How to dial in your Ski Mountaineering Equipment // DAVE SEARLE

In this video I talk through all of the equipment I bring for ski mountaineering. There is a lot of thought that goes into a set up like this. Arguably you could make it lighter and often times you need to carry more but on the whole this is a good set up that won't be changing any time soon
Interested in learning more or hiring me a guide in chamonix? Check out my website: www.davesearleguiding.com/
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Some of the Gear I use:
Petzl I beam style Carabiner: amzn.to/3BZ3njz
Petzl Connect Adjust: amzn.to/3WlUSXR
The Perfect carabiner for connect adjust: amzn.to/3VfeMCx
Petzl Reverso: amzn.to/3WWo33Z
Petzl crevasse rescue kit: (Tibloc Microtraxion etc) amzn.to/3jk3fVj
Petzl Irvis Hybrid crampons: amzn.to/3WE7bi9
Petzl Rad Line amzn.to/3v9mFPw
Petzl Gully ice axe (adze) amzn.to/3PLKINT
Petzl Gully Ice axe (hammer) amzn.to/3jj2gVj
Smith Sunglasses: amzn.to/3YIN3NF
#backcountryskiing #ropework #skimountaineering #mountaineering #climbing #iceclimbing #iceaxes #icepick #alpinism #skiing #alpineclimbing #skitouring #petzl #petzliceaxe #mountainguide #ifmga

[@matthewgriffith9249]

Dynafit makes a great triple rated too, thanks for advocating Dave. I have 8 staples in my head to show the first comment is inaccurate...helmets are key. Awesome video

[@m.k.7199]

Excellent selection of equipment for any ski mountaineering outing. If for no other reason than you never know what you're going to encounter and equipment left in the hut is worthless. The only addition would be Bivy, First aid kit, and a knife (you play with ropes, you need a knife (you play with knives, you need a first aid kit)).

[@tomg9624]

Great video, thank you.

[@nobodyisbest]

Love the vid, many thanks! If you need more friction with a Reverso, you could also add a second HMS carabiner into the system.

[@davidrahbany]

Such a well thought-out setup. Born from experience, I'm sure. Great tips.

[@DaveSearle]

Taken me 15 years to figure that out.

[@TheSlipperySlope]

Lotsa great content on your channel! Very informative. Cheers!

[@DaveSearle]

You’re welcome!

[@brianrodman1033]

The Grivel Scream looks like a great option that is specifically designed for use with ropes as thin as 6mm and 7mm. Ive been meaning to pick one up myself to have for those times when solely bringing along a tag line to rap. I liked your make shift ice screw cover/rope protector, awesome thing to have with you to avoid rope abrasion or a sharp edge. Instead of (or in addition to) the knife blade(s) a great option would be two or more beaks. The Black Diamond Pecker, Moses Tomahawk, or even a Russian made Krukonogi Ti beak for a weight conscious choice. Additionally the DMM Terrier (smaller/lighter Black Diamond Spectre) would be another useful piece of pro. They can be placed where ice screws & pitons would be a poor choice or wouldn't work at all, such as ice choked cracks, fozen mud filled cracks, and even frozen patches of turf. The video was strong enough that I had to subscribe. Cheers.

[@kriskopa]

Hellyeas!! Love it and will for sure make a few changes in my kit!

[@DaveSearle]

Glad I could help!

[@markthomasson5077]

Thanks, useful. For me, it would be interesting to hear what you take for ‘emergency’ kit, that is when you aren’t expecting to use any ropes, except perhaps a simple rap over a cornice.

[@tjb8841]

The one thing is I would like to correct is the Petzl helmet rating. It is NOT rated for skiing. I really don’t like what they did here. They created a new standard: the ‘ski mountaineering standard’, basically because Skimo racers wanted to wear climbing helmets (to save weight). The helmets like the Sciroco that meet this standard might get tested for more side protection that the normal climbing helmets, but it is not anywhere near the skiing helmet standards. What they have done obviously creates a lot of confusion, when even professional mountain guides like you make this mistake. Helmets like your Smith, and many others from Atomic, Scott, Salomon, Dynafit, Sweet Protection and others (I think Grivel and Camp too), are all certified to both the actual skiing standard and the climbing standard.

[@rus.mircea]

Merry Christmas and a very happy entry into 2023!

[@DaveSearle]

Thanks! You too.

[@tjb8841]

How about a Edelrid Spoc: almost as small and light as the Nanotraction, but can be locked open like the Micro.

[@samlamont6081]

First! Happy Christmas!

[@tjb8841]

I was just going to ask why the bulk and weight of the Connect Adjust Lanyard, when you explained about clipping to a screw. That’s brilliant! Still not sure I’d be willing to accept the extra size and weight compared to a sling, but makes me think!

[@DaveSearle]

Also very useful when abseiling and in some belaying situations. My setup is function over weight because I’m often using lifts to access high mountain terrain rather than spending a long time approaching.

[@tjb8841]

@@DaveSearle haha, yeah pretty Chamonix specific when you say you don’t want stuff on the bottom of your pack, because when you set your pack down in the gondola it gets dirty. I got a chuckle out of that.

[@JohnnyTaxonomy]

@DaveSearle Question: You have the basic 'connect adjust' in your description link, but it appears that you have either the 'dual connect adjust' or the 'dual connect vario'. Of these three, which do you recommend for standard mountaineering?

