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Ice axe recommendations


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Home Forums Off Piste Mountaineering & Alpinism Ice axe recommendations

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
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  • #3405463
    BlackHatGuy
    Spectator

    @sleeping

    Locale: The Cascades

    I’m not into mountaineering, I’m not a climber. Don’t intend to become one. But this winter I have been doing some day trips with my brother which include some pretty steep, snow covered traverses, not much ice (on which, if I had fallen, I would have traveled quite some distance, and probably into trees, if I couldn’t stop myself). Wouldn’t be too hard to fall since I’m usually only wearing microspikes instead of crampons. I know my trekking poles wouldn’t be much help in such a scenario.

    So I’d appreciate any recommendations on an ice axe mainly as a ‘walking’ axe, not a climbing axe.

    Thanks.

    #3405470
    Simon Kenton
    BPL Member

    @simonbutler

    Camp Corsa. Light and, if you find a deal, you can get it for under $100

     

    http://www.camp-usa.com/products/ice-axes/corsa/

    #3405475
    James holden
    BPL Member

    @bearbreeder-2

    camp corsa nanotech …

    for sizing hold the axe down by yr side … it should just come down to yr ankles

    you can always get it shorter (if you use it mostly on steeper stuff) and want to go a bit lighter …

    if youre going to chop snow (for tents or steps) get one with a burlier steel head … petzl literide or glacier are decently light and “full axes”

    ;)

    #3405481
    James holden
    BPL Member

    @bearbreeder-2

    oh and dont underestimate some of these “old school” skills … which are actually very applicable to hikers with minimal gear

    the old school mountaineers didnt have crampons, or they were shiet ones …

    step chopping is something every hiker with an axe should know … especially as they might have no crampons or just UL walking spikes

    YouTube video

    ;)

    #3405600
    William Chilton
    BPL Member

    @williamc3

    Locale: Antakya

    I’ve never used one, so can’t recommend it from that point of view, but the Grivel Condor (trekking pole with an ice axe blade for self arrest) might be good for what you need. Black Diamond also make something similar.

    #3405662
    Link .
    BPL Member

    @annapurna

    C.A.M.P. Corsa  is $95.96 with coupon code TWENTY20 at Camp Saver  till the end of the day( May 30)

    and the C.A.M.P. Corsa Nanotech Ice Axe is $127.96 with the coupon

    #3405670
    Bob Moulder
    BPL Member

    @bobmny10562

    Locale: Westchester County, NY

    +1 Nanotech for the steel pick and spike.

    I have the reg Corsa and can report that the aluminum pick was quite dinged and blunted after very little use on hard ice — one time up and down the chute on Lion Head at Mt. Washington. And it really doesn’t have a spike.

    #3405708
    BlackHatGuy
    Spectator

    @sleeping

    Locale: The Cascades

    Thanks for the thoughts all, and thanks for the video Eric. A friend is going to give me an old Grivel Mont Blanc, so I’ll start there since it’s free. :-) If it doesn’t work for me your suggestions will help my purchase decision.

    #3405714
    Jonathan Shefftz
    BPL Member

    @jshefftz1

    Locale: Western Mass.

    Ski/trekking poles with a self-arrest grip (i.e., BD Whippet & Grivel Condor) are only for stopping yourself once you’re already falling — they won’t keep you from falling in the first place anymore than regular trekking poles would.  (And if you’re using the self-arrest pick to dig into moderate-angle snowfields while hiking, then you’re doing something very very wrong…)

    By contrast, the spike and CE-rated shaft on an ice axe can be used for self-belay to keep you from falling in the first place.  The spike on the Nanotech is indeed far better than on the Corsa, but the Corsa would be fine for what’s contemplated here.  (The Nanotech pick is also much sharper than on the Corsa, but I’m not sure why the pick would see any use on the Lion Head winter hiking trail, unless something else if being referenced here?)

    Some links including reviews:

    http://skimo.co/black-diamond-whippet-pole

    http://skimo.co/black-diamond-carbon-whippet

    http://www.libertymountain.com/products/5513/760070/grivel-condor-pole

    http://skimo.co/camp-corsa-ice-axe

    http://skimo.co/camp-corsa-nanotech-ice-axe

     

    #3408504
    Will Elliott
    BPL Member

    @elliott-will

    Locale: Juneau, AK

    As a whippet owner I would get:

    Black Diamond Ultra Distance Pole

    any random Black Diamond pole tip with the snow basket

    50cm Camp Corsa

    Use boiling water to switch the tips on the poles from the summer only stock basket to the snow basket. Then carry the ice ax between your pack and your shoulder blades for easy access. A whippet is really heavy, even if you mod it as follows: get the one section carbon lowers from their other poles and cut to 115cm.

    Going the Corsa / pole route, you have almost a real ice ax, and a real pair of poles.

    Whippets are great for skiing.

    #3408540
    John S.
    BPL Member

    @jshann

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