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Originally designed as a dry-tooling specific tool, the Taa-K-Oon immediately won its place on the steepest waterfalls and hardest alpine routes in Europe. Grivel’s top ambassadors (Christophe Profit, Ezio Marlier, Bubu (Bole), Manu Ibarra, Jerome Blanc-Gras, Stevie Haston, and Erhard Loretan all agreed that it was THE choice in the Grivel line for the hardest pure ice and alpine conditions.
Clearance in the upper shaft area is the same (22cm) as Top Wing, Tech Wing (which Taa-K-oon replaces) or Racing Wing while the lower dogleg curve places the hand further from the ice (or rock), providing more overall clearance than any other Grivel tool. The Horn (pommel) and trigger are removable to use Taa-K-Oon as an alpine tool, and the spike is ChroMoly steel to stab easily into ice or drive through hard snow.
Marko Prezelj recently wrote to Grivel, "Takoon is now my first choice for mixed ground."
Features:
- ChroMoly Steel
- Hot-forged head
- T-rated shaft
- Comes with Cascade pick and Piccolo hammer
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Weight: 754
REVIEW:
Oh Grivel, why did you have to give up on a good thing and leave North American distribution? I have been a loyalist to this old Italian company for twelve years, and for good reason. Their crampons, while often heavier than some competitors, are unbeatable in quality and climbing performance. Their ice tools have seen more constant change in design than any other line. And Grivel’s innovations are likely the most copied and replicated. I climbed with the second generation of Rambo ice tools for seven years, quite happily. When I saw a preview of the Taa-k-oon, I called up the first European distributor that stocked them, before they even came over to the states. These tools taught me how to climb leashless. I modified mine to take a bungee/umbilical leash, which I use on bigger routes. I removed the trigger, and instead mounted a hose clamp for matching hands on a tool. I have tried every other major tool on the market, and I still cannot justify replacing my Taa-k-oons. Furthermore, while introducing some friends to ice climbing, the Taa-k-oons came out on top as the consensus favorite, over Charlet Nomics and Black Diamond Cobras. The shape of these tools allows for an incredibly natural swing, although the Nomics and Cobras come close. The Mixte picks may very well be the best picks on the market. Get a pair while you still can.
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