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tattooed_climber
Sep 6, 2006, 4:25 AM
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during some aidin' from the past weekend, i destroyed my funkness device (made from Pika)....no worries, i have a good from (a sport climber) who works in for a wire-rope company and he'll re-swag it for me (he also pulled tested all my aliens)
any who....that was my second funkness ever....the first one lasted about 15-20 pitons i think (swag came part and i droped it along with a peice of tie-off and a pin).......this one, the swag also came part, it was the second pin ever funked with it.....
both were pika
then i started to look at my other pika gear....my BIG flake hook (the ibis) is awesome....
but all my toucams and other pins suck.....the toucams don't cam like they should and basicly work like normal pins half the time (i'm considering annealing and then re-tempering them myself; noworries, I'm a machinist btw)
now these realizations have be reconsidering an order for more bigwall gear (mostly pika stuff) i was going to do ( mainly i wanted their 1/4 removable bolts)
anyone else have opinions about this???or am i just being an over critical dude with two bad funkers and some rusty pins?????????
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lambone
Sep 6, 2006, 7:32 AM
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Registered: May 1, 2003
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Becareful with Toucans.
It is tempting to nail them like a normal blade, but they get fixed real easy.
For some reason I have carried a couple Malards on my rack for 5 or 6 walls and never used them...but I keep thinking someday maybe I will...
The Big hook is pretty cool. I also like the Pin Scar shaped Cam hook.
Never tried anything else, I have heard the ledges are crap...and the Funks look chinsy to me, I wouldn't buy one.
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fenderfour
Sep 6, 2006, 2:05 PM
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Registered: Sep 12, 2005
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The cam hooks suffer from a high level of suck-iosity.
I had one torque out of a good placement and chuck me about 20'. It is still bent.
Since then, I purchased the Leeper cam hooks - Way more beefy and confidence inspiring.
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tradclmbr
Sep 6, 2006, 2:21 PM
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Pika cam hooks do really suck. They wear poorly and have a really odd feel. If Leeper cam hooks inspire confidence in cam hooking (they do) then these have the reverse effect. Plus the unbelievably poor design whereby the hook bends in (for leverage? strength?) before the arm means its they simply wont fit in most textbook Leeper placements.
I have them, but hate them.
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roy_hinkley_jr
Sep 6, 2006, 2:48 PM
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Registered: Sep 8, 2005
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Just about all the Pika gear is garbage. Cheap knockoffs made from inferior materials for the most part. The large hooks may be the only redeeming products in the entire line.
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stymingersfink
Sep 11, 2006, 6:03 AM
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Quality Pika Bigwall Gear
Um, i saw this on a test once. it was a which item does not belongkind of question.
That's easy.
Pika
...did i pass?
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epic_ed
Sep 11, 2006, 8:20 AM
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Registered: Jun 17, 2002
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I have some of the cam hooks, one of the larger Ibis hooks, and a few toucans of different sizes. Toucans have proved useful in a couple of spots on sandstone routes, but I absolutely hate the rest of their gear. Someone deemed their cam hooks "mini diving boards" -- I agree completely. I also had the priviledge of setting up and spending the night (in the backyard) on the Pika single portaledge. I would have been on a more secure platform if I would have slung a lawn chair with webbing. It was terrifying and I was only a couple of feet off the ground in my own back yard.
Just my opinion. You asked. YMMV.
Ed
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fenderfour
Sep 11, 2006, 2:39 PM
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In reply to: It might be a productive move to raise your concerns with Pika. Manufacturers often use consumer feedback in product improvements. Maybe you got a bunk one; maybe there was a bad run that should be recalled. Maybe the gear is just of poor quality. Whatever the case, the manufacturer's response seems like it would be worth considering.
I don't think that the quality problems associated with Pika gear is a limited to a batch or two. It is obvious that the material they chose for the cam hooks is insufficient for the task.
My consumer feedback is simple - I have stopped buying Pika gear.
There are other manufacturers who make the same type of gear, but of a higher quality. If I can't find what i need for sale, I will make it myself.
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watchme
Sep 11, 2006, 4:21 PM
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Registered: Jun 26, 2003
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I gave up on Pika gear years ago. I like trying to support smaller companies, but I've had no luck with any of their stuff.
