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recommendations on ice screws

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JaZone
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recommendations on ice screws

Postby JaZone » Sun Jan 05, 2014 6:50 pm

A friend of mine was telling me that the best way to anchor your kite on the ice is to use an ice screw.
I've never used one of these before so I wanted to get some more info on them.
I would like to hear some different people's experience on this subject.

What do you recommend as the best one?
how long a screw is necessary for different kite size, wind conditions?
any recommendations on where to buy?

I saw this one at mountain co-op , http://www.mec.ca/product/4018-379/blac ... ice-screw/ , but they also have one with a handle called the black diamond express. Is it worth it to pay the extra and get the one with the handle, or is it unnecessary?

Can they be found for less elsewhere?

tkettlepoint
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Re: recommendations on ice screws

Postby tkettlepoint » Sun Jan 05, 2014 11:21 pm

I have the cheapest one MEC sell. which are the black diamonds and they work fine. The hold 4 of my kites at once with no problem.

terrie

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Re: recommendations on ice screws

Postby windybrit » Mon Jan 06, 2014 12:14 am

I'd second this recommendation.... I've used this one for 5 seasons & it works just fine......
The price at the MEC is the best I could find in Canada...... buy the biggest you can get.
If you are using foils secure the kite with snow on the trailing edge once you've landed, then clip one side of the brake bridle to the screw with a bit of slack in the lines, if the wind gusts and the kite flies accidentally it'll flag onto the brake (back line).
n.b. When you finish the days session make sure you take the screw indoors to thaw out overnight, otherwise the frozen ice plugged inside it will prevent your screwing it into the ice on day 2 of your weekend..... :)
Last edited by windybrit on Mon Jan 06, 2014 2:22 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: recommendations on ice screws

Postby SaulOhio » Mon Jan 06, 2014 1:42 am

You don't need a particularly long one. Yesterday my 12M autolaunched by accident while the chickenloop was screwed down, the kite flew right through the middle of the power zone in 25 knot winds, and it didn't pull loose.

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Re: recommendations on ice screws

Postby Al C » Mon Jan 06, 2014 2:50 am

You'll do fine with any of the stainless ice screw offerings from Black Diamond, Grivel, Petzl etc, they've been making first rate ice climbing gear for decades. I have a number of BD Express screws and no problems.

I don't know if they're still on the market but, stay away from the cheap titanium screws, much lower shear strength. I once witnessed a newbie attach an 8m Ozone Access to one by the chickenloop in 20 knot winds, the kite obviously autolaunched immediately and sheared the screw in half and went tumbling downwind. Fortunately nobody was downwind when it happened and the kite came out unscathed. I have a Ti screw like this, Russian made Irbis brand, there was a disclaimer to not use it for leading climbing!

I find the 13cm BD screws to be more than enough during mid winter conditions. During late winter/early spring when the temps can get above freezing in the mid-day sun I run the longer ones as the area around the top of the screw shaft tends to melt out.

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Re: recommendations on ice screws

Postby kilo » Mon Jan 06, 2014 4:26 am

I've been contemplating using these:

http://www.shappell.com/ia2iceanchors.html

I own them for ice fishing and figure they will probably should work fine. Maybe someone has experience with them here to convince me otherwise.

But they're super cheap and screw in OK with a little effort. They seem to hold very well. Nonetheless I don't have first hand experience.

I have used a 40lb bag of solar salt with no problems.

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Re: recommendations on ice screws

Postby Mikites » Mon Jan 06, 2014 12:41 pm

You can normally get a climbing screw for around $30. Properly used you will get decades of use out of a good screw, the cheap ice shanty screws look like they would need to be replaced much more often.

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Re: recommendations on ice screws

Postby tkettlepoint » Mon Jan 06, 2014 12:55 pm

They will pull out of the ice with a kite if it decides to fly... 40lbs is nothing for the power of a kite.. it pulls my ass at almost 80km/h and I am 210 lbs

kilo wrote:I've been contemplating using these:

http://www.shappell.com/ia2iceanchors.html

I own them for ice fishing and figure they will probably should work fine. Maybe someone has experience with them here to convince me otherwise.

But they're super cheap and screw in OK with a little effort. They seem to hold very well. Nonetheless I don't have first hand experience.

I have used a 40lb bag of solar salt with no problems.

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Re: recommendations on ice screws

Postby metivir » Mon Jan 06, 2014 4:09 pm

Spend a little more take get a screw with a rotating handle. A lot easier to deal with in the cold.
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JaZone
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Re: recommendations on ice screws

Postby JaZone » Mon Jan 06, 2014 6:10 pm

Mikites wrote:You can normally get a climbing screw for around $30. Properly used you will get decades of use out of a good screw, the cheap ice shanty screws look like they would need to be replaced much more often.
where do you get them for that price?


thanks for the replies.


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