Black Diamond Turbo Express, $52.50
5.7 ounces for 16-centimeter size
Sizes: 10, 13, 16, 19, 22 centimeters
Summary: The Turbo Express was one of the earliest screws to incorporate a speed-drive gizmo, and it’s still one of the best. The screw grabbed the ice quickly and, thanks to BD’s unique external geometry, spun in and out with minimal friction. The flip-down action of the knob kept the screw from tangling on the rack or fouling with the quickdraw once the leader had moved past, and the color-coded knobs make the different lengths easy to identify. The hanger is the only shortcoming: Although it offers decent clearance, at belays we wished it could accept more than one biner, and BD should consider softening up the hanger’s sharp edges (although this is more of an issue for BD’s Turbo model screw without the speed knob). Overall, the Turbo Express is one of the best-performing screws on the market, and, the price is quite competitive.
Pros: Excellent all-around performance. Clean design: speed-drive knob folds down. Color-coded knobs.
Cons: Hanger only accepts one carabiner.
Overall grade: A
Cassin Thunderlight
(distributed by Climb Axe) $50
3.8 ounces for 18-centimeter size
Sizes: 12, 18 centimeters
Summary: The only aluminum model (shaft and hanger) in this review, the Thunderlight is aptly named, tipping the scales at less than four ounces for the 18-centimeter length. The stainless steel teeth grafted to the end of the aluminum tube are hard and sharp, but the thick-walled material made it difficult to get this screw started and created a lot more friction in hard ice than slimmer, all-steel designs. The aluminum hanger, although nicely color coded, was also problematic: It offered very little clearance and had only one small carabiner hole, which made cranking on the screw with an ice tool more difficult. The larger bore was also more reluctant to surrender its core.
Pros: Ultra light. Color-coded hangers.
Cons: Hard to start. Lots of friction. No speed-drive system. Poor hanger design.
Overall Grade: C
Charlet Moser Laser
(distributed by Petzl) $40
6 ounces for 18-centimeter size
Sizes: 9, 13, 18 centimeters
Summary: Considering the lack of a mechanical speed-drive system, the Laser is a solid performer. The big teeth chew in quickly for fast, one-handed starting. With the rounded end abutting your palm, the hanger can be used almost like a continuous-motion handle to spin the screw, and the bend in the hanger provides excellent clearance. Friction was low during screwing and removal, the ice core came out upon demand, and another plus — the hanger sports two separate carabiner holes. It all adds up to a solid screw.
Pros: Starts quickly. Hanger is glove friendly and has good clearance.
Cons: No speed-drive system.
Overall Grade: B
Grivel 360° $58.50
6.6 ounces for 17-centimeter size
Sizes: 12, 17, 22 centimeters
Summary: Grivel has come up with a unique screw design, replacing the traditional lever-style hanger with a close-in hanger sporting a folding wire handle. The handle pivots outward for easy, continuous cranking irrespective of pesky ice texture. For this reason, the 360° is the only screw in this review that could be placed in corners or pockets. Relocating the clip-in point closer to the screw’s main axis also prevents the hanger from levering against the tube. The screw started easily and cranked almost effortlessly, due in large part to the leverage of the handle, and — to a lesser extent — Grivel’s inverted thread design (the threads flange outward instead of inward). Ice cores popped out with blowgun ease. The downside is that this screw is heavy, expensive, and bulky. It’s harder to rack and the handle often ended up poking out from the ice like a four-inch hook. Still, with the most innovative and easy-to-place design we tested, the 360° was a review favorite.
Pros: Innovative speed-drive handle. Unique hanger design allows placement in tight quarters. Excellent all-around performance. Color-coded knobs.
Cons: Heavy. Expensive. Bulky handle can snag on rope or gear.
Overall Grade: A
Omega Pacific Ice Screw $34
5 ounces for 17-centimeter size
Sizes: 11, 17, 22 centimeters
Summary: This screw from Omega Pacific is the answer to the question, “Can’t somebody offer a decent ice screw for less than $35?!” Despite the bargain price, there’s no skimping in materials or design: OP’s bomber construction and hanger design are on par with the best of the bunch. The speed-drive knob worked great, although it didn’t fold down and took up space inside the hanger eye (you can still squeeze two ’biners inside). As a result, the knob was a potential snag point, rendering this screw a tad more difficult to rack and handle. However, it can be removed or even retrofitted to other screws. In hard, brittle ice, we had small difficulties in starting, screwing, and removal. Despite the speed knob, we sometimes had to coax the screw along with a tool to overcome the friction. Considering the quality and the price, however, budget-minded climbers won’t be disappointed.
Pros: Well made. Lowest-priced screw in the review.
Cons: Speed-drive knob doesn’t retract. Moderate friction.
Overall Grade: B
Stubai Sigma
(distributed by Liberty Mountain/ABC) $61
4.8 ounces for 17-centimeter size
Sizes: 12, 17, 22 centimeters
Summary: The Sigma Ice Screw was the lightest and cleanest of the no-frills designs we used. The hanger edges are nicely rounded and smoothed, something we appreciated when spinning the screw in or out against a gloved palm. The lack of a speed-drive knob is surprising, especially considering the price. Despite this, the Sigma performed very well, starting easily, turning in and out with very little friction, and spitting out its ice core with minimal persuasion. Another bonus is the brightly colored size-coded hangers, which make identification on the rack fast and foolproof. Overall, we found the Sigma screw to be very well made and an excellent performer, but also very pricey.
Pros: Clean design. Starts well. Low friction. Color-coded hangers.
Cons: Very expensive. No speed-drive system.
Overall Grade: B+
Ushba Ultimate with crank
(distributed by Liberty Mountain/ABC) $49
4.1 ounces for 17-centimeter size
Sizes: 17, 23 centimeters
Summary: Ushba is a company whose bread and butter is making lightweight titanium equipment. The titanium material is indeed strong and very light, but like the aluminum Cassin screw, the Ultimate’s large cross section displaces more ice, which contributes to the screw’s friction. The swiveling speed knob really doesn’t help — we found that we needed to lever off the hanger itself or use a tool to generate enough torque to turn the screw in or out. We liked the hanger’s design, which had better clearance and required less chopping than other models, and featured dual clip-in points.
Pros: Lightweight. Hanger has good clearance.
Cons: Expensive. Lots of friction.
Overall Grade: C.
