Anyways here’s are few of which I have some experiences:

• www.barrabes.com – A large web store, deliveres fast, though problem sometimes is the limited selection, especially in terms of different sizes (some time’s I’ve got the stuff in about day or two to Finland).
• www.needlesports.com – Has a good selection of ice climbing gear and as a added bonus they stack spare parts too.
• www.outside.co.uk – Another UK based web store with plenty of gear and clothing.
• www.draussen.de – Limited but high quality brands, their delivery time was kind of long, though it might be the product (Hilleberg Staika) that caused the delay.
• www.backcountry.com – Another big web store with plenty of stuff in it.
• www.summitsports.net – Their products were good as was their service, located in Finland.
• www.varuste.net - Largest Finnish climbing gear seller on the web (I guess), selection is pretty good and purchased from them pretty frequently, pricing could be abit more competitive (though once you’ll get frequent customer status, you’ll get to enjoy a discount)
• www.completeoutdoors.co.uk – Another UK based web store with plenty of gear and clothing.
• www.extremegb.com / www.outdoorgb.com – Another UK based web store with plenty of gear and clothing. Their specialty is the fact that they’ll sell some military stuff too (like night vision etc.)
• www.mountainshop.fi – Their selection is somewhat limited, but the service is good and personal, even when ordering through web.

And here’s few more which I have been browsing frequently or purchased from their real world store, but not from the web yet:

• www.cotswoldoutdoor.com – Another UK based web store with plenty of gear and clothing.
• www.alpenstock.co.uk – Didn’t order anything, but their prices seemed to be good and they had a personal service also on web, on the problem side though was the fact that their web store is kind of “basic”.
• www.camu.fi – Another Finnish store that has also a web front, visited their real world store quite often and I have liked their service attitude and knowledge.
• www.vuoripuro.com – Stocks some pretty interesting products, though the brands are somewhat less known (atleast for me) they should be high quality.
• www.shelby.fi – haven’t ordered anything through their web site (I live nearby), their differentiator is their own made to measures clothing brand.
• www.scandinavianoutdoorstore.com – Interesting selection of products, though somewhat more geard towards less extreme sports.

Hopefully you’ll get started with these. Please let me know, if you know particularly good web store that stacks climbing gear. Any shared experiences are warmly welcome.

The tower itself is an old construction crane hull that we have upholstered with a cloth to prevent the water (and ice) entering inside the hull. As there’s no electricity nearby we have put together massive battery capacity (48 pieces of 110kg lead acid batteries) which are charged by a windmill. During the winter we pump the water from the nearby quarry to the top of the tower through sprinklers. It takes about two to three weeks of cold weather to freeze up into climbing condition. There’s about 30 meters of steep and pretty challenging ice. In fact Oulu, which probably is the flattest place in Finland, is the only place in the whole country where there’s enough challenging ice to hold national ice climbing championships. There’s been a couple of year’s gap between the championships (due some electricity problems, including a burned generator etc.) but now it seems likely that we’re able to arrange the championships during next season.

Few images of our tower:

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The requirements for a good ice climbing gloves are diverse and often contradictory. The durability, especially on palm side and fingers is a must. Dexterity, especially when dealing with screws, is required. To make the subject even more difficult there’s dozens of variables in play. One must take into account the weather and climbing conditions; even small things such as gear that’s been used, affect the situation heavily. Gloves should be simultaneously wildly breathable, but offer enough warmth and protection from the elements and at the times freely flowing water. In short, even though most of you (ice climbers) probably know already quite a bit of gloves, I thought to share some of my insights and experiences on the topic; I don’t think it’s possible to know too much about it.

General instructions for glove selection

• You need to have several pairs of them - One pair of breathables for approaches, one pair for climbing and one pair to have a dry pair just in case. Typically I will carry even fourth extra warm pair of mitts, especially if it’s cold, for belaying and hanging around. Sometimes, in very cold conditions, I might carry fifth thin wool pair to provide extra warmth under the standard pair. Furthermore you probably need a different primary climbing glove pair for cold and warm days.
• The ones that you use for climbing need to be super durable - Check the palm side, the extra protected area needs to be extra large and durable enough to take the sliding rope and axes. The protected area should reach from fingers to the top of the hand. Pay attention to stitching and seams, which are usually the weak spots. Typically, in high quality glove, extra durable materials, such as Pittard Armortan on palm itself and Kevlar on palm stitching, are being used.
• The primary climbing pair needs to be able to deal with the water - This means most likely Gore-Tex or some similar water proofing in the glove, and such wrist that can be put on top of the jacket. Well, the wrist part is matter of preference in some extent, but I like to route the water on top of my jacket instead of inside of it. Furthermore there are some other ways of dealing with water, such as neoprene, but as said, I prefer water proof. Also if you KNOW that there will be very little or no liquid water (either flowing or in form of rain / wet snow), you could think of something more breathable (=less water proof).
• They need to be dexterous - The basic principle in climbing cold conditions in order to avoid frost bites is that you wear your gloves all the times. You pour and drink your tea, eat your bread while wearing them, you belay and place your screws while wearing them; you tie the knots while wearing them. Though it’s partly a matter of learning it is also a matter of glove as well. Try to find a pair that feels as dexterous as possible.
• Try them out and perhaps several pairs - Gloves tend to vary from glove to glove slightly, choose the pair that gives the best feeling and dexterity while trying. Preferably try them with your ice tools, as glove padding and some of the axe fangs and triggers might not fit together well.
• Pay attention to details - There needs to be easy way to dry them up (how do you hang them?) and they should be washable. Some people (including I) like ones that have some padding to protect the fingers from bruises. It’s not a bad idea to consider as primary climbing glove, at least for cold days, something that has removable lining and a cord that attaches them to your wrists (you don’t like to lose them when there’s an hour down and three hours up).

