Customer Reviews

Ice & Mixed Climbing: Modern Technique (Mountaineers Outdoor Expert)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is one of the latest guides on ice climbing. It therefore covers the most modern techniques, is up to date with equipment, and has great color photos. Written by Will Gadd it definitely has the flair of an individual author, reads more like a pro's guide than a technical reference. The type of material covered and order is great. However, the editing of this guide is severely lacking. It suffers from incorrect captions, bad figure references, transposed terms (convex vs concave) and complex procedures described in steps that tend to get you lost in confusion rather than clarify.

If you're an already accomplished ice climber, there will be a few "take home" concepts ("tracking"/cycling vertical progression, and his personal take on mix climbing techniques for instance). A beginner will benefit more from this guide (after reading twice to work around the editing problems).

A second edition, edited properly, will be a top-notch guide on this sport.

Written in thoughtful and lively fashion, Gadd distills his 20 years of collected wisdom into 230 pages. Discussions on tools, technique, nutrition, training are all useful - this is a book for the aspiring ice warrior as well as the climber with a few seasons under his / her belt. The constant Red Bull pimping gets a bit distracting but a guy has to pay the bills, afterall. Highly recommended.

Will Gadd is the man! This guy has been there and done that and is giving you all the beta. The book is well written, has good stories and great pictures. I think i have rear every book on ice climbing there is (even the Chouinard book). if you only read one book on climbing ice this is it. This is also the only book that really talked about serious mixed climbing at all. I can't recommend this enough. If you currently lead WI5 and climb M8 then i guess you might not need this, but if your searching the internet for ice climbing books then you obviously should buy this one.

This book is a up-to-date guide on mixed climbing techniques today being used in both ice and rock climbing. Much of the focus is on ice climbing - which is good, modern tools versus older style tools and equipment. Gadd has done a excellent job is describing today's new tools, their uses, pro's and con's, belay techniques, protection, with beautiful color pictures and several stories of climbs done. It is a down-to-earth easy-to-read book, written in layman's terms - sometimes funny - but easy to understand and follow - especially his photograph's of 'How To' techniques and moves over various types of ice, etc. A great addition to any ice climbers library and lot's of good useful info on tools, maintenance of them, care, etc.

Will Gadd is certainly in a class by himself as an ice/mixed climber. Unfortunately, the book doesn't perform at the highest level. The first copy I got had 16 missing pages. The seller provided a second copy at no charge. Still, the typos and occasional figure reference errors detract from the quality of the work. The section on conditioning and the personal stories are very good. There are many good tips throughout, for every aspect of ice and mixed climbs. However, some of the instructional material is not adequately covered to help a novice advance. Hopefully a 2nd edition will solve these problems.

I have been ice climbing for about three years now. I only get to climb on the weekends and therefore I'm only climbing at the WI 4 level. This season I was going to hire a private guide to help me refine my climbing. After reading this book I feel I have learned the few tricks I need to move into the WI 5 climbs. The drills and training tips are well worth the price and the time it takes to read the book worth it. It is an easy read (not boring) and well illustrated with color photos. Now I can buy more gear with the money I saved on a guide.

This guy knows what he's talking about. Read this if you're even mildly interested in the topic as you get it straight from one of the best in the business. Instruction, stories, personal recommendations from what he eats for breakfast to how to choose your tools and other sharp bits when the freeze sets in and the drips beckon!

This is simply the best book on ice climbing technique you will find. That's a broad statement, but you'll agree that Will Gadd has done an outstanding job presenting the information in this book. He starts out at a very basic level and proceeds to cover everything from climbing easy ice to mixed climbing. The book offers many tips and tricks as well as stresses the need for safety. There are even a few "war stories" thrown in for your reading enjoyment. The material is presented in an easy-to-read and enjoyable fashion. This book is destined to become the "Bible" of ice climbing technique. From beginner to expert you'll probably find something in this book that will help you improve your technique. A MUST addition to your collection.

An absolute awesome book with very meaningful test-based training and funny stories - the illustrations are even better - ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!!!