The innovative wire-gate Express handle shaves more weight and also clicks open and closed. Black Diamond spent a lot of time figuring out not only how to cut weight while keeping the essential strength requirements, but also taking care to make sure the screws would function well while racked and going into ice. For example, if you swapped two full sleeves (12 screws) of 16 cm Express screws with Ultralights, you would save 780 grams (1.7 lbs); roughly equivalent to a three-quarters full Nalgene bottle. Specifically, the pairing of the steel tip with an aluminum body has come along with a redesign of the hanger on the Ultralights that is inferior to that of the Express screws. Up To 30% Off Backcountry MTB Apparel .css-1081t4c{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Shop Now, Basecamp Under The Stars Shop Coolers, Camp Furniture & More. This feature would also be useful in colder temperatures by minimizing the need to handle frozen metal with bare hands. Tube Diameters for some Common Ice Screws: Now because BDs Ultralight Ice Screws have a larger tube diameter than their steel brethren, the tooth profile had to change a bit. The crank on the BD aluminum screws is also a bit more delicate than that on their steel Express screws and so wont take as much abuse either. It doesnt stand up to abuse though so youll want to take it easy on the ol crank.
This may require more clearing of ice or minimize ability to place in tight spots. 
Close up of a Black Diamond Ultralight Express screw (green) racked next to regular Express screws. Weigh My Rack LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The Ultralights also have a slightly larger diameter than Express screws, which makes threading a V-thread that much easier. 37 Church Street, Burlington, VT 2022 Outdoor Gear Exchange, Inc., All Rights Reserved. #BlackLivesMatter
Hell yes I want gear news in my inbox (as a monthly newsletter)! Door to door. The main issue that I heard about was a separation of the stainless steel insert from the aluminum tube though there was also some talk about broken cranks.
30 N Gould St Overall: Lightweight and functional screws that really bites into ice making placements quick and easy, definitely my new go-to screw. Aluminium body with steel tip Lightest ice screw on the market The picture is a little distorted as the aluminum screw is slightly closer to the camera, but the aluminum screws are actually wider in diameter than the steel screws. That said, it could mean thatit will try to shut on its own while cranking into sticky ice and your hand wobbles. Weighing in at 45% lighter than Black Diamond's Express Screws, the Ultralight Screw combines a steel tip with an aluminum body and forged aluminum hanger that features two clip-in points. A few rocks and sharpening cycles at home and youll want to send the screw to a pro to get a proper sharpening job done. So far, this is a problem that has plagued any and every manufacturer trying this hybrid solution so well have to wait to see how well BD does. EPICTV, the EPICTV logo and all other EPICTV marks are trademarks of Elisa Oyj. Note: The Ultralight ice screw in this photo is a prototype and has threads going high up on the tube. You wont find elitist or gatekeeping writing here, we welcome all climbers. $169.95, To:
Weighing in at 45% lighter than our Express Screws, the Ultralight Screw combines a steel tip with an aluminum body and forged aluminum hanger that features two clip-in points. There are no tests that directly compare ice screw durability, but you can expect that these Ultralight screws will get dinged up and dull faster than the full steel version. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. The hanger on aluminum screws are made of aluminum making them more delicate than their steel brethren.
No additional delivery or customs fees will be added by the courier. - Powered by Amount to free shipping $99.00Total excl. A small detail, but worth noting, is that the knob color range on the Ultralight Ice Screws. Weighing in at 45% lighter than the Black Diamond Express Screws, the Utlralight Screw combines a durable steel tip with an aluminum body and forged aluminum hanger that features two clip-in points. I thought this extra material seemed superfluous at first, especially when the goal was to make the lightest ice screw on the market. Open Today: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm. [Photo] Jim Menkol. Another option to consider is replacing your V-thread kit or anchor screws with Ultralights, which have the same strength rating (10kN) as regular Express screws. Hanger does not pivot off the shaft as far as that of the Express screws; this limitation causes the Ultralight to bind against the ice sooner. Ice screw technology, like all ice climbing equipment, has come a long way in the last decadeand the Black Diamond Ultralight ice screws are no exception. $19.47, From: Newly designed "reservoir tip" cap allows for easy removal while wearing gloves. Designed for ski mountaineering, glacial travel and high-end alpinism, the Ultralight Ice Screw says it all in the name. The author on Pitch 2 of Bobo Like, Hyalite Canyon, Montana. Ice screw threads seem to stand up reasonably well in general, even on aluminum screws. Weigh My Rack LLC also participates in affiliate programs with Avantlink, AWIN, Bergfruende, CJ, FlexOffers, Webgains, and other sites. [Photo] Chris Luehder. Crucial for fast and light objectives in the mountains. The innovative wire-gate Express handle shaves more weight and also clicks open and closed. Wire-gate Express handle In these situations, it is common to rack up long before ice screws will be needed, if at all. Backcountry Advocate ProgramBreaking Trail, An ice screw for anything from glacial travel to ice climbing, Aluminum shaft and steel tip create the lightest ice screw available, Hanger geometry adds two holes without producing additional weight, Folding wire handle folds into the hanger when not in use, Multiple lengths allow for placement in a variety of conditions, Color coded handles let you designate lengths on the fly. Banana Fingers and the Banana Fingers logo are trademarks of Banana Fingers Ltd. We use cookie on this site to enhance your user experience. