How to Choose an ICE AXE for Ski Mountaineering // DAVE SEARLE
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 มิ.ย. 2024
- In This video I talk about some of the features to look for in a ski mountaineering ice axe and some of the pros and cons of a small selection of some off the tools I use.
My Website: www.davesearleguiding.com/
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I would love to see a video on roped travel/protection on ski mountaineering lines -- when it's useful, when it's overkill, and maybe a primer on gear (nuts, ice screws, etc.) that you would consider for protecting a ski mountaineering ascent!
Some good ideas! Thank you!
This is good stuff! Nice work Dave, as always we appreciate the attention to detail.
Thank you!
Most underrated guy on TH-cam. Keep it up!
🙃 thanks !
Great video! Very useful, as always
Thank you!
Petzl Ride has been great for me. Blue Ice has some gorgeous axes for skiing.
Nice overview. Would like to hear your view on ice axe length...especially with regards to the first axe you showed. I don't always have steep hard ice to contend with, as much as compacted snow or hard crust.
Shorter tools are better for climbing and longer better for walking obviously. For me I’d take packsize and climbability over it being good for balance. That first one I showed was about 65cm and a good size is around 50-55cm for non technical ski mountaineering.
Would be interesting to hear your thoughts in detail on the use of whippets for ski mountaineering. Also on the practice of some people holding an ice axe during the descent.
That’s almost a topic for a whole video! I’ve never had a whippet but I know some people find then good. I got taught as a kid not to run with knives and I like to ski stuff quicker than I can run! 😂
@@DaveSearle maybe a topic for a future video! Personally so far I've taken the position that if I'm too scared to ski something without holding an ice-axe/whippet in my hand I probably should have my crampons on instead. Always interesting to hear other people's philosophies around this topic!
oh also, thanks also for the videos! Great content!
Would love your thoughts on single ixe axe vs single whippet vs one of each, vs two ice axes, and what type of terrain would benefit from those various setups vs just personal preference.
Hello! Thanks for your comment! I’ve never used a whippet to be honest. I don’t feel very safe with one whilst skiing. I’m sure they work well for certain things but they aren’t a substitute for a real axe.
Honestly buy 1 Gully (ski and summer alpine) and 2 Nomic (winter alpine and WI/mixed) and don't ever buy another axe again till you get into very hard mixed/drytooling (if you ever get there, I didn"t)
As you said having more options is always best but if I could only keep 3 axes they are the ones I feel I could do "everything" with.
Could be true but if you do more classic mountaineering and snow craft like we had to on the guides course you need something in between. I like the summit as an all round tool and it’s certainly better for ski mountaineering
Great vids! What kind of rubber tape have you used on the shaft?
It’s plumbers tape! You can buy it in a hardware store and it black with a white backing.
Hi Dave, useful video - thanks. Looking to choose between Sumtecs and Salewa North X's for lower grade Scottish stuff. Been wondering if the trig rests on the Sumtecs move over grip tape, guessing they do from the look of things?
Hey, your welcome. No the trig tests don’t move over the tape but I used to put tape on and leave them down and if I really needed to move them up I would cut the tape off. Hope that makes sense!
@@DaveSearle Totally makes sense, good to know - thanks!
Hey Dave. Just wondering if you actually are able to move the trigrest on the Gully and Sum'Tec with the grip tape on the handles? I have a Sum'Tec and would love if the handle had a bit more grip but I move the trigrest quite frequently and wouldn't want the tape to interfere. Let me know! Thanks.
Unfortunately you can’t, you need to cut off the tape every time you want to move the griprest... a bit annoying but I typically want the grip tape more than the ability to slide the griprest up and down. 👍
i'm very much leaning towards switching to the new sum'tec for all of my one mountaineering/alpinism. i like the fact that it would climb more aggressively than an axe with a classic pick but how do you feel it self-arrests compared to a classic pick?
seeing as how it's important to "feather" a classic pick when self-arresting; do you find you’re having to make SUPER concerted effort to do this with the sum'tec.
does it engage so aggressively that it would be that much more difficult to avoid it being ripped out of your hand when self-arresting? how about on a steep slope with hard neve?k x
Hello! I would say that an axe's ability to self arrest well is something I pay relatively little attention too. With the summtecs the versatility and solidness off the design out wieghs that factor for me completly. Like any tool though if you practice with it it will become more second nature if you actually do need to axe arrest.
What about the Petzl Ride ice axe? What are your thoughts on that tool?
Nice.
Thanks!
whats should I go with for all around needs
What length do you recommend for an ice axe? Lets say what length is ideal for skiing and what length is ideal for general mountaineering and what is good for climbing?
Good question! I’d say 50cm for skiing 55-60cm for mountaineering and however they come for proper climbing! (The handle ergonomics are more important than the length!) hope that helps!
I don't know what your definition of "ski mountaineering" is versus mountaineering with skis, but at what point do you switch to something more technical like a Quark or two? Do you ever mix and match, like one Quark and one Gully? I guess if I expect to actually have to swing the axe into water ice or torque in a crack I would want something a bit more heavyweight than in this video, but maybe I've been carrying more weight than I really need to?
I do mix and match tools a bit, Sumtec and Nomic is a good mix and match. Something that works in snow and ridges well and a more aggressive tool for the steeper parts. I don’t own any quarks but they would be a good modular tool too!
I use a summit and a quark for couloir and steep ridge climbing, it's a good mix for me. The summit is super long and nice for t-slots, walking, and low angle steeps. Once it gets to the point where it isn't perfect, the quark is in its own and feels super secure
Heavier and longer tho, so it's a compromise
Hi what should be the length of the ice axe if you use it for your balance and safety when boot packing?
Hello! I would say 50cm would be a great length for this.
Whens the next vid coming, its been ages?!!
Haha! Sorry I’ve been very busy with summer guiding! Will find some time soon. Any suggestions??
How is the petzl gully self arrest?
Not as good as the ride or literide but ok. You just have to practice with it.
Well aren't you handsome! Need a climbing buddy? ;)