Some practical glove experiences / reviews:

• Black Diamond Enforcer gloves – My current primary climbing glove. They are warm; the protective area on palm side is large enough and extends to the fingers. There’s a removable Gore-Tex insert which makes the washing and drying easier. So far the best pair I’ve found.
• Grivel Ice Fall gloves – These were my number one primary climbing pair few seasons back. They’re made of strong enough materials, have finger protection and are water proof. Their overall quality is good. They could breathe better and certain parts of the palm stitching seem to be in areas that experience heavy wear. They’ve been a very good pair in deed. Note that Grivel sizing is extremely small; as a result you probably start trying something that’s at least one size bigger than your usual size.
• Grivel Taa-k-oon gloves – I’ve used these for approaches, cross country ski-in and in very rare occasions warm weather climbing. They are fairly breathable, offer good grip and plenty of dexterity. For me though, they’re too thin for climbing. It’s usually just too cold for them. They’ve served me well for several years though and seem to be good quality. Note the Grivel sizing.
• Bergaus Extrem gloves – My “dry pair”. They’re surprisingly warm and dexterous, the leather is soft and they breathe fairly well. I actually bought these to be my primary climbing gloves, but the problem was the fact that they weren’t hard enough for climbing; seams tear apart when stressed (there were several rips in less than two days of heavy use). I have also frequently used these for ski touring, which is ideal purpose for them (I guess that’s what they are designed for). Despite the design shortages (seam durability) from climbing perspective, they’re extremely good quality gloves.
• Ice Breaker Merino Liner gloves – Liners to add extra warmth during the coldest days of winter. They’re good though add more bulk when worn under Enforcers.
• Salomon Mitts (don’t know the type) – I’ve used Salomon mitts mainly for belaying and while standing around on very cold days. They’re extremely warm, but the materials aren’t water proof and they aren’t durable enough for actual climbing. The slight problem with these is the fact that the material is so thin, that they can get stuck in to your belay device.
• Unknown Fleece / Fiber Fill breathable gloves – I’ve used these mainly for approaches on cold days. They’re warm, light and breathable, but not very durable – a cheapest option of adding warmth for summer mountaineering at Kebnekaise few years back (forgot to bring any gloves). Did the trick and have been in frequent use even though the quality hasn’t been perfect.

Few images of gloves:

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Though Kebnekaise is not perhaps best place for pure ice climbing, it’s a great spot for winter sports holiday; you’ve got great mountaineering, ski touring and decent ice climbing in a one package. There’s huge variety of ski touring routes. Many easy ones such, Hembacke and everything up till the most frightening runs there is. For instance the one coming down from Laddjuvaggi was simply too much for me.

The biggest problem from ice climbing point of view is the fact that there isn’t too many easily accessible multi-pitch routes nearby. You either need to stick with easy routes such as Skarttacohkka, do the harder single pitch one in Tarfala multiple times or travel a bit further where there should be couple of multi-pitch routes as well (though I haven’t climbed those yet). One should also try out snow climbing there, there’s a good route going for instance on a ridge to the Kebnekaise North Peak.

Location details:

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Few images from the trip below:

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1. Berghaus Extrem gloves
Seams seem to tear apart in heavy use, especially with ropes. They would be great gloves, I love their dexterity and warmth but as their seams may tear apart during a single day, they just aren’t an option for ice climbing. Even while ski touring one needs to be careful when ever handling ropes.

2. Grivel Rambo 4 crampons
The yellow plastic of the active antibots breaks apart easily from its attachment; harder black plastic. I’ve seen this happen practically in every pair of Rambo’s I’ve seen. Despite the problem they’re best ice climbing crampons I know, and with a bit of patience one can fix the problem temporarily by pushing the plastic part back in place.