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. The hangar geometry has been updated to provide the strength required and still boast the double openings that come with Black Diamond's express ice screws. These screws are 45 percent lighter than the traditional BD Express screws and this is immediately apparent when you pick one up. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Muerden bien y son ligeros, el ojal es un poco pequeo, pero no incomodo, EpicTV Shop Returns: EpicTV, Unit 8 Whitehall Trading Estate, Gerrish Avenue, Bristol BS5 9DF, United Kingdom. Very light weight but still bites well! The result is actually a different tooth profile from BDs Express (steel) screws. He has been ice climbing for 20 years and exploring the frozen drips of Montana from his home in Bozeman for more than 11 years. We dont know the exact weight that was cut by utilizing a plastic knobversus a knurled aluminum knob, but Black Diamond said it was a surprising amount.. 13 cm, 74 g (2.6 oz): 16 cm 81 g (2.9 oz): 19 cm 89 g (3.1 oz) 22 cm 96 g (3.4 oz), Hanger: Forged Aluminum Body: Aluminum Tip: Stainless Steel, Aluminum forged hanger with two clip-in points, Your shopping cart stored, always and everywhere. The flip-out wire gate, which feels as if it might bend if torqued on too hard (especially in wet, actively forming ice or on the longer screws), also discourages hitting the screw to clear ice. The Ultralights are also easily identified by length with the classic BD color scheme. By using our website, you agree to the usage of cookies to help us make this website better. Support WMR: Click before you buy at REI and Backcountry. Looking to shave weight wherever they could, Black Diamond constructed this specialty ice screw out of aluminum with a steel tip so as to not compromise drilling efficiency while also dropping weight in critical areas. Suite 23131 However, after several days of climbing frozen waterfalls using both Ultralights and traditional Express screws, I noticed some design limitations that, in my opinion, were not offset by the reduced weight when used exclusively for this application.
Along with the new Ultralights, weve been told that the knob on 22cm Express screw will also become purple in the near future. Going larger in diameter saves on weight and material costs so is the obvious choice. The author places a Black Diamond Ultralight Express screw in Hyalite Canyon, Montana. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. When comparing weights between the Express and Ultralight screws, the average difference is 44%, which is pretty damn close to BDs marketing claim of 45%. Additional weight was removed with the introduction of analuminum hanger,wire handle, and plastic knob. Out of stock (0) Available in store: Check availability, Make a choiceSize : 13cmSize : 16cmSize : 19cm. Aluminum forged hanger with two clip-in points. Why? On the BD Ultralight ice screws it seems that the aluminum tube extends all the way inside the steel cutting edge to the base of the teeth (see photo). Reviewing the TX2: Wearing Down La Sportiva Approach Shoes, Approach Shoes for Small Feet and Big Feet, Neon Speedrack Gear Sling The Organizer You Never Knew You Needed, Review: Yates Speed vs Yates Bigwall ladders, Review: The Worst Hand-Tied Aiders on the Market, How to Recycle and Upcycle Used Carabiners. This difference in mindset is essential to keeping the stoke (versus being bummed when they get buggered up or wear out sooner). Be the first one to hear about our weekly deals on climbing gear. Not trivial, but this amount of weight savings may not justify the additional $300 (price difference between 12 Express and 12 Ultralight screws). Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a56b3731f30cd08df8acb381c89bda5d" );document.getElementById("d6e3358e87").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Notify me of follow-up comments by email. [Photo] Jim Menkol. In contrast, the Ultralight hangers are comprised of rounded aluminum that does not clear ice as easily. By using this site we assume you are OK with that (scroll to accept). Black Diamond designed the Ultralights for climbers attempting alpine climbs with huge approaches, glacier travel or ski mountaineering, or any situation when you dont want your seldom used safety gear weighing you down. With composite aluminum-steel screws there are definitely limitations to the amount they can be sharpened. Pros: Easy to place, lightweight, fantastic hanger design. The tube issue seems to have been corrected and, as I mentioned above, dont abuse the crank and you should be fine. When we write specific place names we will give a land acknowledgement. Were a bunch of gear nerds who set out to level the playing field. [Photo] Chris Luehder. She is currently touring the US and would love if you contacted her to meet up to talk about climbing, climbing gear, or if you have any fun and/or ridiculous adventure in mind. The flip-out wire gate creates a longer driving radius than that of the Express screws. The Black Diamond Express screws will stay at $59.95. Theyre 42-45% lighter than the equivalent size Express screw which is simply amazing! Highly recommended.
Editor in Chief at Black Sheep Adventure Sports. When BD talked to us about the engineering behind the screws, they emphasized how many ice blocks they went through trying to get the perfect tooth design that would enable the screws to start beautifully. Ive bent the odd Petzl aluminum hanger trying to get that last turn out of the screw when it just doesnt quite want to go all the way around. Do inquire for a current shipping address. Unlike most screws, where the cap is flush with the points, the Ultralights have an extension on the cap that allows for easy removal while wearing gloves. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site! These screws are a far cry from the old BD Turbo ice screws I used during my first few seasons of ice climbing along the Front Range of Colorado in the 1990s.
$15.10, To: