BD venom axes for fast and light moderate alpine?

[coldiron]

I have one 50 cm BD Venom hammer, and am considering buying a Venom adze for a lightweight pair of tools I can use on moderate alpine routes and ski mountaineering trips. I'll run the Tech picks on both.

 

On ski trips I often run into sections that call for two tools, but I am primarily out skiing and don't want the extra weight of my regular ice tools. Sometimes I don't necessarily need to take the technical route, it's just more fun; but I'm done with being gripped in sketchy terrain with an ultralight Camp axe in one hand and a BD Whippet in the other. Has anyone used the venoms for moderate ice? Do you think the weight savings are worthwhile? Are there other tools that are significantly better than the Venoms for ice, but will still function as an alpine axe (plunge and self arrest) and weigh around a pound?

Edited December 3, 2008 by coldiron

[Le Piston]

I have the Venom axe and hammer combo and have used them on moderate glacier ice, steep hard snow, and short(10-20 foot) steps of vertical ice. They work great. I wouldn't use them for long ice routes...there are lighter better ice tools. But for moderate alpine stuff I've been very happy.

[coldiron]

Thanks for the reply. Did the sticks feel secure on the steep ice steps, or did it feel like you were using a classic straight alpine axe? Were you using Tech or Classic picks?

[TrogdortheBurninator]

I picked up one of these for $50 on closeout at REI. http://camp-usa.com/products/ice-axes/alpax-special-hammer-100402.asp

 

Quick change pinky rest for plunging and leashless. Pretty light at <20 oz. Seems just about perfect for couloir climbing and other moderate alpine endeavors. I hoped to give it a try last weekend, but we bailed before the start of our route. I have faith it will serve it's purpose well. I'm looking for a companion for mine if anybody wants to unload one.

[Le Piston]

I used the Tech picks for the steeper stuff. They planted well and were quite secure. I'm including pictures of the type of climbing I use them for. I'm no ice climber, but they serve me well in the alpine. I hope this is of some help. Cheers!

[coldiron]

I picked up one of these for $50 on closeout at REI. http://camp-usa.com/products/ice-axes/alpax-special-hammer-100402.asp

 

Quick change pinky rest for plunging and leashless. Pretty light at <20 oz. Seems just about perfect for couloir climbing and other moderate alpine endeavors. I hoped to give it a try last weekend, but we bailed before the start of our route. I have faith it will serve it's purpose well. I'm looking for a companion for mine if anybody wants to unload one.

 

Damn, that Alpax looks pretty sweet. I like the retractable pinky rest, and the pick and head look a little more aggressive than the Venom. Nice find!

[coldiron]

Nice pics, LePiston!

[Mtguide]

Those are some nice pics--where was the bottom one taken?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Le Piston]

Thanks! That picture is from this summer's attempted first ascent of Rostrum Peak's East Ridge in the Canadian Rockies (see TR Rostrum Peak) Alas, the weather sucked and the rock band above where this picture was taken was slick and hard to protect. I ended up bailing a few hundred feet from the summit.

[Pitts]

Where can you get those quick change pinky hooks?

[coug4]

Take a close look at the Aztarex. Used them on Lib Ridge this year and was very pleased. They plunge well and swing like only a Petzl tool can swing. They too have the retractable rest for leashless use. However, you need to remove and replace a screw to change over.

[robpatterson5]

Thought I would revise this thread to ask about peoples experinces with one longer tool. Thinking about replacing the reaven pro with a 60cm Vennom, or should I go with a 50 to match my Vennom hammer?

[justinp]

The adze comes in 50, 57 and 64 cm, but no 60cm (as far as I can tell). Personally I would get a matching pair. I really like mine, but as pointed out they are really only good for sub vertical or very short vertical sections.

[Lukic]

You might also want to check out this tool from Petzl. I haven't used it myself, but saw one at Pro Mountain Sports in the U-District. The adjustable pinky rest seemed pretty cool for moderate alpine climbing.

 

http://www.petzl.com/en/outdoor/classic-mountaineering-ice-axes/sumtec

[robpatterson5]

ya, wondering what peoples experices have been with an unmatched pair?

The hammer seems preatty solid for WI, nice loaner in leu of my Cobras.

[shannonpahl]

i use the 64cm venom with a regular ice axe (on easy alpine ice routes) and the 64cm venom with an aztar/ex (for more moderate climbs, eg ice cliff glacier) and I really like the combo - the venom doubles as an axe and a tool and handles alpine ice very well. you'll be hard pressed to find an alpine ice route in the cascades that requires more than the venom+aztar/ex combo (ok, maybe colfax peak).

[bgratias]

I wanted to be able to use my venoms leashless, so I made a pinky rest for them. It works great as a pinky rest, but it also is able to slide up the shaft for effective plunging. It sticks above the bend and stays there until you slide it down again.

 

This makes the venom pretty versatile. I think this attachment would work for axes similar to the venom as well...

 

 

[robpatterson5]

That looks awesome! it just cams in place on the end? Does it stay on? Someone suggested putting a hose clap on the end and putting a Slider above that but was wondering what others were using.

Do you find the mass of your slider changes the swing much?

Edited December 17, 2009 by robpatterson5

[bgratias]

I just put a screw with a small head at the base of the grip on the palm side. That, combined with the camming action keeps it in place. I machined it out of aluminum, so it is super light and doesn't seem to affect the swing much.

[robpatterson5]

Thanks - did you drill it in or just put it into the rubber? Could you post a pic? I think I may go down the Slider route but dont want to ruin the handle of my tool.

BTW how much use have you put on the tool since you modded them?

Cheers

[bgratias]

I drilled and tapped it. This way I can remove it if I want to, and it doesn't really leave much of a mark when it's off. I think a self-tapping screw would work too, if you don't have a tapping set. I haven't really used the tool on anything serious yet, because I made the part very recently. I've mostly hung around on stuff at my house. I can't really speak to it's reliability, though it feels pretty solid. I'm planning on putting it to use this weekend though- I'll let you know how it performs and what its weaknesses are. I'll try to get some more detailed pictures up within the next day or two as well.

[robpatterson5]

Thank you - that would be awesome.

I apreciate the beta - I'm a little scared of taking a drill to my tools

BTW are you climbing on two tools of the same length, any thoughts on an unmatched pair of venoms?

[bgratias]

I am climbing on a 50cm adze and 50cm hammer. I had a 64cm adze, but it seemed too long to swing nicely, and the 57cm was too short to be any more useful than the 50cm.

[Jarek]

i use the 64cm venom with a regular ice axe (on easy alpine ice routes) and the 64cm venom with an aztar/ex (for more moderate climbs, eg ice cliff glacier) and I really like the combo - the venom doubles as an axe and a tool and handles alpine ice very well. you'll be hard pressed to find an alpine ice route in the cascades that requires more than the venom+aztar/ex combo (ok, maybe colfax peak).

 

+1, I use the Grivel Tech Evo 57cm and Aztar... I think Venom might be better because you can replace a pick... This is perfect combo for me for Alpine and technical stuff on Rainier...