In fact, I'm surprised they are still in business.
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paveldobrinskiy
Sep 13, 2006, 10:52 AM
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Registered: May 3, 2005
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In reply to: I gave up on Pika gear years ago. I like trying to support smaller companies, but I've had no luck with any of their stuff. In fact, I'm surprised they are still in business.
I think that FISH is a not big company but they have realy good stuff.
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dune
Sep 13, 2006, 1:08 PM
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Registered: Sep 10, 2002
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I did the Prow with a friend back in 02. He had just purchased some Pika cam hooks, two of each size including the most worthless of all, the blown pin scar model. I tried to use them, really I did. I swore them off after the 3rd pitch. I will never use them again. Why would I when my Leeper cams look, feel and perform better?
I think it's good to tell people that Pika is not worth using (‘cept for the one big hook I guess). Who cares about the company? It’s not our job to inform them that their products are inferior. Professional climbers and quality engineers should be doing that. Here’s my feedback… I won’t buy it.
Fish on the other hand... I haven't used any Fish gear but Russ (the owner, I think that’s his name) is an animal to keep a good reputation. He bases his rep on public feedback and actively pursues it. He is also not afraid of public confrontation so maybe a little bit of type-A personality going on but the guy is wide open. His aggressive customer service and desire for feedback does a lot to promote confidence in his product line. I would buy Fish products in a heartbeat.
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tradmanclimbs
Sep 13, 2006, 1:29 PM
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Registered: Apr 24, 2003
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the drill is decent. I know that the Petzle Rockpecker has a much better bit retention system but the handle is too small. the Pika drills bit retention system sucks but the handle is way more comfortable for serious drilling. their teather sucked. that small swaged wire over the the head of the drill. The wire doesn't swivel like it is supposed to and it breaks when you hit it with the hammer. the top of the drill is all mushroomed out now anyways and the groove the wire is supposed to have rested in is gone. I told them about this and sugested makeing the teather on the other end of the drill but no intrest. I swaged my own cable and rigged it to the dril bit, works fine. I have drilled about 70 3" holes with it and that big handle really makes a difference. used the Petzle rock pecker once and had a really hard time trning it and got a blister.
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iamthewallress
Sep 13, 2006, 4:26 PM
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Registered: Jan 2, 2003
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I don't have much PIKA gear, but I've never had any major problems w/ the stuff that I have.
My PIKA ledge (that only got a couple nights of action before its demise) seemed fine, albeit non-optimal. I bought it b/c it was the smallest, lightest, and waaaayyy cheapest option, so I wasn't looking for features.
My one problem w/ it was that the the poles were sticky as hell when it came to getting them in and out of the holes at the joints. I had a conversation w/ the owner (manager?) about it when I was ordering something else, and he offered up some helpful advice about getting it assembled more effectively in the future. I didn't have enough experience putting a ledge together to rage against the ledge too much. Future adventures trying to assemble others' ledges has led me to believe that assembling ledges is just a pain, period. (I recenly bought an as-yet unused BD older-style fold-out single. I know these weren't a favorite w/ a lot of people, but my fingers are crossed. Screw bed tension if I don't have to deal with poles!)
I bootied a PIKA Ibis hook on one of my first wall attempts, and have used it on most aid climbs since then. Can't complain there.
I have a PIKA hammock that, unfortunately, has tortured more than one partner, but I don't have any beef against PIKA b/c even a well made hammocks is uncomfortable.
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watchme
Sep 14, 2006, 4:32 AM
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Registered: Jun 26, 2003
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I agree with you, paveldobrinskiy. My next ledge will be a Fish ledge.
I was speaking specifically to Pika. After having 2 sets of aiders fail (plastic step stiffeners cracked), and their cam hooks blow out of placements that Leepers held fine, and... I just gave up.
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paveldobrinskiy
Oct 28, 2006, 10:20 PM
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Registered: May 3, 2005
Posts: 16
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If you have question about fish dont hesistate to ask me.
I tried Pika, Metoulius and Fish. All portaledges are different.
I prefer Fish because it is very light and easy to setup. I have problem with Metoulius when I soloing. But Metulius double is much bigger and stable then Fish double.
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