Lightest T Rated Ice Axe

If you re getting your first ice axe for a high altitude adventure you do need to think about the type of outdoor activity your.

Lightest t rated ice axe.

They generally have a bent shaft and t rated more technical pick. For general mountaineering you can get by with a b rated tool but for technical alpine routes a t rated tool is highly recommended. The shaft is optionally equipped with a sliding leash which allows you to secure the ice axe to your wrist or climbing harness. However if you want the lightest option for self arrest in moderately steep terrain combined with snow anchor options and securing a traverse the camp usa corsa is the best lightweight ice axe.

For climbing frozen waterfalls or dry tooling a t rated axe is mandatory. These axes are great for snow and can handle chopping steps in ice or other small ice scenarios. The strength of the head shaft interface when being pulled perpendicularly as if it was a vertically placed anchor or standing ice axe belay a cen b has to withstand 2 5kn and a cen t has to withstand 4kn. A t rated axe is ideal for vertical assents but they can be heavy to carry for long assents.

The petzl glacier literide is a compact and lightweight ice axe for ski mountaineering and glacier travel. Its tapered banana shaped pick and the trigrest handrest adjustable without a tool ensure the performance required on technical sections. The camp usa corsa ice axe is quite possibly the lightest weight ice ax in the world weighing just 8 8 oz 250 grams in a size 60 cm length. It features an aluminum shaft and an aluminum head.

Other options for a lightweight ice axe are. Ultra light ice axe for technical mountaineering and steep skiing ultra light at only 280 g the gully ice axe is designed for technical mountaineering and steep skiing. Despite its lightweight it is a fully functional uiaa certified b ice ax capable of being used for self rescue glissading and strong enough to be used as a belay anchor. These axes are for tougher conditions when the majority of climbing is on snow but the axe needs to be able to handle a short ice wall.

A cen b rated axe has to withstand 2 5kn and a cen t has to endure 3 5kn. Our founders lloyd and mary anderson formed the co op after struggling to find a quality ice axe anywhere in the u s. Of all the tools a mountaineer carries the ice axe is perhaps the most iconic.