WINTER PROTECTION

Photo: Photo: Adrian Cammack battling with spindrift on the classic
Last Post (V), Creag Meagaidh, Scotland.

We now offer an ice screw sharpening service using a Grivel 360 machine. This will work on most good brands of steel ice screw as long as they are similar in diameter to Grivel screws (eg Black Diamond, DMM, Simond, Petzl-Charlet etc) . Screws to be sharpened must have 4 frontal blades and not the three found in older screws. The diameter of screws to be sharpened must lie between 19 and 22 millimetres. NB It will not work on titanium screws, light alloy screws, or older screws that aren't of a standard modern size and design. Any such screws sent in will be posted back at the customer's expense. Black Diamond do not recommend using this machine to sharpen the latest generation (2007) of Express ice screws - this is not to say that it won't work, just that you probably won't get the original "bite" restored.

Please create your order, and post a copy with your icescrews to:
Needle Sports
56 Main Street
Keswick
CA12 5JS

Please protect the points and wrap the screws well. We would suggest sending them via a method that covers the cost of replacement if they get lost in transit as we cannot be responsible for items that don't arrive. The cost includes return postage.

This service is available to personal callers in our shop at £2/icescrew. In quiet periods this may be while you wait, but at busy times we reserve the right to ask you to collect them at a later date, or we can post them back to you at the above rates.

We regret that due to the high cost of return postage we do not offer this service to overseas customers at present. 

Quantity:  

Number of Ice Screws to be sharpened 1 Screw £42 Screws £73 Screws £104 Screws £135 Screws £166 Screws £197 Screws £228 Screws £249 Screws £2610 Screws £2811 Screws £3012 Screws £3213 Screws £3414 Screws £3615 Screws £3816 Screws £4017 Screws £4218 Screws £4419 Screws £4620 Screws £48

This long established and excellent design has been improved by using a bigger wind in knob and a better tooth design so that it bites more quickly. In addittion the hanger now incoporates two clip in points for easier orgainisation on belays. . Razor sharp with a fold down handle making one handed placement a breeze.

NB BD advise not using a Grivel Icescrew sharpening machine to sharpen these screws as they say that you will not achieve as good a result as if you follow the instructions that come with the screw.

BD Ice Screws
length cm	gm	use
10	115	For ice-glazed slabs and other extreme placements
13	134	Ideal for "get it in quick" situations
16	148	Perfect for comfortable on lead placements
19	168	The best allrounder
22	180	Great for reassuring belays

 

Quantity:  

Length 10cm £34.9913cm £39.9916cm £39.9919cm £44.9922cm £44.99 Length Stock 10cm £34.99 3 13cm £39.99 1 16cm £39.99 5+ 19cm £44.99 5 22cm £44.99 2

These are the easiest and fastest screw to place on lead - unbeatable! A really great screw from Grivel at an excellent price. Razor sharp teeth and a T-bar handle makes placment a doddle as you can turn it and keep the pressure on more easily than with any other screw. Fairly easy to rack with a karabiner, even several at a time, though the handle does stick out a bit. The huge technological capacity and large quantities of production allow Grivel to offer a high quality product at an extremely competitive price.

Sizes:
12cm (red handle) for shallow placements.
15 cm (black handle) perfect for placing on solid icefalls on the lead. (Grivel may quote 16cm on packaging)
20 cm (yellow handle) ideal for belays and constructing Abalakov threads.
Weight: 155g for the 15cm.

Personally tested by Needle Sports staff at Rjukan and highly recommended! 

Quantity:  

Length 12cm £34.9915cm £34.9920cm £34.99 Length Stock 12cm £34.99 4 15cm £34.99 5+ 20cm £34.99 5+

Another excellent ice screw for steep water ice, very comparable in quality the the Black Diamond ones. On the plus side the folding handle is so movable that it will never catch on ice bulges etc. On the minus side (it's a very small minus) the handle is a bit bulky and you have to blow them out via the sharp end. Superb! 

Quantity:  

Length 12cm16cm20cm Length Stock 12cm 2 16cm 2 20cm 3

Very strong hot forged ergonomic handle is easy to turn with the palm of the hand. Precision CNC engineered teeth & thread give instant ‘bite’ and innner & outer finish to nickle plated tubes give ultra low friction. Generous well radiused and formed clipping hole will also accept a rope for emergency abseil.

Colour co-ordinated. Lengths 10cm/13cm/17cm/22cm






 

Quantity:  

Length 10cm £36.9913cm £39.9917cm £39.9922cm £42.99 Length Stock 10cm £36.99 1 13cm £39.99 0 17cm £39.99 2 22cm £42.99 2

The only thing for frozen turf belays and rock-hard alpine black ice. Drive in, screw out. 23cm overall length (18cm effective length), 189g.

The Warthog Ice Screw was first made by Salewa but as far as we can ascertain, Mountain Technology were the only company that have produced them in recent years. With the demise of Mountain Technology, and their parent company HB, the Warthog, so beloved of British and Polish climbers but so little known elsewhere, looked like becoming an endangered species. However, Needle Sports has located the engineering firm that originally made Warthogs for Mountain Technology and are very pleased to be able to offer them once again. 

Quantity:  

Stock

5+

Ice hooks are probably the least reliable ice protection short of a tied off sock, but they do have their uses and those uses are: quick hook placement in hollow ice, shallow turf ledges and ice smears too thin for a screw. They are also great for wacking into iced up cracks. The DMM Bulldog is every bit as good as its competition and cheaper than most. It has a double Dyneema loop so you can shorten it for carrying and extend it when placed.

174g. 

