Grivel Americana Ice Screw

Advantages: Cheap, relativly light
Disadvantages: Leash comes off

...Hi, Having doing hillwalking and low grade rock climbing for a number of years i though i would take the plunge into winter walking. Last year i bought myself a pair of Grivel G10 crampons and the above axe. The axe is 60cm in length with a wrist lensh on the shaft. The axe head is study and joined to shaft with an eyelet rivet, the same as most axes of this type. The shaft of the axe sounds hollow giving it it's light weight. This does not mean that it is weak, as I used it once as as a hanhold, jaming the axe horizontal across the top of two boulders and hauling myself up on it, the shaft did not bend and their is no sign of cracking. The shaft appears to have a protective coating on it that also allows for extera grip by having loads of small raised bubbles on it. The head of the axe, is quit tough, and has not been... Read review

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Advantages: anti bailling plates, easily adjusted
Disadvantages: not very aggressive teeth

...Specs C1 crampon grade: semi-flexible construction Great winter walking crampon Supplied with anti-balling plates Three dimensional relief stamped technology for added strength Fully adjustable by hand, without tools and one size fits all; fits Euro boot size 35-46 G10 folds easily for transportation Chromolly steel construction is strong and durable; semi-flexible construction Shorter, less aggressive points are designed for easy use on moderate terrain Classic binding system uses Zytel® toe piece and wrap-around straps for a solid and secure fit Easy to fit crampons fit all of my boots, 4 pairs. The teath are blunt and not very aggresive but that means you cant use them for pure ice climbing, but also means no more shredded legs! They size can be adjusted to fold away to carry and the antibailling plates... Read review

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Advantages: Cosier than my own bed
Disadvantages: None

...It was around 11pm, here i was in the middle of nowhere. (Actually i was in a wood just up the road from my house). It was ice cold, we'd just finished unpacking everything for out camping advnture tomorrow and decided to go to sleep. Id brought a new sleeping bag only 2 days before, A Big Pack Alpentine. I unravelled it and lay it down on the floor. Then climbed in, and that was when it hit me. This is no ordinary sleeping bag. It fits around you perfectly without any gaps, its so warm you wouldnt beleive it and the pillow is softer than the ones on my own bed. Thats why I now sleep in on one every night at home. My friends think its rather stupid and to be fair to them sleeping in a sleeping bag every night when you have a perfectly good bed next to you is rather bemusing but i just love it. If you choose to buy it then whetever you... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful