

The new Dart (to be available next fall) is indeed a monopoint crampon, albeit it can be also rigged as a dualpoint. 

I think the crampon you saw is the Lynx, no?

It had orange points which is why I thought it was the darts, I'd still have the couger though!!

New Darts, reworked hot-forged BD picks, Grivel Dark Machines (developed by Boswell), Kayland Fruitboots, new Phantom Techs, Olympus Mons with honeycomb carbon technology, mountain hoods for women and a lot of down jackets. Watch this space for the UKC Top Ten... 

Oh...and a golden down jacket from Mammut... 

I didn't have very long, but the best thing I saw was a Primalft bikini. 

Well, I'm that will be rather handy...

Did you see the Comfyballs underwear modelled almost exclusively by women? 

I unfortunately only glimpsed them on the way past. It's got to be said, the number of times I've been wearing a pair of pants and thought "damn, my testicles are just too large for my pants and what I need is a pair of pants with an extra contoured pouch to accomodate them) well I could count those times with zero fingers. Maybe I just have small balls though.

Did you see the bloke on the toilet on the Picture stand? Most bizzare piece of marketing I have ever seen. a "Boarder dude" sat with his kecks around his ankles, glacier glasses on and a weird hat. Thankfully it was only a plastic manikin.

I also spent a good few minutes laughing at people trying to uncuccessfully start BD ultralight screws in a block of ice because they hadn't cleared the tube.