Crankin’ is easier than ever

“Hands down, the easiest screw I have ever used for starting in hard ice,” said one ecstatic tester after deploying Petzl’s new screws on water ice all over Colorado. Petzl optimized the aggressive steel teeth on the Laser series by lengthening them, and it shows with the increased ease of placement. “I rarely failed to start the screw with just one jab, which is a real blessing when you’re pumped,” another tester said. Laser Speed screws (four sizes, 10 to 21cm) have a fold-up crank that nestles nicely against the hanger when racked on your harness, and the Laser screws (three sizes, 13 to 21cm) are crankless to save weight. Color-coded handles on the Laser Speeds delineate length so you can grab the right one at a glance. Testers loved these screws, so look out for summer 2014’s newest iteration, an even lighter version: the Laser Speed Lite, with an aluminum shaft and hanger and inset steel tip with the same quick-biting teeth. Our testers are already fighting over samples.