Best Ice Tools For Mountaineering Reddit, Jan 17, 2024 · If you’re climbing or mountaineering, having the right tools is necessary for your success and safety, Leashes used to be commonplace in ice climbing, but they’re become mostly redundant nowadays, Keep it, and get a second more technical tool if you know you need it, It really depends on what you’re looking for - I have a blue ice choucas pro and it’s a decent super light mountaineering harness that is fairly full featured and non padded, Not looking to do anything technical, just occasional steep snow or crevasse travel, Corcovado requires machete, ice tools and steel crampons with snow pickets for anchors, Torre Central del Paine requires friends and climbing shoes but Aconcagua just a walking axe and aluminum crampons, Personally of all the fancy axes I have this is the one I grab most often and carry for just in case situations, We look at both straight and curve shaft options with a wide variety of uses, including technical, vertical ice climbing, ski mountaineering, and glacial travel, Looking at buying a ski mountaineering oriented ice axe after lugging my 60cm straight shaft ice axe around, We tested these packs all throughout North America, dragging them up summits in Otherwise Ouray Ice Park is great for having a ton of routes available once it officially opens (it is a managed area, not backcountry), including a lot of beginner-friendly top roping that allows you to get a lot of practice quickly, The Petzl SumTec is an incredible tool for this purpose, I have seen there is a wide variety of ice axes, mainly I assume I am interested in a more general purpose one such as the Petzl Summit or the BD Raven Grip, By Jonathan Baldassare, MTI Contributor With the rock climbing season winding down in the coming month, I find myself thinking about the joy of swinging tools and bashing ice more and more often, Best part is the back panel access though - very useful for ski mountaineering when you have your skis a-framed on your pack and need to access the interior compartment, Among the list of gear you need to venture safely into the alpine is a safe and reliable mountaineering harness, Discover top-rated models, how to choose them, and expert advice for safer, stronger ascents, 100% agree with this, 12K subscribers in the iceclimbing community, Probably looking for something in the 45-50 L ish range, We scrambled up remote alpine peaks, swung ice tools on steep waterfall ice, and set out for multi-week expeditions, And in steeper winter mountaineering routes I would also do lot's of crag ice climbing before doing glacial ice climbing, It’s designed to be super light, so you don’t get tired carrying it up mountains, Mar 7, 2024 · Mountaineering guide Sean McNally names the best crampons for a variety of conditions after years of testing, Don’t replace the glacier with a technical tool, can have immense consequences, What luck have people had with cycling bar tape, racket handle tape, or golf club tape like Alien Pro? And lastly, what gear you need will depend on the mountain, e, Those that do well with the training will get proficiency in mountaineering, g, Aug 7, 2025 · BEST FOR: BACKCOUNTRY SKIING Great for deep powder and backcountry skiing, the Grivel G10 New Classic Crampons are often referred to as an excellent hill-climbing crampon, Oct 21, 2024 · The best ice axe for winter hiking and backpacking 2025 including Lightweight Hiking Ice Axe from Petzl, Black Diamond, Grivel, and more, I have an old pair of leashed ice tools that I got from a friend almost for free (model is Cassin X-alp tech info here, They provide stability, enable you to cut steps in hard snow or test the depth of a snow drift, I use the singing rock bandit, it’s pretty much just a heavier, cheaper quark, Jan 28, 2022 · Over the last 10 years, we've tested over 21 of the best ice axes on the market, I was wondering if you experienced folks ever used an Ice Tool instead of an Ice Axe for mountainering, I’m sure handling that cold in an expedition setting, or on a technical rock/ice climb is going to be a whole different ball game! It really depends on how icy the route is, but a couple cobras or a tech tool and a sumtec would be an ok option, My problem is that I really don't want to spend money in new tools, specially because my main focus is to ascent peaks and mostly plan to use ice climbing as training for the mountains, Built to withstand mild ice and prevent snow build-up, these 10-point crampons will work with any type of mountaineering boot and should stay flexible in cold temperatures as well, I am starting to get into climbing peaks with steeper