No. 4

Pozdravljen dragi bralec in draga bralka v novem namigu tedna. Današnji namig bo bolj praktične narave, saj se bomo naučili kako pravilno izbrati cepin. Mnogi so me že spraševali, kateri cepin je zame. Prvi odgovor je zakaj se bo uporabljal in nato katero dolžino izbrati.

Poznamo tri vrste cepinov; klasični, kombinirani in plezalni.

KLASIČNI CEPIN

Kot kaže slika spodaj, ima klasični cepin ravno ali rahlo ukrivljeno ratišče. Ratišče je celotna „palica“ od ročaja, do spoja s klinom. Ravno ratišče se uporablja za dostope na vrhove v zimskih razmerah, za prečenja ledenikov in pomoč pri prečenju snežišč poleti. Ratišče je ponavadi okroglo ali jajčaste oblike zaradi boljšega oprijema, to je seveda odvisno od proizvajalca. Na dnu ratišča je ostra konica, ki pomaga, da se cepin bolje zapiči v sneg. Na vrhu se nahaja klin z lopatico. Klin pri klasičnem cepinu ni preveč agresivno ukrivljen zaradi same uporabe in tudi zaradi ustavljanja s cepinom. Lopatica na drugem koncu klina pa je namenjena za kopanje v sneg. Klasični cepini so različnih dolžin, saj je vsak uporabnik različno visok. Poleg cepina je ponavadi priložena zanka, ki si jo ovijemo okrog zapestja, da ne izgubimo ali izpustimo cepina.

Klasični cepin

KOMBINIRANI CEPIN

Kot že samo ime pove, se kombiniran cepin uporablja tako za pohodništvo kot tudi za plezanje lednih slapov in zimskih smeri zmernih težavnosti. Malce manj je primeren za dolge dostope zaradi krajšega ratišča. Ratišče pri tem cepinu je kar ukrivljeno, kar pomaga pri plezanju, da se s prsti ne udarimo v sneg, led ali skalo. Ta cepin ima tudi ročaj, ki pomaga, da nam olajša oprijem in se podlaket kasneje utrudi. Nekateri cepini imajo snemljive ročaje oziroma dele ročajev, da se cepin spremeni v klasičnega. Na dnu ratišča je zopet ostra konica, ki pomaga pri pikanju v sneg. Na vrhu ratišča je klin, ki je v večini primerov snemljiv in zamenljiv. Klin je pod agresivnim kotom, ki dodatno pomaga, da se os hitreje zapiči v podlago. Pri kombiniranih cepinih imamo poleg lopatice tudi kladivo, ki je namenjeno zabijanju plezalni in snežnih klinov. Včasih je bila poleg cepina nameščena zanka za zapestje. Sedaj se uporablja elastični trak, ki si ga pripnemo iz cepina na plezalni pas. Kombinirani cepini so istih velikosti in ponavadi ne moremo izbirati dolžin istega modela.

Kombinirani cepin

PLEZALNI CEPIN

Plezalni cepin oziroma stroj, kot ga nekateri imenujejo, se uporablja za plezanje težjih skalnih, snežni ali kombiniranih smeri in slapov. Plezalni cepin sicer je primeren za dostope, vendar zaradi ukrivljenega ratišča in posebnega ročaja ni posebno primeren, saj ga ne moremo zapičiti v sneg, sploh če je ta malo pomrznjen. Bom povedal zakaj. Ratišče pri tem cepinu je močno ukrivljeno, prvič, da se s prsti ne dotikamo podlage in drugič, da ko visimo na cepinu, imamo zapestje stegnjeno in se s tem manj utrudimo. Nekateri ročaji so prilagodljivi, odvisno od posameznega modela. Ti ročaji tudi omogočajo več pozicij držanja in preprijemanja. Na dnu ratišča je tudi pri teh cepinih konica, ki nam pomaga, da se cepin vsaj malce zapiči v sneg. Na vrhu je klin, ki je postavljen pod agresivnim kotom in je zamenljiv. S temi cepini se uporabljajo kladiva zraven klinov, lopatke ponavadi ne. Lahko se udarimo po nosu z lopatko in še grdo je videti. S temi cepini se z elastičnimi trakovi vpnemo v plezalni pas.

