UKC

Hi everyone,

I am looking to buy my first ice-axe for basic mountaineering, nothing close to vertical for the most part. The thing is I want to buy something thats very strong and capable of any task I may need of it in the future, and I think a T-rated axe would be a future-proof investment. I also would prefer a straight shaft as walking will be its most common use.

I have seen axes with this specification IE Charlet Moser Guide, Petzl Cosmique - the thing is they are all discontinued. Is there anything similar that is still in production? And do you think I am being too picky in not getting a B-rated axe, are they useable for all rescue situations?

Comments appreciated!

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:
Have a look at http://www.grivel.com/products/ice/ice_axes/synoptic
The Air Tech axes are T rated and are almost straight.

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

vertiges

In reply to almost sane: Or grivel matrix light, pretty good half way house to climbing tools if you get a second one

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:
DMM Cirque is almost straight.

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

Mountain Technology do straight "T" rated axes.

You'd have to buy one second hand though, have a look on "that site" and type in Mountain Technology Technical Ice Axe 55cm

This is the same one as I use and it is awesome. Been hammered all over the UK and Alps and still going strong.

Hope this helps, Den

In reply to almost sane: Yeah, Grivel Brenva likewise.

For my money there's not much point getting a properly straight T-rated axe, because the sort of ground where a T-rated axe might be useful is basically more serious than the sort of ground where a slightly bent axe for plunging into a slope becomes useful...

In reply to Denni:

That axe does look beautiful. Right up my street, I just don't like buying stuff second hand. I'm assuming the company went out of business?

The Grivel Brenva doesn't look too bad either. Snow and Rock are have it on sale actually, but its not listed on Grivels site so I assume thats being discontinued too. I may pop in and check it out before its too late!

Thanks for everyones thoughts so far!

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

I have a Mountain Technology T rated, straight shafted mountaineering axe, 70cm long, silver, curved pick with adze, blue Mountain Technology leash.

I have never used it as it is slightly too long for me, ended up buying a 60cm cirque aswell and never used the Mountain Technology, it is a lovely axe though, in new condition.

I would sell it, but at a price - £75.00 including p+p

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

Sadly Mountain Technology did go out of business but they made excellent kit which was built to last. Like you I'm cautious about second hand gear but I had to replace an MT axe and second hand was the only way to do it - no regrets!

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

Sadly MT did go out of business but I wouldn't worry too much about buying one of their axes second hand.

They are nails. I bought mine third hand and it has taken some severe battering and is just fine. I highly recommend them.
(as if my opinion counts!)

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

They do, i've got one for sale, used a few times, a great piece of kit, only selling it because I was given another identical axe. Its on ebay, 55cm, Mountain Technology T rated tachnical axe, located in Glasgow.

Thanks

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:


Your initial premis is incorrect. If you want to buy one for mountaineering, get one suited for mountaineering. One with a longer shaft, and a traditional curved pick.

If you think you'll be climbing "T rated ground" then you'll be better off with a pair of more specialised axes- unless you go for something which will compromise your mountaineering axe.

This post mostly refers to shaft length and pick profile here, rather than shaft shape- before the 'you can climb grade V on terradactyls' posters come on.

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

Question- why would you be looking to buy one at the moment- in that time of the year between the end of the Scottish season while the Alpine season has yet to begin?

In reply to Ander:
Not sure what you mean by T rated ground?

T rating is to do with the strength of the shaft for use in belays etc. This could be useful on grade 1 or less. I would recommend this as a minimum for anyone who plans to do anything more than easy munro bagging in winter.

I reckon most people who climb regularly in winter will have three axes, all T rated shafts, a straight-ish single one with an alpine pick for easier terrain and winter walking, and a pair for grade II and above with bent shafts and drop picks.

(You will also see T rated and B rated picks but that is another story)

Apologies if I'm misunderstanding your point.

In reply to Snoweider: I think the point is that the sort of ground where you're likely to need a belay (and to be carrying a rope) is the sort of ground where a big long straight walking axe is going to be more of a hindrance than a help...

I don't really do proper winter climbing, but for walking I'd carry a slightly shorter slightly bent axe like a DMM Cirque. It's less use on more or less flat ground, but I don't feel as much need to be constantly poking something with an axe if I'm on more or less flat ground.

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Ok, the OP was asking about straight shafts, not alpenstocks. I have a 60cm Mountain Technology straight shafted T rated axe. I use it regularly on terrain up to grade II, for belays, cutting steps, etc etc... Two tools get in the way on easy rocky stuff, and one is best for arresting in easy angled snow gullies. Its my tool of choice on that sort of terrain.

I played around with a cirque of similar length and it was pretty good, but I preferred the weight of the MT axe for cutting steps, as I'm working towards my winter ML.

I would say to the OP don't get too hung up on a dead straight shaft, there are loads of good T rated alpine axes on the market, the bottom of the shaft is generally straight enough to be good for plunging but if you must have a straight one you will find that a second hand MT one is likely to be bombproof. If you want something good for plunging, more important than the profile of the lower part of the shaft is the shape of the ferrule/spike- if serrated or hollow it can be hard to plunge in to some sorts of snow. Current advice is not too long, ie if you want a walking stick get trekking poles.

In reply to Snoweider: Ah, cool. Agree with all that, then.

In reply to Ramblin dave:
Yay- so I think the advice to the OP is, don't worry about dead straight, but yes, insist on the T rating. It is so much more versatile should you start to wander on to steeper ground.

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant: I was looking at one of these a while back http://www.joe-brown.com/outdoor-equipment/winter-mountaineering/walking-ax... A really good looking axe just what your after.

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:
My first set of axes were a pair of Mountain Technology Vertiges with banana picks. They're absolutely rock solid and fantastic up to around grade III. They are also extremely heavy so I retired them and bought a modern pair of curved axes. Fortunately, I managed to get hold of a brand new Alpine pick for the axe Vertige, which means I now have a bomber T-rated general mountaineering axe.

In reply to Snoweider:

Thankyou for your help, you seem to get what I'm on about It's good to know I'm not the only one that sees a T-rated axe as beneficial. I have no plans to go vertical ice climbing in the near future but it would be nice to know that if I needed to put some serious weight on the axe (may sound silly now but I would rather not look silly in an emergency) I could.

Mountain Technology look like they made some serious pieces of gear. I think the only way I could really be tempted to buy second hand is to actually get a hold of the product, reassure myself and get a good feel of the weight/length ect.

Ander: I'm just researching all of my options for the upcoming season and if I catch a bargain I may buy ahead. I hope you don't mind.


Again, I appreciate everyones advice.

I can definitely recommend the DMM Cirque as a great first axe. Straight enough for walking but strong enough for climbing (all DMM axes are T-rated). I've used mine from first snow steps (winter intro course in Scotland) to PD (+?) in the Alps and a couple of 5800m volcanoes in Ecuador. As a walking axe, I find it comfortable to hold. On more technical ground (maybe Scottish grade II), I've hooked and torqued with confidence.

Quick example, was in Glen Coe area earlier this year (the week all the snow disappeared!). Plan was to do grade IV or higher routes of which we only managed one. At one point we did Dorsal Arete just to do something and I took the Cirque for that rather than a shiny new Quark. Perfect tool for the job.