UKC

Come across the brand 'Singing Rock' (http://www.singingrock.com/ ) as I've been looking around for some technical ice tools. Does anyone have experience with this manufacturer?

My eye was caught by the Bandit ice axe (http://www.singingrock.com/bandit?cat=2760 ) given its cost was a fraction of what mainstream brands like Petzl, DMM, Black Diamond etc command.

Anyone recommend these guys, or do you know of any other good manufacturers not in the limelight?

In reply to Alex_RhodesUK:

dont Know Singing rock but as Long as theyre CE/UIAA Certified i wouldnt have a Problem with trying them.

Worth checking Climbing Technology for innovative competitively Priced Gear.

In reply to Alex_RhodesUK:

I've got a couple of their via ferrata kits. They look pretty well made, and certainly good value.

In reply to Alex_RhodesUK:

Used plenty of things from Singing Rock. Harnesses, slings, draws, etc. No problems, CE and UIAA certified. Have not used there ice tools, so can't comment on that.

In reply to Alex_RhodesUK:

They're common enough in Australia. I got the impression (no idea how) they compete more in the cheaper end of the climbing market. Haven't heard any complaints and the stores have been selling their kit for a while. Didn't know they did axes! Only encountered their ropes, harnesses and biners.

In reply to needvert:

Czech company with considerable presence in the German-speaking world. Generally seems to be a reputable & solid company. My wife has one of their harnesses and it is perfectly ok.

In reply to AlanLittle:


Yup, also their harness was last years editors choise: http://www.singingrock.com/editors-choice-awards

Also, Raveltik (Sports Pursuit fame) was bought out by Singing Rock, so pretty much those tools are modded/pimped up Raveltik Demons. Which as far as I've heard are rather good, 'cept for the weight.

In reply to Alex_RhodesUK:

Had a singing rock harness. Think they are german/eastern european. The harness was a bit on the heavy side, but very comfortable for aid and falling into. Lasted well after a lot of climbing and granite chimney grovels. If their ice gear is of the same standard they will probably be a bit 'over engineered' (heavy!) but reliable. Look for the various approval markings, espec CE and UIAA.

In reply to HeMa:

Yup, spot on. The Singing Rock bandit is just a Raveltik Demon Cup. They share the same picks if you are looking for spares.

In reply to Alex_RhodesUK:

Singing Rock are part of the Lanex S.A. group along with Raveltik and a couple of others, Lanex are a large rope/textile company best known for the yachting ropes and for climbers Tendon ropes.
I´ve a fair amount of their gear and know the guys there pretty well, they bring barrels of Czech beer to the trade shows and the highly desirable Czech girls needed to serve it!

In reply to Alex_RhodesUK:

I have a Harness by them and it's always been good, well designed and comfortable, not sure on other equipment though

Jason

In reply to lone:

They will be at Chamonix Mountain Festival and specially at the GearFest 28/29th June where you will be able to try all the gear for free!

Now that I read about the Czech beer I will ask make sure there is some!

In reply to Alex_RhodesUK:

They are well known in the "lower end markets" (read: eastern europe). They are not bottom rung though. Decent quality for decent prices. You will not find the Petzl/BD/etc attention to detail on their products, but neither the price. Many products are slight knockoffs of better known brands products (ex: petzl owall = SR Ozone, BD Positron = SR Extasy that is identical but for the gate opening size etc).

Products are cheaper than better known brands full price, but i remember when buying my axes i could go for Raveltik (now Singing Rock ice axes) full retail price or Grivels on sale. I went with Grivel because i wasn't sure i could easily get Raveltik spare blades. Some years later Grivel has no representative and you can get singing rock in most shops, but I digress.

I own carabiners, a harness that is at least 5 years old by now and I use in the gym, a daisy chain, slings etc made by them and i have no complaints. Tendon ropes also have a good rep around here, certainly better than the beals you can get for the same price.

In reply to Alex_RhodesUK:

Is it just me, but do they bear a fair resemblance to the old style Quark - not a bad bit of kit to 'homage' if that's what they are.

In reply to Alex_RhodesUK:

Does anyone know where I can buy the stuff from Singing Rock? The only UK supplier listed on the website is http://www.totalaccess.co.uk/equipment and can't find anything on there.

In reply to several:
... as Long as they're CE/UIAA Certified ...
... barrels of Czech beer and Czech girls ...
... well known in the "lower end markets" ...
... you will not find the Petzl/BD/etc attention to detail on their products, but neither the price ...

