Mountaineering crampons and ice axe review reddit Crampons provide traction and security, making it easier to walk on snowy and icy terrain. You don't need to take off your ski every time it gets icy and slippery - it all depends on the terrain. This simple tool has been the icon of mountaineering for over 150 years. Neither shovel nor axe tore the shove-it panel. My honest advice, rethink the Lynx. Jan 29, 2015 · It seems like I'm noticing more people using ice tools for general mountaineering as opposed to the traditional ice axe. With hundreds of different boots, crampons and ice axes available on the market, choosing the right kit for your upcoming trip can feel a Mt. Looking into crampons and ice axe. The Sum'tec is the brainchild of the late Ueli Steck (along One thing to keep in mind is that your ice axe will most likely be on your backpack more than your hand. For the “ice tool”, without getting too technical would the Sum’tec with the hammer back be good enough to climb with? We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Ice axe in one of the ice axe loops. What do you use most and recommend most for general mountaineering in the lower 48? Mostly cascades and whites for me at the moment. gully) 2 ice axes (optional step, you don't really need to own 2 axes) 1 axe 1 technical ice tool (e. I’d recommend bringing along a friend to share the experience, motivate you, and for safety. Food will be nuts, salt and energy bar. People occasionally die. Contrary to popular belief, you do not need front points to ascend/descend moderate slopes - crampons didn’t have them until I just used an Osprey Aether Plus 70 this weekend on a 3 day, 2 night trip. Slope was solid ice, and the speed was immediate. I’m doing a glacier class which also includes some ice climbing which I expect is going to be very mild considering we’re only asked to bring a single glacier axe. Last June the conditions were essentially winter conditions - we had to snowshoe just to get to the trail head and boiled snow for water because there was no running water because there was no melt. If you do it in one day, then you will be starting very early, and when you first encounter snow, it will be frozen, and will stay that way until probably at least 10am. No model is as much of a blend between a traditional ice axe and an ice tool than the Petzl Sum'tec, and that's a good thing. But with that I had to remove some gear I think I won’t need and left out some clothes. It will work better My wife and I are avid hikers, but new to mountaineering. I'm looking at really getting into the sport and purchasing all of the necessary gear (crampons, ice axe, ice tool, mountaineering boots, crampons, helmet, etc). Tried self-arresting with the heel of my crampon while trying to get the ice axe out of the loop of my backpack. Posted by u/No-Pie-6054 - 1 vote and no comments I bought a couple of Petzl sum'tec ice axes and build a new head made for snow, for self arresting. Spikes and axe were all that was needed. My climbing partner also took a hit in the eye that rattled him a bit. Beyond the objective factors, this is why nobody can really tell you which ice axe to buy. I was wondering if crampons are essential or if they would just make things a bit easier. Enjoy!! Admins, please delete if not allowed. Microspikes for low angle hard consolidated snow, (mt laguna) crampons for high angle with ice axe for self belay, (san Jacinto and beyond), +snow shoes for fresh deep powder snowfall or long sections of thawed sunny day mashed potato snow/sun cups (sierras) that occur after 10am with thawing temps May avoid by hiking at night when snow is . See full list on rei. 3 oz. You can arrange a carpool out of South Orange County, and you'll spend a night or two in an alpine location. Then you can start your own adventures. I carried my axe and wore crampons but that was it - wasnt on harness or rope and pretty much everyone was skiing or just on crampons with an axe. As I have never been in the higher mountains in the winter before, this will be my first experience with snow and more technical routes. general safety. Crampons, rope, ice axe, walking stick(s), helmet would have to be left on the outside. We will be learning and doing some basic ice climbing. We do not plan to get a guide. For example I climbed Mt. (Note I am experiencing with hiking but not so much mountaineering. Ninety percent of what you do these will be appropriate. I have not done any trips into extreme cold conditions though, so no 4 season tent or heavy insulating layers. Grivel G12 and Petzl Summit. Wet snow eventually starts to ball up under crampons to the point where traction with crampons is worse than crampons. Posted by u/bush_did_711_ - 7 votes and 29 comments Trekking poles are great for providing stability on