Quantity:  

Stock

3

As per the DMM Bulldog (see above) with exactly the same warnings about their value as protection etc.

Despite the photo, this hook does actually have a double extender as per the Bulldog. 

Stock

3

Quantity:  

The safest quick snow belay is a properly buried deadman, and this is one of the nicest designs on the market.

Anodised red aluminium. 350g approx.

A deadman should be placed at 40 degrees to the snow slope with the top of the deadman leaning away from the belayer. To find 40 degrees, use the edge of the square end of the deadman to find 90 degrees and bisect this to 45 degees with your iceaxe, then shave 5 degrees off this angle by sight. Full instructions are on the DMM Website 

Quantity:  

Stock

0

Also known as "Pickets". Much used by Americans for belays in alpine/himalayan situations but of dubious holding power compared with a Deadman. Also handy for anchoring tents to etc. Extruded from aircraft-grade heat-treated aluminum, which minimizes weight and maximizes strength. Modified T-shaped cross-section puts more metal where strength and bending resistance are needed most. The result is a 20% increase in holding power over other snow stakes because the design exposes more surface area to the snow. Attachment points are at 3-inch/7.6cm intervals along the neutral axis.

Two lengths are available:-
2 foot (24", 61cm), 13oz (369g).
3 foot (36", 91cm), 18.5oz (525g).


NB Snow Stakes make great tent anchors, but much cheaper are Snow Pegs.  

Quantity:  

Length 2 Foot £24.993 Foot £29.99 Length Stock 2 Foot £24.99 2 3 Foot £29.99 2

Clever ice screw protectors from Grivel that not only keep your screws sharp, but also allow air to circulate so helping to prevent them going rusty. In addition each protector clicks into place on the handle of a Grivel Helix or 360 ice screw to make sure that you don't lose it and also makes the handle bigger and easier to grasp with gloved hands.

Sold as a pack of 5 - ice screws not included!. 

Quantity:  

Stock

4

Brilliant method of storing your ice-screws. Attaches to harness, rucksack or on a separate belt. Screws are held firmly but are easily and quickly pulled out to place. No unclipping needed! Protects sharp teeth from getting blunted. Also protects your overtrousers from damage. Price is per pair. (Suitable for Black Diamond, Grivel and other screws of similar diameter only.) NB In 2001, Grivel changed this product slightly with the result that ice screws were not so firmly held. This is a new "tight" version that works much better.
 

Quantity:  

Stock

5+

Five Expressos on a firm belt with a shoulder strap.

A great piece of kit for big ice routes, especially as extra Expressos can be added 

Quantity:  

Stock

1

Petzl Charlet's version of the Pan Pipes is rather clever. Five hard plastic tubes can be separated or joined together by flexible plastic straps. Each ice-screw is held firmly in place by a strong elastic ring but can still be removed and inserted one handed. Each tube also has a hook enabling it to be fastened to a webbing belt, bandolier, or harness with purpose-made attachment points such as Petzl's new Adjama. 155g. 

Quantity:  

Stock

5

A roll up, rather like one of those ones you had full of scalpels and tweezers in biology lessons, but for icescrews. Holds up to six ice screws and keeps their threads and teeth sharp. 125g

Ice screws not included, but available above!
 

Quantity:  

Stock

3

Plastic backed wire gate krab with a rubber grippy strap thingie (not shown) for attaching it to your harness - this method of attachment means that it will fit virtually all harnesses. 30g, 110mm long. 

Quantity:  

Stock

2

Simple dead light (plastic with wiregate) attachment for racking pegs or icescrews on your harness, enabling single-handed removal. 0.05kN, 28g, 110mm long.

Designed specifically for the 2004 onward range of Petzl harnesses but should fit many others and most alpine/winter type harnesses (it depends on the thickness of the padding). 

Quantity:  

Stock

5+

A much bigger version of the Caritool enabling you to carry even more gear! However, certain ice-screws and pegs may not fit well due to their eye-holes being too small (eg the latest Black Diamond ice screws which will fit onto the krab bit but not over the gate). 0.15kN, 67g, 140mm long.

Designed specifically for the 2004 onward range of Petzl harnesses but should fit many others and most alpine/winter type harnesses (it depends on the thickness of the padding).

Click the image to see how it compares in size with the standard Caritool. 

Quantity:  

Stock

5+

A threader for Abalakov Threads.  

Quantity:  

Stock

5+

Another cunning Grivel product and another threader for Abalakov Threads. Cleverly made to be stored down the centre of the 22cm icescrew that you need to make the thread holes with, but it will also clip on to your harness gear-loop. As well as a retracting hook, it also features a protected saw blade for removing old tat with. 27g.  

Quantity:  

Stock

5+

Handy lightweight very sharp climber's knife designed to be hung with a karabiner on the back of your harness for use in those emergency situations where literary fame (for your partner!) beckons (98mm long/60mm serrated blade). Ideal for cutting tape for Abalaokov threads. 50g. 

Quantity:  

Stock

5+

A large version (120mm long/80mm non-serrated blade). 70g. 

Quantity:  

Stock

4

Not much use as a standard climbing krab (for a start you can't tell which end is which very easily), but a good lightweight oval for pulley use, and the best krab we have seen for icefall activists to rack a Petzl Spartha knife and an Abalakov threader on, as the knife hangs downwards properly and the krab is large and easily opened whilst wearing gloves, plus the gate doesn't freeze up.

Weight 62g. Strength Closed 23kn, Open 7kn, Cross-loaded 7kn.  

Quantity:  

Stock

5+

Gizmo for rapid insertion of just about any tubular screw-in ice screw. Useful if your icescrews don't have wind in handles perhaps. 

Quantity:  

Stock

2