light alpine tool

[mocco]

Hey all, looking for experientially-based opinions on three lightweight alpine tools: the BD Venom, the Grivel Matrix and the Petzl Aztar X. Looking for stuff for steep snow followed by a bit of ice, etc. Light, durable, but still able to pound a pin and self arrest. What do you like/not like, and why? Thanks a lot!

[Dane]

I've used all three. Like the Aztarex the best, assume that is the one you intended. All good tools but if self arrest is a priority stick to the BD tool with a classic pick.

 

The Aztarex will climb most anything as will the Grivel.

[genepires]

I don't know the specifics but grivel tools may not be available in the near future. SOmething about the American distributor (Twight I believe)hanging it up. Not sure if replacement picks will be available. Maybe someone else will distribute them.

 

It is a shame as I have a pair of grivels that I really like, not as light as you are looking at.

 

My buddy has an older aztar and it felt really good on waterfall ice and handles good on alpine ice. Never used the bd.

[Dane]

Grivel parts and gear are still easily available in the US and Canada through local dealers. I and others haev recently ordered and recieved crampon parts and spare picks.

[Mtguide]

I have the BD Venom and really like it; very lightweight but plenty of authority for both waterfall and boilerplate alpine ice. Plus the versatility for self arrest, even a boot-axe belay. An all around alpine tool, IMHO.

[wdietsch]

I noticed that Petzl-Charlet has a couple new piolets ... no mention of a hammer version ... one of these "Sum-Tec"s matched with a Aztarex hammer would be a pretty nice setup.

 

[Spiral_Out]

I have a pair of Aztarex tools. They are great for cascade alpine climbing. Superlight, swing great, and can go leashless (I use umbilicals with them).

 

I am a little wary to take them on climbs involving more mixed, but we will see how that works out. They just sometimes feel scary light. But so far I have never had any issues with them.

 

Also, don't plan on being able to switch the grip rest in and out of the shaft as advertised while on a climb. When cold and frozen its near impossible, especially with gloves.

[Le Piston]

Ditto Mtguide. I have the Venom axe and hammer and have been very happy. I don't do long ice routes, but on glacier ice(up to vertical) and steep snow faces/gullies they work great...plus they self arrest well. If you do mostly hard steep stuff, I'd stick to the true ice tools. But, if you do more alpine these are better all-around tools.

[genepires]

Mike Layton says "just use a nut tool!"

[layton]

If you can locate it, Simond makes a childrens ice tool called the "Fox". It's way lighter than anything I've seen, has an aggressive reverse curve pick and a hammer that beats in the pins pretty damn good. In summer the pick works great for cleaning cracks or glacier travel.

[tvashtarkatena]

I have a venom and aztarex. The venom shaft plunges better, of course, but the aztarex is the much better technical tool for everything from hooking ice to coloir neve. I pair them up a lot on alpine climbs.

 

I've climbed steep mixed with the aztarex. It flexes a bit more than a real ice tool like a quark, but otherwise does suprisingly well even on that kind of technical terrain.

 

I'm going to customize and add a real grip rest (quark style) for the aztarex, because the provided grip rest is kind of useless: it doesn't do much to protect your knuckles and is pretty minimal to rest on. I also drilled a hole near the bottom of the shaft for an umbiliical clip point, and added a racquetball grip sleeve, available from GI Joes and other generic sports outlets for about $5. Works well.

 

Have fun.

[Marko]

If you can locate it, Simond makes a childrens ice tool called the "Fox". It's way lighter than anything I've seen, has an aggressive reverse curve pick and a hammer that beats in the pins pretty damn good. In summer the pick works great for cleaning cracks or glacier travel.

 

Hey Mike, it's for adults too, ages 6 to 60! I took one on the Waddington traverse; definitely enjoyed its light weight but its performance on bullet ice was quite a compromise...