Buyers' Guide - Ice Axes

Even walking axes tend to me made by specialist alpine hardware brands, so you may come across some brands you're not familiar with. Don't panic though, there are plenty of decent axes out there and the introduction of EC safety standards means that they all conform to minimum levels of strength.

Brands we'd look out for include Black Diamond, DMM, Mountain Technology, Petzl Charlet, Simond, Grivel, also HB for technical axes. All have a good background in making winter hardware and can be relied on. Check out our user reviews section for some user feedback.

Walking Axes are characterised by the near horizontal angle of their pick. Originally all axes were designed this way and the shallow angle of the pick makes them ideal for use during self-arrest or ice-axe braking. By the same token, the flat pick won't grip well on steep ground swung above the head climbing style, so choose one of these only if you're sure you'll be on mainly straightforward, non-technical ground and nothing steep or scrambly.

Mountaineering Axes -right - are halfway between walking axes and full-blown technical climbing tools. The pick tends to be stronger than with a straightforward walking axe and is curved downwards in a more pronounced way. The droop on a mountaineering axe will mean it holds much better in climbing situations, but will still dig in smoothly without grabbing when self-arresting. Axes like the DMM Cirque or Raptor, Mountain Technology's Technical and Mountaineering Axes ans similar will allow you to climb moderate winter and alpine routes and still work well for more general use.

Specialist Technical Axes look butch and tough in the pub, but are very specialised tools designed to work on steep ice climbs. Typically they'll have a curved or bent shaft to protect the climber's fingers from bruising, a very supportive leash and a reverse curve or banana pick to give maximum purchase on steep ice. You can ice axe brake with a reverse-curve pick, but it's much harder than with a straighter walking axe since the shape tends to catch suddenly rather than engage smoothly with the snow. For general use they're not worth considering, so only look at these if you're climbing hard, steep technical routes.

There's a lot of debate over how long you need an axe to be. Some mountaineers prefer an axe long enough to act as a walking stick on flat ground, however, we - and Glenmore Lodge - suggest that for general mountaineering, a shorter axe is best.

Why? First, on steep ground, you plunge the shaft of the axe above you for protection. If your axe is too long it'll be level with your shoulder rather than your hip where you want it to be. Next, during self arrest, the spike of a shorter axe is less likely to stick out from your body and catch if you fall.

Generally an axe that's down to your ankle when held in a straight arm at your side is about right for most people. A good shop will advice you, but in general, if you want an axe to use as a walking stick, then you may be better off with a walking stick... Short enough for steep ground, but long enough for balance on ridges without having to crouch too low is about right.

Climbing axes are matter of preference, but most are now around 45-50cm in length. General axes go up to around 60cm or so and for walking axes, the sky seems to be the limit.

Climbers use leashes - effectively a loop of nylong attached to the axe - for support when hanging from the axe on steep ground. For walkers though, it's a more complicated matter. When zig-zagging up slopes, you need to change hands on the axe whenever you change direction and taking one hand out of the loop and inserting the other is fiddly and slow.

Many skills courses teach that your shouldn't use the leash in those circumstances, however that does mean if you drop the axe, it's off on a toboggan ride to freedom... The neatest answer we've seen is the Grivel spring leash that attaches the axe to your body allowing you to change hands on the axe head without risking dropping the axe. It's a great idea, especially if you're prone to dropping things...

For walking and general use, it's important that the head of the axe feels comfortable in your hand and is secure even when wearing gloves or mitts. Some axes, like Grivel's Eagle or Black Diamond's Pro Raven have been designed with shaped heads to make this easier.

For climbing and mountaineering use, make sure the shaft of the axe sits comfortably in your hand as well. Non-slip rubber handles will help, but those with small hands may need to choose carefully for maximum effectiveness and to stop the axe twisting in their hands.

Virtually all axes these days use alloy shafts and steel heads for a combination of lightness and strength. There are two EC ratings - 'B' which is 'basic' and mostly applied to walking axes and 'T' for 'technical' for climbing axes. The standard is mostly about the strength of the shaft and whether it's suitable for use as a snow anchor. As a walker, a 'B' graded axe will be fine.

There are also a number of ultra-lightweight axes designed for ski touring and high altitude use which have alloy heads to save weight. These are fine for general walking use, but the alloy head isn't designed to take big loads on steep technical ground, so for general mountaineering use, suffer the extra grammes and go for a steel-headed mountaineering axe.

Axes are pretty tough, but always dry them after use and store in a dry place. Keep the pick reasonably sharp and to the original instructions and protect the tool and other people from damage with a set of rubber spike and head protectors.

It's temptring to go lolloping around the hills with a butch-looking technical axe, but unless you're actually going climbing, you'll be be better off with either a straight walking axe, or one of the many intermediate mountaineering axes.

When buying, be wary of shop assistants, some of whom have quaint ideas about how long an axe should be. If you want a walking stick, buy a walking stick.

For basic crampon advice, check the article links at the bottom of this feature.

Finally, for the BMC's technical advice on checking ice axes and crampons for metal fatigue see this page and check here for details of the UIAA's safety standards for ice axes.

More Help and Advice

Hopefully this article will have given you some basic pointers. The good news is that there's a load more advice on OUTDOORSmagic:

• Ask on the gear forum about general issues or specific items.
  
• Check the member reviews section for user experiences of kit.
  
• See OM editorial reviews on the front of the site for our impressions.
  
• Ask Richard Gear if you have a specific question you need answering.