slopes and am thinking I would like a second tool, Hey all, I’m looking to buy my boyfriend a backpack for ice climbing for his birthday, I'm not seeing many made for ice tools, , It also serves as a good self arrest tool, making it more usable for general mountaineering than a quark, And a third is good boots for moderately-technical summer alpine climbs, I currently just have a Petzl Glacier which is fine for flat and moderately steep terrain, It’s just a basic rundown of features and what to look for if you’re new to Leashes: Yay or Nay? I have heard mixed opinions about having a leash on your ice axe (we're talking general mountaineering ice axes, not ice tools for ice climbing), As everyone starts to gear up for thru hikes and early season snow travel, I thought I’d write an overview on ice axes, We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us, The Venom is a pretty good tool, For fans of ice climbing, May 8, 2025 · Life in the mountains is your passion, but getting there requires a good deal of equipment, That is the reason you might have found articles on "how to sharpen your ice axe" or whatever, A pick built for glacier travel won't swing into ice as easily as a pick built for ice climbing, My advice would be to borrow, rent, or purchase a set of ice tools, I know some would recommend just using two ice tools for something like this (and yes, I know that some of Mar 18, 2025 · Waterproof, burly, and breathable, the best hardshell jackets provide it all for your next foray into mountaineering, backcountry skiing, alpine climbing, or just downright miserable weather, In terms of mountaineering gear: ice axe, crampons, poles, and all the obvious like food, water, insulated warm clothes, People have been climbing WI6+ with straight shafted tools for years (and some people still do), Ice axes are an essential safety tool for travelling through winter mountains, 24 votes, 41 comments, Dec 5, 2023 · Our mountaineering experts have tested 30 of the best mountaineering backpacks over the last decade, But it’s hard to suggest an axe without knowing what your using it for, When are you climbing Whitney? I'm not from the states, so I don't know for sure, but I believe that if you climb Whitney in the summer you don't need an ice axe, Here are the best ice axes for your next adventure, Unlike other boots, you can also remove It seems you've got two categories of piolet/ice tools here, In parralel, I am actually looking to pursue my other training in ice climbing, So maybe Crampons, ice ax and shovel attach to outside, inside I just have a tent, sleeping pad and bag, first aid kit, and bear canister (needed in my area) where I store all my food and cooking supplies, In the off chance it does freeze you can just knock it with your ice tool to break the ice, The route requires both a general mountaineering ice axe and an ice tool, but having trouble thinking through which tool to grab, Nov 24, 2025 · When you’re 100 feet off the ground, pinned to a silvery ribbon of ice by nothing but four blades of steel, you need absolute trust in your equipment, I’ve measured time to exhaustion on my home wall with multiple tools and the Ergonomics definitely help to stave off the pump, Black Diamond - cams, tents, backpacks, crampons Petzl - ice tools, climbing hardware MSR - most things are quality Outdoor Research - gloves Arcteryx - harnesses (will pay retail because they are the best on the market and it’s not even close), backpacks Certainly not an ice climbing axe, but it can get you up some moderate ice in a pinch, Is it common practice or do I keep seeing more and more carbon fiber mountaineering equipment coming out, The tape on the handles of my tools have had a good run but it's about time to re-wrap them, The thing that they do really well is the quality of steel which is superior to anything else, But how can you tell which products to rely on? That’s our job, Just saw an ad for these bad Larries, but from everything I’ve seen, Carbon fiber projects haven’t held up well to the more extreme rigors of climbing/mountaineering, You will learn the physics behind axe design, follow a clear framework to match a tool to your specific climbing style, from glacier travel to steep ice, and discover the best ice axes of 2025, Backcountry, snowy conditions will tend to a longer, lighter axe, while quick climbs and steep ascents will call for a shorter, sharper ice tool, Googling online, there are different opinions and this link sums up some good pros/cons, and other situational things to think about, The X-Monster and the Bandit are leashless ice tools, whereas the others you've listed are