Harpoon

 

Page Type Gear Review
Object Title Harpoon
Manufacturer Trango
Page By STW
Page Type Feb 6, 2004 / Feb 6, 2004
Object ID 1003
Hits 5436
Vote
The Harpoon™ is a high performance rigid frame waterfall crampon built on the time tested vertical rail design, but that doesn't even begin to describe the Harpoon's™ performance or versatility. Use it in the dual-point configuration and you'll find it's a stable, precise and sure-footed crampon, capable of getting you up any icefall in the world. The forged points have a “T” profile so they resist shearing through soft ice and they’re completely vibration free. Install the optionalMono-Point Conversion Kit and the Harpoon™ becomes a foot weapon, lethal to the hardest, steepest and thinnest mixed climbs on the planet. That's because the asymmetrical design of the mono-point puts the power where you can control it...right under your big toe.

Reviews


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STW - Feb 6, 2004 10:25 pm - Voted 4/5

Untitled Review
Impressive performance at a great price.

I can't really comment on them in dual-point mode, because I've only used them in mono-point mode. In mono mode, they are very nice. I used these for a year's worth of waterfall ice climbing in the Northeast and found them precise and secure every time. Big benefit: the mono point on each foot is under your big toe. Seems logical, but a lot of early monopoint crampons place the point in the middle instead of offset under the big toe where it belongs!

They are a vertical-rail design, and are easily configurable back and forth between mono and dual point. They come from the factory with everything you need to swap back and forth. You don't have to go out and buy a separate kit. My advice - stick to mono point mode. This really is the way to go -- especially if you are coming to ice from a background of rock climbing. It just feels right.

Don't bother with these for Alpine ice. They are totally rigid. And, the vertical rail design will ball up with soft alpine snow abominabley. Go buy some horizontal point crampons for alpine climbing.

They are totally rigid; and have just a bit of 'rocker' to them, so they fit most modern mountain boots well. You might run into trouble fitting them to boots that are totally flat-bottomed.

I find them to be a bit of a lower-tech competitor to the Grivel Rambo crampons. Similar performance for less money. Trango now offers a new model called the HyperHarpoon - which seems to me to look a lot like the Grivel RamboComp. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Trango has chose well in terms of products to mimic. I'm not saying that Trango has ripped Grivel off. But the similarities are striking.

If you are looking for impressive waterfall ice crampons for a great price, look no further. If you don't mind paying $50 extra for a few additional minor refinements, then look into the Grivels, CMs, or BDs.

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