UKC

Hi, I was wondering what is the best gear solution for this situation. I have no winter experience as yet so dont judge me haha

Say you want to do some mountaineering (say in the alps) on a large mountain but also has some steep ice climbing. Would you need to carry a a walking ice axe and a pair of more agressive climbing axes? I ask because the more agressive axes are not so suitable for self arrest and walking as they are shorter and the angle is different?? or do you settle for less agressive climbing axes that would double as a walking axe?

so axes such as the dmm fly are not as good on the steep stuff but could be used as a walking axe too?

and what about the black diamond reactor style axe... they wouldnt be suitable to double up as a walking axe? too short? wouldn't plunge into the snow properlly right?

hope this isnt too confusing

cheers

In reply to lachy773:

Ive seen people out in the hills with their agressive axes on their pack and a lightweight walking/mountaineering axe for the less angled terrain. This can also be used as a spare axe...

Paul

In reply to lachy773:
>

No, just the tech axes, you can arrest with them too. You'd spend most time on the ice, so get something suitable for that.

Yes, but flys are good for the majority's steep stuff too.


They'll be as long as the fly's but you wouldn't use them as a walking axe.
If your question is what axes to buy that are good on the mountain and on steep ground, then look at quarks and vipers, they seem to compromise quite well, erring on the tech side. If it is more alpiney, then something like the Petzl Sumtec might be worth a look, there is an axe with a horn that tucks away into the shaft but I don't know what it is.

In reply to existing debt:

Walking poles are good for easy angled stuff too, though no arrest ability!

In reply to lachy773: Sounds like you might want a pair of black diamond venoms, get a 57cm adze with a curved pick and a 50cm hammer with a drooped pick, it'll get you up steep ice, be better to walk with than flies but also lighter.

From what you're saying I'd probably carry my nomics but that depends on the route. As for plunging, why would you want a 50cm long ice axe to dissapear down into the snow when walking? Its perfectly fine for walking with and for mountaineering, not as good as a walking axe but not nearly as bad as the fly brigade makes it out to be.

In reply to Hannes:
thanks for the help guys.

In reply to lachy773:

I went out yesterday hoping to climb but it ended up just being a lengthy snow slog (ugh). Took my Quarks (2011) and used one as a piolet cane all day with no issues. Plunges well even into quite hard snow.

In reply to lachy773:

Sure you can self arrest with tech tools, but walking in with a mountaineering axe and having your tech tools on your sack does have one advantage... If you drop a tech tool you have a spare!

I don't bother with a third tool though.

In reply to Richard Carter: Be honest how many people carry 3 axes