Bill_Simpkins Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 Anyone get to use one yet? Pros and cons? I like the weight, 14 oz, and I like the smooth contours. Seems like a smooth belay axe and a nice carry too. I'm thinking of getting one. The reviews on outdoorreview.com look like they were written by BD. I want REAL feedback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin_B Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 A friend of mine has one and this one time she needed to get some purchase on a icy section but there wasn't enough head weight for the pick bite into the ice when she swung even when she swung very hard. I tired it out and had to swing really hard to make it stick. I imagine that chopping steps would be equally difficult. It is very light weight and feels nice in the hands, but realize it's limitations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allthumbs Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 I have the Raven and wouldn't get the pro due to total lack of head weight. There's a point of diminishing return with everything... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienSoul Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 Do you like the regular Raven? I need to buy an axe here pretty quick and I was also looking at the Pro but you guys make a good point about the head weight. I hadn't thought about that really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allthumbs Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 Personally, I love the Raven. No axe I know of feels this good in hand and it's light too. About $70 as I recall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 LITE WEIGHT AXES ARE JUST THAT...NOT REALLY INTENDED FOR HARDCORE USE...UNLESS HARDCORE IS LIKE 8000M.... Â I HAVE THE NEPAL SUPER LITE SOMETHING OR OTHER FROM GRIVEL...BUT I ALSO GOT AN OLD BD AXE...FOR WHEN I AM ACTUALLY EXPECTING TO USE IT... Â Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allthumbs Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin_B Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 I also have the regular raven. I love it. As Trask says it feels nice in the hand. It is still relatively light too. I probably have a size to long though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeclimb9 Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 It's great for a piolet. It's not the ticket for extensive water ice climbing. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronco Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 I have a killer BLACK DIAMOND ice axe for sale right now! look in the forsale threads for more details. It's not this lightweight crap either, it's for a real climber!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allthumbs Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 ...course as soon as Bronco sells it he'll be pickin' up a new Raven. hehehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Attitude Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 Dustin_B said: I love it. As Trask says it feels nice in the hand. It is still relatively light too. I probably have a size to long though. Â Wait, what are you talking about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin_B Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 Attitude said: Dustin_B said: I love it. As Trask says it feels nice in the hand. It is still relatively light too. I probably have a size to long though. Â Wait, what are you talking about? Â Oh, yeah, that sounds kind of bad eh? Just for the record I was referring to the regular raven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienSoul Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 I think I'll need a 55cm or a 60cm. I am rather short (read 5'6") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 isn't the charlet snowalker lighter and stronger and with a steel head.... Â oh wait they make it in france.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracked Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 Don't go too short, otherwise it'll swing well, but you can't self arrest with it. I'd go with a 65 or so. 55 is too short, for me, at least. C'mon, that's only about an inch longer than the Alp Wing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa_Eagle Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 I've used the standard Raven since last July, and it's great. I have a 75 cm, which is great for general mountaineering, but a little awkward when trying to swing it over my head. It's light, but not too light, and I had no problem getting purchase on Leuthold a few weeks back. It's also a lot more comfortable in the hand than any other axes I've tried. Even after I get a really light Al axe (Cassin Ghost?), I'll still use the Raven for the majority of my climbing. I really don't think I'd want to get a Raven Pro, simply because I feel that going lighter would be detrimental to the performance of a general mountain axe. If you want a strictly lightweight axe, there are much lighter options out there. I'd highly recommend the standard Raven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertjoy Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 One year ago I was shopping for a lighter axe, and I chose the Grivel Air Tech (not racing). Compared with the standard Raven it is stronger, sufficient to be rated for use as an anchor rather than just as for personal self-arrest. Ratings for this "strength" factor are extremely hard to find, but I figured that for a couple of ounces, the strength factor was important. And then there is the obvious fact that an ultralight axe does not really have the head weight for efficient ice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vegetablebelay Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 I'm very happy with the Grivel Eagle. Lightweight and handles great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienSoul Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 I just bought my new Raven yesterday. It feels really nice. i like it better than the ones that I have used before. Now I just need to plan a trip to go try it out. I think I am going to buy new boots first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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