UKC

Noticed these are going fairly cheap at Cotswolds right now.. as I've never used them has anyone any comments?
I've only ever used the BD Express and the Grivel 360 (which I found a fiddly TBH).

In reply to odox: I've used my friend's a few times, so just some preliminary thoughts. The basic screw works very well (just a Helix I think, which are very nice screws). The extender thingy is OK - advantages and disadvantages.

+ve
- you can clip it before fully in if very scared, although not sure how much a protection a half in screw gives
- you need few quickdraws - if you had a rack of speedies this might be a real thing, but I suspect most people will have a mix of screws and therefore are likely to carry the same number of QDs as before.
- you can leave the screw clipped to the rope whilst you take it out BUT this only works if the rope isn't too tight and pulling the insitu QD outwards (cleaning a screw on steep ice for example).

-ve
-how do you rack them? Clip the krab and they hand down low, catch your trousers and you have to juggle them to get the screw itself in your hand. Helixes rack badly anyways and these QDs just make extra tangle
-heavier
-more expensive.

In reply to TobyA:
Thanks Toby you make some good points! I had wondered about the racking.. probably going to be using them with a Gear Sling most of the time so may have to look into it further.. hadn't realised they where heavier either.
The price is less of an issue when they are on the sale

In reply to odox: The extra weight it just the widgetty-thing. I guess if you carry less QDs you quickly are benefiting from less weight, but that's my point - how many folk will have a rack of them? If you are sponsored by Grivel maybe!

Also I often use screamers on screws, so these will make screamer use a bit more hassle. If they are on a good sale I'd get some though - the basic screw is very nice!

In reply to odox: I was looking at these and they're just a grivel helix with a sling fitted. Grivel Helix ice screws are by far the best screws I've ever used, they just go in so easily and quickly. The price is good for a helix, so if you don't like the sling, you can just take it off.

In reply to odox:

I've just bought a couple from Cotswold for £60. If you don't like them then remove the sling and you've got a Grivel screw plus a crab for £30 each. Not a bad buy but be aware of an incident reported By Dane where the handle/hanger arrangement on a Grivel screw trapped and cut through a rope during a fall.

In reply to Iwan:

Not so!. The article referred to the rope catching on the handle & hanger of a BD Express Turbo and ripping the sheath, not a Grivel Helix/Speedy.

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2011/01/be-attentive-when-placing-ice-screw...

In reply to Kevin Forde:
Thanks for clearing that up Kevin, if anything the article suggests BD Express Turbo's are worse to fall on in this scenario, albeit an unlikely one!