Dollar Store Tube for floating around. Big disappointment.
Holy Hannah, Watt Lake: a typically thin route, made a wee bit tricky to read with a fresh dusting of snow.
Jeremy has explained that he’s sourced… PLEASE ADD HERE
material
his design
his manufacturing process
Multiple prototypes and fine-tuning has resulted in 2021 designs that consider swing, increased longevity of the blade and how the features are actually used whether on ice or rock.
Starting with picks that fit Petzl tools (most notably compatible with the Nomic and Ergo, but others too), the line-up has expanded to also include Cassin Camp picks (i.e. for the Alpin Extreme tool).
Above, you see the picks side-by-side. Steeper nose on the mixte (above) for increased bite on rock, and a bit less on the ice pick (below) for good ice penetration. Picks taper to 2.9mm on the ice versions, 3.0mm on the mixte version. I like how the first 4 teeth grab at the ice, but how they also provide a level surface on rock. Notably, the teeth on the top of the head are not bevelled - a small detail, but it’s much grippier that way when steinpulling, as surfaces aren’t always as uniform as you’d like. Yes, this also means it’s stickier in the ice, if you happen to swing into an ice cauliflower dish capped with a cremini - makes for tougher removal. But if you’re aware and don’t do it you’ll have all the upside without the struggles.
Howey Tools has recently launched a third set of picks - for comps, (and drytooling too). It’s shorter making for even less pick-shift than usual, and its first tooth is sharply more aggressive, really biting into the holds. Learn more about Howey Tool picks here.
Howey Tool has been a big supporter of SOIceFest from the start - thanks for helping the community grow!