Laser Speed Light 13cm 2019
Description
Ultra-light screw with aluminum tube is ideal for mountaineering. Starting is facilitated by the optimized shape of the steel drill. The integrated folding crank gives an optimized lever, making it easier and faster to screw in.
Ultra-light aluminum tube for greater comfort, ideal for mountaineering
Starting in the ice facilitated by the optimized shape of the steel drill
Integrated flexible crank provides an optimized lever, making it easier and faster to screw in
Color-coding facilitates identifying the length of a screw
Smaller hanger to facilitate screwing into sculpted ice
Easier sharpening with the drill's patented sharpening reserve
Ultra-light screw with aluminum tube is ideal for mountaineering. Starting is facilitated by the optimized shape of the steel drill. The integrated folding crank gives an optimized lever, making it easier and faster to screw in.
Ultra-light aluminum tube for greater comfort, ideal for mountaineering
Starting in the ice facilitated by the optimized shape of the steel drill
Integrated flexible crank provides an optimized lever, making it easier and faster to screw...
Retail price
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Weight (grams / ounces) | 91 g / 3.21 oz |
| Length (cm) |
13 cm |
| Feature(s) |
Folding Handle Color Coding |
| Strength (kn) |
|
| Materials | Hanger: Aluminum Tube: Anodized Aluminum Teeth: Steel |
| Certification |
CE, UIAA |
No reviews yet.
At first glance, the Petzl screws racked well and hung on a standard ice clipper normally but the weight (or lack of) was immediately noticeable, as expected. It was like they weren’t there. Literally. The hangers have a large clipping hole and were very easy to get on and off the ice clippers on my harness. I liked having the bright and distinct color coded plastic crank lever and felt like the opacity of color would end up being quicker to see and decipher than the metal version. Maybe it’s just me but over time, the metal cranks on my other screws have tended to wear during normal use and turn to silver in a couple seasons. The crank lever handle on the LSL was a nice shape for cold fingers in a glove and was easy to pinch while getting a screw in as efficiently as is needed when the climbing is “sporty”. Overall, the length of the lever, the ergonomic value of using the lever relative to the efficiency of the placement were all as good, if not better than other screws I’ve tried.
The bottom line, however, is that the binding/freezing issue is relatively minor when compared with the excellent traits of these screws. Their light weight and high performance have earned them a place on my climbing rack both for water ice and alpine ice.
The speed of screw placement is defined by the cutting edge or ‘drill’ bit that starts and bores the hole. Here Petzl has stuck with steel. The approximately 1cm long steel tip is optimized in both tooth angle (making it more aggressive) and increased tooth length, resulting in a super catchy initial bite. They have also incorporated a reservoir at the base of each cutting tooth that aids both ice clearance in the hole and eases future sharpening. All together it’s a pretty potent tip and ‘catches’ ice as fast and furious as anything I have had the pleasure to twist into ice.
These are the best ice screws i've tried, and i've used all the ones readily available in North America. They bite fast and crank in very well. I'd prefer a longer hanger and two biner holes but i can live without both. Besides the aluminum ones seem to weigh nothing at all and the weight savings is hard to live without.
So if the Laser Speed Light screws are the easiest to place and the lightest by a long way, then why would you buy anything else? Well, the only downside I can really see is durability with the aluminium tubes and threads being less durable than steel ones. And I have definitely noticed that they ding and mark easier than stainless screws. Being careful when packing and using a fabric tube style protector whilst they’re in your pack, is a good idea as is not throwing them down on rocks or scraping them up a mixed chimney. All these things will help with their longevity. Look after them and they should last a while.
Great screws that are unbelievably light. They work exceptionally well, rack well, weigh next to nothing and - being bright orange - they even look cool. Downsides are that they can ding up easily on the threads and they cost about a tenner more than similar steel screws, but if that £10 is available, then the saving in weight is, we think, worth it.
Weighing just over half that of its counterpart made of steel, the aluminum Laser Speed Light can nearly slash the weight of your ice rack in half. To compare, a medium-length, 13 centimeter Speed Light is 2.3 ounces, while the regular steel Laser Speed checks in at 4.5 ounces.
The Laser Speed Light earned four out of five stars, with one deduction for costing $20 more than similar all steel ice screws.
Warning: This video is dubbed in English. If you're getting antsy, skip to section 7:40-8:15 for one of the most interesting parts, where they show a hardware specific camera inspection.