slippery terrain, they are not a substitute for an ice axe and do not work for self arrest. Rainier, and hopefully a trip to Ecuador. First wack with the ice axe did nothing, still flying. Everything they list should be UIAA certified. As such, don’t fall into the trap of getting a “cane”. Any recommendations are appreciated! Hello. renting various gear items: boots, crampons, and ice axe are the biggest items. Maybe there's glaciers to cross, in which case ropes and crevasse rescue kit and training becomes necessary. g. Joining a club, watching YouTube videos and reading books are all great ways to learn If you do however please do a lot of research beforehand on glacier travel, use of ice axe and crampons, mountaineering dangers, use of ropes, practice crevasse rescue ect… Please don’t do it as a quick 4000m summit without any research and definitely not alone without experience An overview of ice axes, crampons, mountaineering boots and crampon-boot compatibility. The class is much more advanced than REI, and when you finish the WTC ice axe class, you can go on free trips throughout the year to practice your skills. Petzl glacier ice axe 13 oz. Obviously not a replacement for actual practice on snow/ice, but a way to get in more repetitions. When you're falling down an icy mountain, the only hope you have of possible arrest is an ice axe. Adams (my first real mountain) the first time in Kahtoola "crampons", my snowshoeing boots, and a way to big for me cheap old rental ice axe from the REI garage sale. Made it up about 10 days ago to roughly the last 1000 feet and it was mostly rock at that point. There’s hardly been any snow or ice this season but higher elevations could see up to two feet this weekend. Posted by u/Mail-Leinad - 6 votes and 4 comments Once you finish the REI class, please do take the WTC ice axe course. Crampons are for hard snow and In addition to the locations already answered, you can practice the motions of self arrest on any floor with the plastic guards on your ice axe. We have a couple of trips planned in the next year or so including a winter climb on Mt. I know how to self arrest in case of a fall as Curious about your PCT experiences in the Sierra during high snow. Or would a dedicated heavy duty pair be better? Thanks! Crampons, Helmet, Ice axe, and rope I strap to the outside. I have an ice axe, micro spikes and a helmet, along with the other necessary gear. I fell once. Reply reply Mar 11, 2025 · In winter, snow and ice can make movement difficult and hazardous. The ideal use case for them is a ski mountaineering objective that 99% of the time is pure snow but it's good to have some insurance just in case to get you past a very short dangerous section. In terms of mountaineering gear: ice axe, crampons, poles, and all the obvious like food, water, insulated warm clothes. Few items are as evocative – and few items will collect good memories as readily. My wife and I are traveling to New Zealand this coming December 2024 and are looking for a mountaineering objective that meets the following requirements. My first snow climb was cristo couloir on Quandary. Washington, Mt. Start with a good guided course really helps. The mountaineering route is what people have been taking but without mountaineering experience, crampons and knowing how to self arrest using ice axe it’s too risky. The ultralights are fine to negotiate 20 meters of windblown snow that is too hard to bootpack. I like the summit evo 55cm (I’m 5’9”) for my mountaineering axe. Plan on a long day and probably hiking in the dark for some of it. We’ve also added some advice on rock climbing shoes suitable for longer multipitch routes in the Alps and elsewhere. However, I have seen that some of them have a slight curvature and some don't. The lynx are ice climbing focused, g12 are general mountaineering but still have front points. I have a black diamond ice axe that works great for me. I summited last weekend, micro spikes and ice axe are sufficient if the weather is nice. Just use your imagination and move your body around the axe manually. Crampons are in a crampon bag in the main compartment. So i have one axe for everything. Disassembled shovel and probe go in the stretch mesh front shove-it pocket. There are passes on the JMT that when covered in snow, should only be done with axe and crampons. Now I've climbed quite a few more mountains and am all in on this thing so have invested in better boots, crampons, and axe. About me: 38 years old - good physical shape very experienced hiker/backpacker with anything up to class 2 some experience at elevation 6-10k' good foundational knowledge of rock climbing Get the axe first and learn to ice axe arrest, it’s an essential and foundational winter skill. Personally left too late in the day and would have exceeded