Is there a way to use pitons without dragging a piton hammer along? I've heard of people using ice axes, which is a bit more useful than a hammer because you can use it for dry tooling as well. Is there any other nifty tool with which you can whack in pitons and also have other uses for it on the route?

I'm wondering because I'd like to try a few Drakensberg routes next year where pegs are a necessity.

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"I have no more friends, and my nuts are too small!"

Use a rock, freely available on all "Berg routes, just break off a hold and voila, a perfect hammer...

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Happy climbing
Nic

Not that I've bashed that many pitons in, but IMO if you don't take a hammer along then don't bother with pitons.

+ you could use the claw part of the hammer as a skyhook

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Climb ZA - Administrator

@ Gollum
I've never carried a hammer in the 'berg, but they are quite usefull - them piton things! My experience is also that - depending on the route - you don't require as large a rack as is typical elswhere, as the nature of the 'berg routes often don't have "loads" of "typical" kit.
Sooooo, lose a bit of yr rack and take a few pegs + a hammer.

TBH I've never thought of 'dry-tooling', however an axe would certainly make the precarious grass-pulling easier if one could sink the axe into the turf, ala Scottish winter climbing

PM me (or email tristan@edelrid.co.za) a list of your proposed routes and I might be able to offer some personal opinion...

"If you find a good hold in the Drakensberg, put it back!"

You'll crush that rock like a can on your forehead, and now you want to go bang in a piton? Eish...

Dont bother with pitons, chop up some 12mm reinforcing in 1ft lengths and bend the ends over to clip into!

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Gustav
Roc 'n Rope Adventures
Waterval Boven
013 257 0363
rocrope dot com

Haha! Well, if you go by the principle of the protection is only as solid as the rock, I may just as well use tent pegs and clobber them in with my forehead!

@Tristan: Mailed you, thanks for the offer!

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"I have no more friends, and my nuts are too small!"