[@CaydeSki]

Merry Xmas! Rotating through Cham’ in the NY, leave something untracked for us 😂🤟🏻👊🏻

[@DaveSearle]

Enjoy. It’s pretty awful conditions here at the moment. I think it rained to 2500m today about 60mm

[@CaydeSki]

So, standard Cham 😂

[@CaydeSki]

@@DaveSearleAlso, your ice screw sheath is a Spiroll. Get them from marine shops mainly (in black) but I think Petzl do one as a rope protector (orange) that can be cut up to various screw lengths 👍🏻

[@carlosrein2317]

Hey Dave! I like you videos, thanks. They are great, see it on! Where are you Skiing at 1:35?

[@DaveSearle]

The skyway in Italy. Specifically the east face of thé aiguille entreves.

[@fimfengius]

Thanks for your video! As a skier I am a little puzzled why you did not include boots, skis, bindings etc into the list of equipment? For me they are essential equipment in the skiing part of ski-mountaneering.

[@DaveSearle]

I would have thought those were obvious things to have…

[@fimfengius]

@@DaveSearle Sure, but your choices would be most interesting.

[@JohnGM96]

Have you ever had the carabiner gate freeze? As a ice climber i'm afraid of the gate freezing, so i go for screw gates. Is my worries justified, ot is it just overthinking?

[@DaveSearle]

Not once in 18 years of winter climbing, mountaineering or skiing.

[@Lamberjack-oq9pi]

Instead of the mammut descender i would raccomand the No.Mad from AustriAlpin

[@jimsutton8486]

What length Beal Jammy do you prefer in Skimo set up? Have you had any issues with it slipping on a 6mm Rad line given the closeness in their diameters. Thanks

[@DaveSearle]

Yeah so I use the 60cm version. It for sure doesn’t grip as well as a Tibloc but it does work enough for a second hand and for passing the knot during crevasse rescue.

[@tjb8841]

Why is the rock pro clipped to a ice clipper? For the same weight you could have a real carabiner, maybe even a locker?

[@jazzman_10]

🤔. I am wondering why a Petzl reverso... an Edelrid Micro Jul should work better on such a thin rope, wouldn't it? Is that rope strong enough to use it single when belaying? Merry Xmas!

[@DaveSearle]

I do have a micro jul and I have used it but I don’t like how it rappels. It’s quite jerky and I like to let the rope slide through the device rather than having to pull the device open…

[@jazzman_10]

@@DaveSearle 👍

[@jakobmelchior6701]

Reverse the micro jule

[@jazzman_10]

@@jakobmelchior6701 Yeah, a friend also told me so, I will give it a try

[@akaTheDevil]

Who makes the ice screw sheath?

[@DevinH-64]

Spiroll Chafe Guard

[@WhimsHealthJourney]

First aid kit? What do you usually carry?

[@DaveSearle]

Finn you say that. I have a video in the pipeline about emergency equipment such as first aid kit, repair kit, and secondary communication.

[@WhimsHealthJourney]

@@DaveSearle good thing I've already subscribed

[@thomaswills7290]

How often do you ski with an ABS back pack?

[@DaveSearle]

Never

[@thomaswills7290]

@@DaveSearle Interesting, how come?

[@beleg1437]

Sorry, too much beige in the background, signing off.

[@DaveSearle]

Thanks for letting me know. 😂

[@ozsnowbum]

I'd argue that most helmets actually don't protect you from brain injury as much as you'd be led to believe. There's lots of information on this if you want to check it out. They protect from cuts and surface injuries for sure but concussion and brain not so much.

[@DaveSearle]

Wow, this is the kind of miss information that I have a real vendetta against. I don’t know or care where you get your information from, but it’s proven that helmets protect you from a lot of serious head injuries. Period.

[@ozsnowbum]

@@DaveSearle Dave I respect you but you are closed minded if you think it's a fact that ski helmets protect from concussion.

[@DaveSearle]

I don’t think that’s a fact. Obviously a helmet is not perfect at protecting against all types of injuries (concussion included). I’m not sure what your first comment was designed to accomplish, if your advocating for people to not use a helmet, I have a real problem with that. If your highlighting that helmets are not perfect and don’t give you full protection then yes we can agree on that, however for protection against stuff falling on your head they are obviously (as I hope you can agree!) super important.

[@ozsnowbum]

@@DaveSearle well you said in your video why wouldn't you wear a helmet. There's plenty of reasons not to wear one on a ski tour. I never do because 99% of the day I'm just walking around with zero risk. For those 5 minutes I'm actually skiing I'm skiing so far below my limit I don't think it's necessary. Do I wear one in a resort. Yes 100%. Do I wear a helmet cycling on the road? In a bike park yes 100% do I wear one commuting to the shops nope. Do I think I'm invincible when I'm wearing one? Nope. It's just a tool like anything else.

[@DaveSearle]

Yeah bro, you do you! For me, most/all of my skiing involves some combination of the following; technical descents through trees/tight spaces, skiing on a glacier where I could fall in a crevasse and smash my head of some glacier ice, busy/icy/poorly groomed pistes, overhead hazard such as rock/ice fall. I don’t typically get to ski tour uphill for hours to ski down perfect powder with no trees or rocks in sight and if I did I’d still wear a helmet. As I said its your prerogative if you want to wear one or not.