Lag bolts for anchors

[SirCranksalot]

Here's an idea I am going to try. Moving a so-called pop-up is a big PITA as many of you know. Setting the anchors seems to take most of the time. I tried a 6" lag bolt with drill and a nut driver and they went into the ice lickety split!! It seemed like a very solid anchor point to me and, if not quite enough, I could use a longer bolt.

Has  anybody tried this? Comments?

thx   

[Hooked up]

Seems like it is going to work out well for you. If not Eskimo makes real nice ice anchors. Also Eagle Claw makes an ice anchor that is just as good as Eskimo's and cost a lot less, and is my choice for ice anchors. Using a drill with an attachment the anchors go onto the ice effortlessly, and if your drill battery go dead you can still put them on by hand.

[esox_xtm]

Been there, done that, moved on.  Lag screws are a distant third to most anything else. I tried it years ago to go on the cheap. Replaced ineffective HT and (at that time) Eskimo anchors. Searched around an bought into some ice climbing screws. Not cheap @ retail but I lucked into eight (I think) on eBay for basically a song.

Super lightweight, super tuff titanium that screw in with minimal hand force before you can get you drill out for a pilot hole of swap to a driver adapter for anchors. No foolin'. Spend some time looking on eBay and waiting for "the deal" and you will be rewarded. I'll never get rid of any I have. Can't replace 'em for my investment. I carry enough stuff with out hauling extra to install some anchors when I can do better than that. They look like this:



Not exactly these but you get the idea.

From what I hear, the current Eskimos are great but I can't comment on that as I have no experience with them. There was also a company that offered something visually similar to the climbing screws but I believe their construction was aluminum rather than Ti. I'm sure they would perform short term but be far less durable than their more expensive counterparts.

[SirCranksalot]

What was the prob with lag bolts? Did they pull out somehow or were they hard to get in? Mine went in very easily with the drill and seemed quite solid. I have the normal anchors that came with the tent to use as a back-up in case the bolts don't work/

[fishercat]

The newer Eskimo anchors do work. But the ice screws are far superior holding power and ease of starting both.

[Rugburn]

Just use the lags. One thing that may help installation is to grind a diagonal groove onto the tip. Sort of like some sheet metal screws have. Helps being self tapping.

The titanium ones are slick, but wicked expensive. I guess if I where ice climbing I wouldn't skimp.

[SirCranksalot]

I know what you mean re the slot but it doesn't seem to be necessary. When I tried the plain lag it went thru the ice like the proverbial knife thru y'know!

[slipperybob]

When I first got my clam 1060 suitcase style, in order to prevent suitcase from sliding on ice, I got some lag eye bolts.   screw them into ice by putting a screwdriver through the eye and turning them.  If I needed a lanyard/tie down point, that was what the eye for.