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Mountaineering Boot Buying Guide
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Ice Axe Buying Guide
Buying Guide
Introduction
In winter, the British mountains become more beautiful yet potentially more dangerous.
When there’s snow on the hills and ice clogging the gullies, you need to take the right ice axe(s) for your chosen route. There’s a wide variety of shapes and sizes of picks, adzes and hammers available. This guide highlights the features and benefits of walking, alpine and technical axes. Plus, some of the different leash systems and accessories that are available.
Types
Types of Ice Axes
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Walking Axes
Hill walking in winter can be more akin to full on mountaineering than summer hill walking. You need the full kit including crampons and at least a single walking axe.
Your axe offers stability on snowy terrain. With a pick for security when embedded in névé or in ice axe arrest mode, and a shovel (adze) to cut steps and dig belay positions.
The simplest walking axes are straight shafted. This makes the axe spike easy to plunge into the snow and lends stability when zig-zagging up moderate snow slopes. This shape is also easy to manoeuvre in self-arrest mode.
Walking axes are usually 50 to 70cm long. The taller you are the longer your ice axe should be. But beware of going too long as it may become unwieldy, particularly when self arresting. Also, consider that you should always be holding your walking axe in the uphill hand. The greater the slope angle the harder it becomes to plunge a long shafted axe into the slope above you.
A straight shafted walking axe is ideal for fell walking, alpine glacier crossings and non technical snow ascents.
Alpine Axes
If you expect to encounter some steep ground, a semi-technical ‘alpine’ axe (or pair of axes) will be much more appropriate than a walking axe.
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Technical Axes
Curved with steep pick angles and protective lower hand rests, the modern technical axe will make any winter climb easier.
The curved shaft clears obstacles and presents the pick to the ice at an ideal angle for stable placements.
The standard approach is to carry one adze and one hammer. The adze allows you to scrape rime away from cracks or other potential protection placements, or excavate an ice axe belay or bollard. The hammer is there to bash pitons into thin cracks, or to ensure that hex and nut placements are as stable as they can be. With this combination, you will be prepared for pretty much any Scottish winter climb of any grade. However, they will really be in their element in the mid to high grades (say III to VII).
Offset Handle Axes
The handle is designed to be more ergonomic with a more comfortable wrist position.
Leashes
Losing a tool is a nightmare scenario for the winter climber. Drop an axe and you could be in a lot of bother, which is why leashes are a great addition to your axe set up.
Traditional leashes attach your wrist direct to the top of the shaft. These are mainly seen on walking axes. For climbing, the most popular leash is an elastic lanyard style which is attached from the harness to the bottom spike of your axe(s). The result is full manoeuvrability and ‘leashless’ freedom without the worry that you might lose a tool. Spring leashes are available for one axe or a pair, and some come with rotating axles that help prevent tangled webbing.
Accessories
Technical tools come with modular picks. This allows you to replace worn or damaged picks and avoid having to replace the whole axe. You may also want to keep two different pick styles handy.
More Guides
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