Ah, the wonders of Quality Control!
The Company I work for has a whole department trying to stop counterfeit parts making it into the supply-chain.
You get what you deserve.
Steve - Petzl and BD helmets, BD cams, nuts, belay device and QDs. Arcteryx harness. 5.10 shoes.

In reply to Steve Clegg:

Singing Rock are I believe one of the biggest producer of climbing soft goods in the world. DMM harnesses and slings are made by them (or at least were last time I looked), I believe they also make Petzl harnesses.

In reply to Steve Clegg:

None of which will originate from Singing Rock who are a perfectly reputable manufacturer, so if you're implying they're dodgy in some way you're out of line.

In reply to Steve Clegg:









What a curious post! I dare say I know a great deal more than you about climbing equipment and the merits of various European manufacturers and I can assure you I wouldn´t hesitate to completely equip myself with Singing Rock products, at least none of it is slung together in a Philipino/Chinese/Vietnamese sweatshop.

In reply to jimtitt:


I think you should be a bit careful about that stereotype though also Jim! At least in technical mountain clothing I know one new manufacturer looked at having their stuff made in the UK but there just wasn't the skills and technology available here to use the materials and make the quality of clothing they wanted. They had to go to China to find that.

In reply to TobyA:

The state of UK clothing manufacturing scene is one thing (though the guys in Saville Row may wish to discuss this with you), regrettably the history of climbing hardware shows us it probably isn´t an unjustified stereotype.

In reply to jimtitt:

Singing Rock. Harness of choice for me the last fifteen years.

In reply to jimtitt:

Who does make hardware in the far East then? BD does some there, don't they? And Wild Country was doing so at least, although I don't know if they still do. Do any of the other European companies get some stuff made over there?

I think 'sweatshop' normally implies workers being treated badly, i.e. being paid less than the minimum wage for that country, or working more hours than legally allowed to. That's a claim I reckon shouldn't be made without proper evidence - just manufacturing in the far east doesn't mean you are using slave/child labour.

I know companies that do use Chinese factories will often use third party organisations to vet potential manufacturing partners for employee rights, sustainability, and animal care ethical standards (when natural materials like down is being used).

The question of whether far eastern manufacture means lesser quality is a different issue and there might be more to discuss there.

In reply to frothy-mouthed first-responders:

… implying they're dodgy in some way you're out of line ... - I didn’t imply that. From an earlier post “Many products are slight knockoffs of better known brands”. What? Design, manufacturing, assembly, materials, processing, standard parts - tell me when to stop.
… I know a great deal more than you about climbing equipment … - you may.
… at least none of it is slung together in a Philipino/Chinese/Vietnamese sweatshop … - you said that, (btw, usually Filipino).
… Singing Rock. Harness of choice for me the last fifteen years … - but that’s just sewing and even you’ve done that! I know, I've got some!!

The Company I work for sources significant manufacturing and assembly in the Far East. Careful attention to Quality is what matters, and even then ...

Steve - "curious poster"

In reply to Steve Clegg:



After thirty years of effectively making my own harnesses, the Singing Rock is the first manufactured harness I actually liked.

Rick. Just off to make some nice frothy cocoa


On second thoughts, a brandy nightcap beckons.

In reply to Steve Clegg:


Curious posting style at least.

So what point were you trying to make? I read your post a couple of times to try and make sense of it; the impression you left me with was that you were saying that Singing Rock sounds dodgy to you and instead you recommended what you saw as more reputable brands. If that wasn't what you meant, what did you mean then?

In reply to TobyA:

The list is long (and blurred a bit depending on what exactly one calls hardware i.e harnesses and helmets etc).
BD
Trango
Metolious
WC
Camp
Mammut
Climb X
Edelrid
....

In reply to jimtitt:

And where do you lump in Salewa for example who own WC and make tents and who knows what else in Asia?
Another problem is declaration, the rules on origin are vague to say the least though there are moves at least in Germany to tighten this up. (Currently I import chain from Taiwan but once it´s built into a chainset then it must be declared as made in Germany for export).
Unless walk around a gear shop and rip open the instruction leaflet you´re unlikely to find out where the product came from though some retailers like MEC do list the country of origin, even then you have to look carefully to see for example "assembled in France" and guess the rest!
You can look at a companies websites such as Skylotec who say they produce in Germany and Hungary but on the other hand you can pick up a work bag of theirs which says made in China.