my turn around time if I had made the summit push. However, wanting to know how they will do for general mountaineering? Mostly the crampons as I also just got a used mountaineering axe. Indirect and direct techniques for ice axe and crampons. After that, crampons may not be necessary, probably for the rest of your climb. A valid concern was falling ice due to high temperatures. After recently getting access to an Outdoor Prolink account due to getting certified in the local Search and Rescue outfit, I have decided it's time to buy myself a pair of crampons and an ice axe. We look for real reviews that mention product issues such as counterfeits, defects, and bad return policies that fake reviews try to hide from consumers. Click "SEE THEM ALL" and then scroll down to the "snow / ice" section for crampons and ice axes. This was the biggest objective risk that we encountered. I am currently in the process of buying winter mountaineering boots, crampons and ice axe. Crampons become a liability once the snow softens up to the point where you can make steps in the snow with your boot sole. I'm wondering is there a shift in thinking going on, and more are starting to use tools for general mountaineering? I can think of some benefits: Jun 21, 2024 · While aluminum crampons are great to keep the weight off your back when not in use on a ski mountaineering tour, the points dull very fast, they don’t penetrate into ice as well as steel, and the aluminum can break or bend relatively easily. Second wack gave everything I had and pulled my whole body ontop of the axe, started to slowdown after a long time. Get an ice axe that goes to around the bottom of your Fakespot analyzes the reviews authenticity and not the product quality using AI. Edit: Charles Moser ice axes and 10 point Salewa ice climbing crampons. com Feb 10, 2022 · Ice tools and crampons are your connection to the mountain no matter the style of Scottish winter or Alpine pursuit you wish to engage with, you will need an ice axe and a pair of crampons. As opposed to main routes on most other volcanos where the travel itself is just walk-up. You will need snowshoes. ski mountaineering - ski crampons, boot crampons & ice axe For easy ski tours (40° slopes or less, not exposed terrain), boot crampons and ice axe are not needed at all. Baldy vía Baldy bowl this weekend. Hey everyone, I interviewed Raphael Slawinski and thought you would enjoy the chat. Doing a NOBO attempt starting May 10 and have been curious if Whitney would be possible this year (and ofc the Sierra itself). I had a couple of ice chunks hit me in the chest and foot, and I really felt those. I would recommend learning the basic ice axe crampons rope skills first and build a strong foundation. 75 lb including crampons, ice axe and helmet! Other things I'm considering: I'd like to get another layer of clothes in there. I would recommend the g12 over the lynx to OP based on their use. Planned to do Mt Shasta this weekend with crampons and ice axe and a friend but have been getting mixed reviews on whether or not it’s a good first beginner mountain. Just been monitoring conditions but am expecting to get to KMS around mid This is to say that I will be using an ice axe for both climbing steep slopes and as a hiking pole. Get a non-technical ice axe. I probably wouldn't have died but there was a long stretch of hard ice that would have resulted in some pretty bad injuries. Trekking poles go a long way here. Furthermore, there is a higher risk of catching your points and falling. For the crampons, would a pair that are already on my snow boots work? Meaning the boots have tiny little spikes on the bottoms. I want a new bag around 40L, with ice axe straps, sleeves for easy storage and access of ave tools, and suitable space and organization for a helmet and other bits and bobs. I’m short and a lot of brands don’t have short enough ice axes for me. All you’ll need beside standard winter hiking clothes will be a pair of snowshoes or backcountry skis, which are mandatory to have and wear. But if you need crampons, you need an ice axe, crampon-compatible boots, maybe a helmet, conditions are sketchier, ideally a partner with you, etc. I’ve never heard of anyone needing an ice axe here in NC. Posted by u/enderegg - 9 votes and 32 comments They require a specific boot and fit, and come in many varieties. They walk up bigger and steeper things that start needing more equipment and skills, eg ice axe, crampons and knowing how to use them. Total ~ 172 oz or 10. You may also consider bringing a warm B1 or B2 boot and universal or hybrid crampon and ice axe, bc the upper trails will have significant and steep sections of icy trail that a snowshoe or ski won’t send. For many people, mountaineering is an extension of hiking. It recommends I bring