3. Wild Country Helium Quickdraws
The anti-slip rubber of Helium Quickdraws is too “hard” and therefore breaks in below zero temperatures from the stitching seam. I have a set of five of these and it has happened on everyone except one. Different type of rubber, for instance such that’s been used in Black Diamon’s Positrons would probably fix the problem. Though I like Heliums, they’re not currently the first choice for an ice climber.

4. Sigg Bottle cap
Threads of the cap get eaten by the bottle. To prevent this bottle should not be filled too full, the cap should not be tightened too tight and one should not allow the bottle to freeze.

5. North Face Summit Series Gore-Tex XCR jacket
The watertight zippers of the jacket wear down quite fast in below zero temperatures, especially if there’s plenty of use for the zippers.

6. Black Diamond Ice Clippers and their Xenos ice climbing harness
Ice Clippers slip through the clipper holders of Xenos after a while. In order to avoid that one should avoid too heavy loads (>five screws) and bending the clippers while packing it up. Still if the lip of the Ice Clipper would be just a bit longer or the clipper holder in the harness just a bit stiffer, it would work perfectly.

7. Grivel Manu backpack
The Manu concept, detachable gear loops, is great and I’m using it frequently. The problem though is that with the gear loops only (i.e. backpack removed) the velcro on the back of the gear loops sticks to everything and cause for instance slings to wear faster than I would hope. An extra sheet of something to put on top of the velcro will fix the problem, but perhaps that could integrated to the Manu somehow too.

Few images about the products mentioned:

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Any comments and experiences of similar weak spots are greatly appreciated. I’m sure there are plenty of such around. It’s a great help for fellow climbers to be aware of them.

At first First Shot feels sturdy, high quality, piece of gear; exactly what we have come to expect from Black Diamond. There are several problems though. First Shot is somewhat difficult to open with gloves. The metal hook, that’s supposed to be used for cutting and threading the cord through the hole, bends very easily. Furthermore it’s not at all that easy as you could think to create the Abalakov using First Shot. Everything was even worse when the conditions were difficult. We tested the thing both in good conditions and in dark pretty heavy snow storm and ended up doing the Abalakov thread traditional way each time.

Of course it might just be that I was dumb enough not to figure out the correct way of operation. I kind of doubt that though. I went through the instructions pretty well and did several trials prior to trying First Shot on real ice. Based on my experience in its current stage it is not worth of your money. For me First Shot was a huge disappointment. Especially because Black Diamond usually gets it right.

We climbed in three different spots in the valley. First one was the famous Henrikafossen. Henrikafossen is probably the largest, both in terms of height and amount of ice. The difficulty seemed to be between WI4 and WI5. Route was roughly 5-6 pitches long, though due to weather and time constraints we didn’t go all the way up. We climbed roughly four pitches and according to friend of mine, who were climbing there next day and saw our abalakovs, we were one pitch away from the top. He also said that there was less ice than usual this year. First pitch at the Henrikafossen was pretty steep. After the first pitch there’s fairly short snow section and some easier ice, which gradually gets steeper and more difficult. When we climbed there it was formed of packs of small icicles. After this first snow section the profile of the fall stays pretty steep at least to the point we climbed to.

The good thing with Henrika is the fact that it offers plenty of choices. In case you’d like to climb something a bit difficult and steeper just choose the line accordingly. The falls both sides of Henrika offer even wider selection; On the right there’s a one which seems, and is said, to be pretty steep and difficult mixed climbing, on the left there’s a one that’s slightly shorter and perhaps easier but with similar profile than Henrika.

Picture above: It’s snowing and it’s getting dark, there’s still one pitch to go.

Next day we chose an easy route right across the valley. As we were able to climb the entire fall without belay it proved to be almost too easy. Well, I insisted on having a belay on one section first, but going down I got the ropes stuck and as a result I climbed the section without belay as well. It really wasn’t a big deal. I think that snow conditions might have affected to it somewhat, there might be conditions when there’s more visible ice and in it might get steeper depending on the conditions.

We spent the third day on a cluster of two pitch falls with easy approach on the north side of the valley. There were at least three to four different routes, from which we climbed two. Each of them was two pitches. All of the climbs were fairly straight forward, though the rain (water) affected to the climbing attitude a bit. It also turned the snow into a lot heavier stuff; slush. Jari actually got hit by a small slide of slush. Fortunately it wasn’t serious and did no real harm; it merely boosted the excitement. Anyways, after the day we were wet like sunken rats. It was a good time to head up to Branvoll, have some pizza and head home.

Location details:

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Few images from Spansdalen climbing trip:

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Just thought to write a short post about a project I have been involved with recently. It’s called Tribevine and is partly guilty to the fact that there haven’t been too many posts recently. I have just have been very busy with the project and all that’s around it. Of course the other other reason is the magnificent winter up here. It has been just too tempting to do more climbing and less writing with the weather like these.

