whippets vs light weight axe

[gapertimmy]

situation: rei refund in hand

dilemma: light axe or whippets?

 

discuss pro's cons, what you have, and if you are willing to give it to me for free?

[iain]

I often find myself climbing with 1 axe and a whippet on many climbs that involve skiing. Unfortunately whippets are not much help on ice as a climbing tool. The "pick" is only really good for keeping your balance on ice, since it rattles around a bit where it's attached to the pole. You can't swing it or anything, but you can hook things with it. It does not replace an axe when one is needed, but I find it gives me just that little extra bit of balance and security in places.

 

I like whippets for steep skinning or traversing on ice where falling would have serious consequences. In reality, those are the kinds of falls where a whippet will stop you reliably, where you are not going too fast. I have not taken a screaming fall on steep ice, so I can't say if the whippets would help there or not, but they do feel good to have in your hands when you are on steeper things.

 

They are bloody expensive at retail price. Remember you also need the lower part of the pole to begin with. They do help in lift lines when there is a question on who goes first.

 

So I guess the question is, what you do most often. Are you climbing more and need a second axe? Are you looking for steeper lines for skiing? They serve different purposes.

[Squid]

They do help in lift lines when there is a question on who goes first.

[JoshK]

I have a light axe and until last weekend just made due with duct taping it to the pole for sketchy shit. Hehe...pretty ghetto. I just got a whippet...much better. They work fine on steep snow and stuff but, I agree, you aren't going to climb much ice with them.

[fenderfour]

Another option?

[AllYouCanEat]

Their value to me is more for the climb than the ski. My only peeve with them is that they do break easy, just like any other extendable pole. I've heard that there are supports that you can put in them but have never seen. Otherwise they rock for steep snow climbing and I find that they offer comfort. A whippet combined with an axe is always nice too.

[gapertimmy]

i suppose i maybe not hard enough, but every trip i have brought my axe on, it has always stayed srapped to my back pack.

 

so what i gather is the whippet is primarily usefull whilst skinning on sketchty terrain, and for gougin yourself when falling on the descent?

 

i'm thinking a light axe might be a better option, maybe i'll deploy the joshk duct tape technique.

 

i think my spelling has gotten very poor since i skied with fejas this weekend.

[steepconcrete]

I am in the same boat and also leaning more towards the light axe. not too much extra weight, it's a whole lot burlier and has a much wider range of uses.

[nonanon]

Aluminum crampons and a Whippet make a great Spring skiing combo, imo. Combined, they’re the tool of choice for low angle, but still slicker than snot, early morning snow. Then, once everything corns up nicely, they both vanish into your daypack.

[lummox]

situation: rei refund in hand

dilemma: light axe or whippets?

 

discuss pro's cons, what you have, and if you are willing to give it to me for free?

solution: use a real ax and deal the with 'extra' 5 ounces.

 

spend your dividend on packable champagne glass and chopsticks.

[schnitzem]

Another option?

 

The gear-whore/light weight slut in me was aroused by this new toy. It would be funky to ski with though.

[cracked]

situation: rei refund in hand

dilemma: light axe or whippets?

 

discuss pro's cons, what you have, and if you are willing to give it to me for free?

solution: use a real ax and deal the with 'extra' 5 ounces.

 

spend your dividend on packable champagne glass and chopsticks.

Hard to ski with a axe rather than a pole.

 

When I've got the ducats I'm shelling out for a pair of whippets...price be damned.

[assmonkey]

Doesn't anyone ski-pole self-arrest anymore?

http://www.sarinfo.bc.ca/Library/Skills/polestop.skl

 

If the exposure is such that a fall could potentially kill me, I opt for an axe-points combo. But if I'm looking at just a long slide, I plan to arrest with my poles. And, when I'm skiing, I plan on using my edges as my self-arrest tool. And--let's be honest here--Assmonkey isn't extremo skier dude. I just like to make my fat ass tele turns on moderate bc slopes, and don't do much skiing at all on glaciers with open holes. Not much at stake for me, I guess. Certainly not worth investing in whippets. Plus, I am sure I would poke myself with those frickin' things on the way down.

 

I just looked at them, too. My 10 year old Leki's (model was called "Lawisond EXTREME," no kidding!) just died, so I upgraded to those sweet orange and blue BD flicklock poles. I just love technological advances.