UKH

Looking at getting some new ice screws, which would you recommend and why? 

which can you get cheaper?

Found them both for 57 quid a screw.

I’d still predominantly get steel screws. The alu ones are a tad fragile. For allround use. If I were to live with lots of long pure ice lines, I’d think more about them alu options. 
 

I do have a Laser alu one (booty, yey). And I do like it. Haven’t had a BD one so can’t do a real comparison. That being said, I do prefer the non alu BDs over the non alu Petzl. 

I've got a rack of BD express'  already and I do like them,  I was thinking of getting a few ally ones just to lighten the rack for long ice routes and alpine routes. I wasn't sure if either of the ally screws had any issues with durability etc. 

If you've not already come across it, I understand the cold-conductivity compared to traditional steel can make them difficult to clean the core from. 
Can't say from personal experience, unfortunately, as I've yet to have the chance to place the Petzl ones I got a couple of years ago

I had some aluminium CAMP screws from back in the late 90s. I found the ice stuck in them very readily - no idea why, and they were a thicker gauge of aluminium than modern ones, but yep - that's what I found.

OP:

Are you going to use these screws on a few routes a season, or weekend after weekend for four months a year? When I lived in Finland and climbed most weekends and sometimes after work in the evenings too! My screws were much more like my cams are nowadays, I use them weekend after weekend and durability/reliability are the most important factors. If that's the case, you're likely to hit rock sooner or later and need to sharpen the teeth with a file. Easily done on all steel screws, I suspect not very easy to do more than a few times on steel toothed but alu bodied modern light screws.

In which case, BD. They have two holes to clip into which makes them marginally more versatile at anchors. Otherwise they're the same.

for what its worth, from what i have seen/heard, these super light alu type screws are actually pretty poor at screwing into ice! particularly cruddy/variable ice. so the energy you are saving by carrying less weight may be negated by the extra effort spent placing them.

Not really my experience, my petzl Al screws are about the best screwing screws I've used.  With the caveat that I've not used them in very cold ice.

Used the BD's extensively in Norway.  Love them. Not had any durability issues, place really well and find the 2 clip in holes on the handle really useful.  

Yeah over the next couple years they will get used quite abit over the winter seasons so durability is the main issue for me, therefor I think I might wait yet before purchasing some.

Nice to hear it mate, how are they to sharpen?

no experience with BD ultra light.

have some petzl speed light. 80% of the time they are good (easiest screws to start screwing into the ice on the market), but if it is cold ice freezes too quick in the screw and you nearly can not get the screw in with only one hand. 

so for steep ice climbing this is a serious problem! i try not to use them anymore on steeper climbs.

for glacier travel and alpine stuff they can still be handy due to their weight.

and they are not very durable.

for steep ice the BD express would be my choice. plus they are cheaper and much more durable.