BD Venom

[mike1]

I currently have a heavy old Charlet Moser Guide ax and I need a new lighter alpine mountaineering ax for a trip through the Pickets this season. This seems pretty versatile and fairly light. I am looking pretty hard at the adze one. Does anyone have it? Any problems?

 

[Maxtrax]

My main partner has a pair of the Venoms and loves them for alpine and light duty cragging, if you put a tech pick on the adze it climbs quite well. He has lead up to WI3+ with his.

 

Personally I prefer the Petzl Aztar/Aztarex, though I tend to prefer Petzl or Grivel tools in general over the equivalent BD tools. Plus I find the Venoms a little too light, they get deflected fairly easily (you could also argue that my swing just sucks).

[Le Piston]

I have both tools and have had great luck with them for what I like to climb. I use the adze axe stand alone sometimes instead of my BD Raven Pro when I want a shorter axe...it works just fine. If you want ice tools for steep/vertical ice, you'd do better getting Cobras or Aztar/Aztarex as Maxtrax suggests. The Venom does well for most moderate alpine snow and ice.

[jaee]

I have the longest BD Venom ax w/ adze. I've used it as my primary ax since they came out. I have nothing but positive things to say about it. I've used it on everything from slogs to following AI3+ conditions on the DKHW on near vertical ice to leading moderate ice to 60+ deg. It sticks great and self belays well even with the rubber grips. I still have the basic curved pick on it, so the pick is a little hard to get out if you over drive it, but it's been very secure for me.

[lazyalpinist]

I have a pair of Venoms. (64 adze, 57 hammer) First, I'd like to say that the 64cm Venom is not lighter than my 75cm Raven. So take that into consideration.

 

I'm 6'3", and the 64cm(longest) Venom often won't touch the snow on mellow angle glacier. (If I just want to use it as a cane.) Not a big deal, but might be a factor.

 

I often use a 57cm Venom for ski mountaineering as I hope never to take it out, and it is lighter than the 75cm Raven. Also doesn't stick off the pack at all.

 

Like said earlier, the classic pick is hard to remove from ice. If you plan on doing any alpine ice with it, they are a little nicer with the tech pick.

 

Also, I noticed they recently changed the design. Don't know if the new design is lighter, but they definitely modified the grip. After only a few trips, my grips started getting a little beat up with just walking. Hopefully the new grip cures this.

 

If you don't really plan on using them as a pair and for ice, I'd also recommend looking at (if you can find it) the Grivel Air Tech Evo. Similar shape, forged steel head. (one piece) And it is lighter than the Venom.