We’ve got lots of Cassin pitons in the collection, check out the related items if you want to know more. Dating from the 1960s, or maybe a little earlier, these little fellas were usually called ‘leaf pitons’, though, because of their shape, pitoneers often referred to them as ‘ace of hearts’. Pitons were the main form of protection for climbers and mountaineers back in good old days, hammering one into a nice cosy crack and ‘clipping in’ gave a very secure feeling. Nuts, chocks, wires, wedges, Friends and all kinds of new ideas came along in the 1960s/70s to de-throne the mighty piton. The fabulous cartoon above depicts the transition beautifully.