one mountaineering axe and one ice tool (without an adze). Crampons and an ice axe would probably be overkill. If I compact and stuff everything correctly I barely make it in the 28L, while hanging some stuff on the outside. Posted by u/koalj - 5 votes and 20 comments Depends on what you need crampons for. Beginner-to-moderate difficulty (I've completed 3x mountaineering courses and 4x objectives but my wife has only completed 1x course) Outside will go: Black diamond helmet 12. I do recommend crampons (and ice axe of course), to be sure you can handle the snow conditions. Sleeping bag in sleeping bag compartment. intro to ropes. Use or crampons would also come with the need for an ice axe, as well as self arrest skills. I have both pairs (vasak and lynx), walking anywhere on a glacier I wouldn't take the Lynx. nomic) 2 technical ice tools Factors that cause you to move further up the spectrum: steeper angle firmer snow/ice less confidence/experience/ability shorter approach / less weight sensitivity New to mountaineering and just want some additional insight into the possibility of summiting Mt Hood around June 14th this year. Be prepared for bad weather and emergencies. A = very trustworthy reviews, F = highly untrustworthy They have a big database of mountaineering and climbing gear. I just bought a set of used ice climbing axes/crampons just because Ice Climbing is what I have more of in the Midwest. There are several different styles of ice axes -- a "walking axe" is a good place to start, for general mountaineering. It's a pain the the ass to walk, you numb the points on any rocky ridge / really quickly (the technical points are why you pay extra over vasak) and unless you climb WI4 and above you rea I have not summitted a 14er but have lots of experience backpacking. Posted by u/hakubanomura - 2 votes and 13 comments I've done it in winter and summer. Hood is an odd one out among the PNW volcanos in that the main route has minimal crevasse danger, but travel itself requires good ice axe and crampon skills. Jan 28, 2022 · The number of different modular-headed ice axes has increased in the past few years, and manufacturers are responding to this rapidly growing hybrid category. They vastly outperform micro-spikes in deep snow and on steep ground due to their longer spikes, which bite deeper into the snow, and the front points that can be used for uphill progression. I’m looking for a new touring bag because my current bag (25L) is too small. Your best option might be climbing Grandfather mountain an maybe the Roan highlands for some good 40mph whiteout conditions. If you're a begginer and just going to do some laps on snow, there's no need for an ixe axe. I have used micro spikes on the Roan Highlands. If I remember correctly, the main trail has about waist deep snow at outpost camp so at this point, I don’t think it’s doable. Planning is crucial. Unless you’re crossing technical terrain, glaciers/mixed routes/pure ice, micro-spikes are more than sufficient, far lighter and far easier/more comfortable to walk in. Most routes involve a lot more trekking where ski poles are handy and you only need an ice axe when the terrain gets steeper. I have seen there is a wide variety of ice axes, mainly I assume I am interested in a more general purpose one such as the Petzl Summit or the BD Raven Grip. For me personally, I don't see a big difference between a regular hike and one with microspikes. All that being said, crampons and microspikes are often confused in terminology, and if there’s a language barrier even more so. If you have mountaineering boots, you can get step-in crampons. Bring compass and GPS just in case visibility is really bad at the top. It was a little rainy/cold which resulted in icier snow higher up on the mountain so we brought and used crampons. I still need to squeeze food and some hygiene products. Mar 16, 2025 · There’s something romantic about an ice axe too. We give an A-F letter for trustworthiness of reviews. Hi! I’m looking to get my first pair of crampons for my first snow and ice experience this summer. Raphael won a Piolet D'or for his 2013 FA of the northwest face of K6 West with Ian Welsted, and he was also a leading Canadian mixed climber ("sport wanker" as he called himself), helping to popularize bolted mixed climbing and sending some of the first M10s and M11s. 1 ice axe (e. Review map. Going on a hike up Mt. We were debating the merits of buying vs. My crampons (strap-on) work with snowboarding boots as well as my regular winter hiking boots. The lynx are good, but heavy. I have crampons and an ice axe but little mountaineering experience/training. It should hit around your ankle when holding it, 60cm sounds about right then. Concurred, dont fall. comu tcskp swtdwp xieapu ncwjupa owgny empk felu zhpg gfklyau