Anyways since ice climbing is one of the focus areas of Tribevine, I thought to write few lines about it. Tribevine aims to put together the most knowledgeable individuals around the globe and their knowledge about the outdoor products in to a single structured database. One of the things that set Tribevine apart from everything else is their focus on close co-operation with real world communities.

Though opening of the closed beta is still one to two months ahead, they’re accepting closed beta applications already. Tune up for more information and go to Tribevine Facebook page or follow them at Twitter.

Here are few findings for the next season:

1. Grivel Cascade – Fresh ice axe replacement blades – These are B-rated, but should be better for ice climbing than Grivel’s T-rated stuff, which excel on mixed routes. The link is not to the Grivel site, for some reason, there are plenty of such Grivel products that aren’t there. The link is to Needlesports, they have a good set of replacement blades.

2. Grivel Double Spring Leash (2 krab version) – It is not really a leash, but flexible runner, which can be attached to the harness to avoid loss of axe.

3. Arc’teryx Gamma MX soft shell jacket - A soft shell jacket, no hood, but ideal for wearing under Goretex or other waterproof shell. There’s also hooded version available, price is pretty steep though typically well over 300€.

4. Arc’teryx Gamma MX soft shell pants - The pants part of the above jacket.

5. Arc’teryx Bucket Liner – A hat that’s compatible with your helmet.

6. Arc’teryx Gamma SV Glove - Like many others, I’ve been looking for perfect ice climbing gloves (have a stock of quite a few already), would these be finally the ones?

7. Black Diamond Avalung II – I’m not absolutely sure if Avalung would be something that I would carry while climbing ice, though there’s certainly occassionally a danger of avalanche around. Anyways, for some reason I’ve been tempted to buy one for a long time.

8. Black Diamond First Shot - An interesting tool for getting the abalakov right for those days when you’ve done it already twice and it still wasn’t good enough.

9. Grivel Speedy – A kind of ice screw quickdraw combination, resulting better safety, reduced weight and faster placement.

10. Petzl Crevasse Rescue Kit – A compact emergency kit that contains everything needed for hauling / ascending in rescue situation.

11. Exped DownMat Pump - Like the award winning down mat, but with integrated pump. I mean, the pumping was the only real problem with these, and now it seems that they have solved it.

12. MSR Lightning Accent snowshoes – I’ve been long drooling over these snow shoes. Unfortunately I’ve already got MSR Denalis and I haven’t therefore really been able to justify the purchase.

13. Valandre Freja sleeping bag – A sleeping bag for cold winter nights, still pretty light. Temperature rating up to -33 in Celsius with weight only about 1,5kg is impressive.

14. Silvretta Freeride 800 AT skis – Recently I’ve been thinking that AT skis might be good alternative for approaches and ascents. This being said though, I guess I would like to have these just because of last season I carried my snowboard around way too much (not while ice climbing ofcourse).

15. Silvretta Pure Freeride AT bindings - The perfect companion to Silvretta Freeride 800 AT skis… though if you would like to use skis with your mountaineering boots, one should propably consider Silvretta 500′s. They’ll fit almost on any boot, but for obvious reasons aren’t that good for ski-ing.

I guess I need to start working harder in order to save enough money for all of this.

Rambo’s have long been the ones, on what comes to rigid crampons. Rambo 4′s introduce several new features, such as optimized curved shape and factory installed antibots. Probably the most innovative new feature is the mono point structure, where stabilizing side point has been added to bring in some of the dual point crampon benefits without sacrificing the penetration qualities of mono point. In addition Rambo 4 package includes optional heel point and necessary tools for maintenance.

The length of the Rambo’s can be adjusted just removing one screw. There are several other adjustments available as well. There’s one caveat, there aren’t that many options for front and rear bars as holes on the frame would let you expect, other parts, unlike in earlier Rambos, prevent use of some adjustment holes. Rambos fitted securely despite small opening which were left between the back of the shoe and crampon. Being rigid crampon, and therefore less adjustable, fitting with your shoe is still something you should make sure before you buy. Though, if you own earlier version of Rambos, they’ll likely to fit.

During the Norway trip we climbed three days. It was my pleasure to notice that side-point structure worked like charm. Rambo 4′s are indeed stable, without sacrificing the monopoint benefits. Rambos penetrate ice easily and securely, they hold very well in various ice and climbing conditions, including curtains and icicles. In short they were splendid to climb on. I warmly recommend Rambo 4′s for any vertical ice. They’re by far the best rigid crampons I’ve climbed with. They’re a bit heavy and perhaps a bit too clumsy for walking, though I’ve been walking with them as well.

Few images about Grivel Rambo 4′s below:

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