Plezalni cepin

Sedaj ko poznamo vrste cepinov, pa je potrebno izbrati ta pravo dolžino. Pri plezalnih in kombiniranih cepinih istih modelov so mere ratišč iste. Pri klasičnih cepinih, pa so različne dolžine, glede na telesno višino. En način je tak, da primemo cepin za okel tako, da konica ratišča gleda proti pazduhi. Če je konica ravno pod pazduho je cepin prav dolg, če pa je stran od pazduhe oziroma čez, pa cepin ni pravih mer. Tako merjenje je bolj priporočljivo za moške, saj imajo ženske krajše roke. Drugi način je ta, da primemo okel in spustimo cepin poleg noge. Če je približno 10 – 15 cm nad gležnjem je ta pravi, če pa je čez gleženj oziroma je zelo nad gležnjem, pa seveda ni pravih mer za nas.

Pravilna izbira cepina

Upam, da sem s tem današnjim namigom pomagal pri sami izbiri cepina. Zima je pred vrati. Izkoristimo jo.

Do naslednjič.

Hello dear readers in a new clue of the week. Todays clue will be a little practical because i'll show you how to choose an ice axe. Many of you asked me, how to choose the right ice axe for them. The first answer is what kind of activity will be for and second, wich lenght.

There are three types od ice axes: clasical, combined and technical.

CLASICAL ICE AXE

As shown below, an clasical ice axe has a straight or slightly curved shaft. A shaft is stick from bottom, to the top, where is a joint with a pick. Clasical ice axe is used for winter aproaches on the summits, for crossing a glacier or help to cross a snowfield in the summer. The shaft is round or egg shaped for better grip, but this depends on the manufacturer. At the bottom of the shaft there is a sharp tip, that allowes a better penetration trouhg the snow. At the top, there is a pick with an adze. A pick on the clasical ice axe in not curved that much for the use for walking and stopping on the snow. An adze is there for digging trough ice. Clasical ice axes are in diferent lenght, depends on the user. Beside an axe, there is a string, that can be wrap around a wrist and helps us that we can't drop or lose an axe.

Clasical ice axe

COMBINED ICE AXE

As the name is mentioned, this ice axe is used for walking and also for climbing a snow routes and waterfalls of moderate dificulties. This axe is less apropriate for long aproach because a shorter shaft. A shat is moderate curved that helps us at climbing, so our fingers don't come in contact with a surface. Some of combined ice axes has a different and interchangable handle, so it can be transformed into a clasical one. In the bottom of the shaft, there is a spike for penetrating trough a snow. At the top, there is a pick wich in most cases is replacable and is there at agresisve angle, so the axis can penetrate more trough a snow and ice. On combined ice axes there is an adze and a hammer to hit a wedge. Back in a while, there was a loop for a wrist, but today, we use an elastic strip wich can be secured on the climbing harness. Combined ice axes are normally the same lenghts and we can't choose a diferent lenghts of the same model.

Combined ice axe

TECHNICAL ICE AXE

Technical ice axe or the machine as some refferes to it is used for climbing some hardest routes of snow, rock and ice. This kind of ice axe is approprite for aproach, but because of the handrest and curved shaft, it can't poke trough frozen snow. I'll tell you why. The shaft is more curved than at combined ice axe because, first, our fingers are not in contact with a surface and second, when we hang on the handle, our wrist is straight and fatigue comes later. Some of the handles are intercangable, but it depends on the model. Those kind of handles allows the climber multiple positions of the hands. At the bottom of the shaft is a spike that allowes some penetration trough the snow. At the top, there is a pick wich is placed at agressive angle and it can be changed. With technical ice axes we use just a hammer on none. Adze isn't suitable because you can hit yourself in the nose and the ice axe is not looking great. We can strap an elastic strip on to climbing harness.

Technical ice axe

Now we know what type of ice axe to choose, but now we must know the propper lenght. As the combined and technical ice axe, the lenght of the same model of the shafts are the same. But on clasical ice axes the lenghts of the shafts are different, depends on the height of the user. One way is to hold by the pick and place a botom of the shaft under your armpit. If the spike is comfortable under the armpit, the lenght is OK, but if is shorter or longer, the lenght is not good. But this type of measuring is suitable for men, but not for women, because they have a shorter arms. Second typle of measuring is to hold the pick and lay it beside a leg. If the spike is about 10 – 15 cm above the ankle, the ice axe is OK, but if it's more than 15 cm above the ankle or below, the ixe axe in not the propper lenght.

How to choose a propper lenght

I hope that i was helpfull with this weeks clue and from now on you can choose your own ice axe. Winter is out there. Get o

ut there.

'till next time.