In reply to higherclimbingwales: It really depends on the individual climber, but you obviously haven't followed the logic of what some of us were suggesting.
If someone is an f8a/E6 climber then it is perfectly obvious that they should just buy a brand new pair of Nomics or similar as they can perfectly safely jump on Grade VII mixed routes as they have the depth of technical skills to protect that sort of terrain and are pretty unlikely to actually fall off anything.
Equally if someone if a really solid HVS-E2 trad leader, in theory, they should be jumping straight on grade IV/V and will not need to worry overly much about adzes or plunging for more general mountaineering use. A second hand pair pair of Quarks would be ideal.
However, in my experience, that rarely happens. For UK recreational climbers who are starting out, even if they are technically capable of climbing grade V in short order, the vast majority end up spending a disproportionate amount of bit of time on grade II/III routes whilst they get a hang of things. This is due to many factors, including:
- there is a very steep learning and even 'easy' Winter routes never feel that easy, meaning climbers are readily discouraged from a quick progression to trying harder routes.
- climbers are trying to learn new skills in an unstructured and stressful environment so struggle.
- there is a general tendency to play it safe in marginal conditions or poor weather.
- conditions are more reliable for that grade, especially late season.
- the most accessible locations having quality lines at that grade.
- there is often more information available about what is in condition at that grade.
A decent adze, the ability to plunge and an axe the lends itself to being used singly on mountaineering style routes would therefore be more useful, although by no means essential on the routes many climbers actually attempt. Set against that is that fact that most of those climbers actually want to get past the grade II/III stage and onto classic grade IV/V routes. The two best ways of doing that are professional instruction or spending more time climbing, both of which are generally expensive.
I am sure some climbers, if given the choice, would prefer to be climbing Point 5, Smiths Route or Indicator Wall with a battered old pair of Flys after spending several hundred quid on a week of instruction with a MIC/Guide rather climbing Tower Scoop off their own back with a shiny pair of Nomics. Or, as seems to be the case most Winter weekends, making an utter horrlicks of climbing Tower Ridge with £1000 worth more climbing equipment that is either needed or indeed sensible.