technical piolets (though throwing the x all mountain handle onto the x light would allow it to climb leashless), After buying 9 of the latest and greatest, our field testers hauled them into the mountains, High and Western Tatras are the names of the mountain ranges, Just as rock climbing can be somewhat akin to ballet in the vertical realm, i have always thought of ice climbing as […] Feb 12, 2024 · We have put together an expert review on the best crampons for climbing! Check out our expert buyers guide! What helmets do people recommend for year round usage, from summer climbing to winter mountaineering and climbing? I feel most comfortable using aluminums for anchors or in SOLID ice leading, I guess my first question is - does it make sense to keep the 4 days ago · Looking for reliable ice axes for your mountaineering adventures? Explore our top 15 picks to stay safe and prepared while climbing the toughest peaks, Start your journey today! 10 votes, 25 comments, We love the Nomic for its performance on vertical ice, but our testers found the Hydra to take steep ice climbing to a new level thanks to its incredible modularity, perfect balance, and best-in-class ice penetration, It can use any Petzl pick (ice, pur ice, etc) and adapted with either an adze or hammer, If you can't climb ice with a mountaineering axe comfortably then the tools aren't going to make that much of a difference, To follow on u/kungfulkoder 's response, sharpening ice axes is mostly if you're going to be climbing vertical ice with a technical ice tool, This season, our team of testers tried out 27 different pieces of ice climbing gear, I currently have a Petzl Glacier for a general mountaineering axe, As far as steel screws, these are the workhorses of most ice climbing, Where and how do you intend on using your ice axe? The environment and weather conditions you plan on using your axe in will dramatically affect which one you should buy, In this update, we select 17 of the current market's best to hack away at waterfalls, chop steps, and practice our self-arrest techniques, The bigger deciding factor is the type of pick you have, Feb 20, 2025 · Looking for the best mountaineering backpack? We break down the top 10 packs built for strength, stability, and the toughest climbs… So, should you use leashes ice climbing? Using leashes for ice climbing helps your hold on to your tools, although they can get in the way and can increase the risk of hurting yourself when you fall, Plus Ouray has a ton of guide services for ice climbing because it is the mecca, A few guides I've met have said leashes can do more harm than good (discouraging you from moving the axe from one hand to the other, etc, Apr 28, 2025 · Explore the best mountaineering ice axes for different climbing styles, with tips on selecting the right axe for self-arrest, glacier travel, and technical climbs, AAI requires a hammered ice tool such as the Quark, but also a hybrid axe measuring between 50-59cm such as a Petzl Sum'Tec, Petzl Summit Evo (a bit less of a hybrid I guess), or the BD Venom, Im not doing only ice climbing and I want to do some alpinism, Our expert Getting equipped for waterfall ice climbing, a highly equipment-intensive activity, used to be easy, Best Ice tools? What do y’all think are the best ice climbing tools and why? In the marker for a new pair, This isn’t meant to be a comprehensive review of individual ice axes or technique, It’s a good all around ice Nov 15, 2024 · At first glance the Hydra looks like a copy of several popular ice tools, most notably Petzl’s Nomic, A really technical tool will excel dry tooling/mixed climbing/steep ice but will sacrifice some general mountaineering/alpine climbing performance, Non sketchy but would like a bit of a nicer hold while climbing - whippet Sketchy to point of needing one tool - ice axe Pretty sketchy with one tool - ice axe and whippet Two tools required - steep to near vertical ice Remember ice axe = boot crampons and a helmet, If you fall, you can (hopefully) use your ice axe to stop your slide to doom, Petzl got their act together in 2010 or so and are decent but my Nomics blunt far more quickly than my friends Grivel tools, This tool climbs up to WI4 well, although if you're climbing extended WI4 I would sub in a quark instead, My Grivel crampons are very, very good (G20) and seem surprisingly durable even on I imagine the reason you see so many games where climbing/mountaineering is an element, rather than the core mechanic, is the complexity, trueYeah - that was one of my first mountaineering objectives (obviously as beginner as it gets), but it gave me a lot more confidence in my layering and handling myself in cold weather (at least on a slog like Lions Head on Mt Washington), What is basic climbing/mountaineering equipment I should always take with me on every summit I want to ascend? Edit: We are talking altitudes up to 2700m in winter bcs u can basically hike almost everything in the summer, ), while other climbers I've met swear by Different tools for different jobs honestly, For the crampons, would a pair that are already on my snow boots work? Has an avy tool pocket that is accessible from the inside or outside of the pack, As gear manufacturers continue to produce more and more innovative ice axes, and ice climbing grows For something like straight up ice climbing a waterfall, I think leashes are accepted as a good idea, Training will consist of them going up in the mountain and practice mountaineering & rescue techniques, It isn't optimal for glacier travel, but you can climb technical terrain a lot better than the Raven, If I'm climbing ice on a The Ergonomics with the Pur’Ice pick are possibly the best tool for steep ice and mixed climbing, You just had to buy some screws, technical ice tools, I’ve been climbing ice on it for 2 years now and freezing hasn’t been an issue, You’re gonna have a sacrifice somewhere, Between BD, CAMP, and Petzl, I think the differences are fairly minimal, Unless it’s really soft I probably wouldn’t go with just one tool unless it’s a tech tool and you’re really comfortable climbing low angle ice with one tool, Doing this sport, i have ice tools instead of ice axes, Don't overthink tools, What’s your favourite, or what features do you most appreciate? Thanks! Share Add a Comment Sort by: Best Open comment sort options Top New Controversial Old Q&A Alpineice23 • Hey everyone, Going guided on Rainier next month via the Fuhrer (which is similar to the Kautz on grade & technicality from what I've gathered), The petzl one because it is light, sturdy, and has a little knife built in to the hook Alternatively a coat hanger with a ball pen lid to prevent the hook from getting caught everywhere will do just fine Good day folks, I learned the Self Arrest method with an ice axe, That’s why our Hi all, I am hoping to get some recommendations for a second ice axe/tool, Most resources for ice axes focus on general mountaineering, Besides custom ice tool tape like Edelrids Grip Tape, what other options are there, They'll serve The Petzl Gully ice axe is a lightweight and strong tool made for serious ice climbing and mountaineering, One's a full rack of ice screws and full rack of draws, and another's accessories for my ice tools, I added the heavy picks and use cascade picks for just about everything, but get some of the MIxte picks for rock climbing abuse, Is this standard practice? Does anyone have info on technique when climbing with mismatched tools? Aug 26, 2025 · Master ice climbing with the best crampons, This is to say that I will be using an ice axe for both climbing steep slopes and as a hiking pole, Hello all, Grivel tools are good but I find the axes slightly less refined than the equivalent Petzl, It's much harder with a straight tool, but it's very possible, Some are applicable to hikers, some are not, I'm climbing Kautz with Alpine Ascents in June and wanted some advice on ice tools, To craft anything approaching a faithful representation you'd need an extremely robust physics system, right? After all, it's an activity where small changes in weight, grip, load distribution, material strength, etc, These are generally best as a second tool for intermediate mountaineering or easy alpine ice/snow climbs where you want security of a second tool or self arrest ability Paired with an even more technical tool, I was looking at either the Petzel Summit Evo, or SumTec, I have personally lead grade 4 ice, mixed terrain up to m6 as well as several alpine routes with these tools, That crag or gym harness you wear repeatedly throughout the year probably isn’t an ideal choice when you decide to undertake your first (or umpteenth) alpine adventure, At the end of the day your placements and footwork have much more of an impact then your equipment, May 1, 2025 · Explore the top ice axes for ice climbing, with expert recommendations on the best tools for performance, safety, and durability, For RP, there will be a village at the base of the range where they can spend time being trained by lifelong mountaineers, I've been getting into snow climbing recently and Cooper's book recommends bringing a single ice tool along with your normal axe for the more technical sections, ozdais fhmbczv xoyjz sucxjdp vwjt gjqsk pwd srvin zwnd yfz