Durability
The shaft is created from high-quality lightweight aluminum with an anodized coating for added protection. The curvature of the shaft is ergonomic in design and significantly aids in the repeated use of the ice ax for anchoring and climbing purposes. While the curved design can be problematic for some self-arrest situations, overall the design serves well.

Weight
Generally speaking, this ice axe weighs about 14.8 ounces, with a good majority of the weight being found in the head area for added striking power and anchoring ability. So found the ice axe to be a little on the heavy side overall, but for most people and situations it worked quite well indeed.

Size
This ice axe comes in a fairly good range of sizes, including 52-centimeters, 59-centimeters, and 66-centimeters in length. Therefore, finding one that fits your body size and chosen activity type should not be too much of a hassle. This ice axe features positive clearance and a relatively small curvature angle, which makes this example a fantastic choice for making a quick stop or self-arrest in both firm and softer snows.

Use
This particular ice axe has a “B” rating, which makes it ideal for general mountaineering, but not entirely suitable for more technical climbs.

Summary
If you’re looking for an ice axe that is easy to use and designed for comfort, but still able to handle emergencies when things go decidedly south, the Petzl Summit Evo Ice Axe is definitely one to consider. While some found the curved design and overall weight a slight hindrance, most people found this particular ice axe to be more than what was needed.

Durability
The straight shaft design is fairly simple but does feature a built-in handle, which makes using it for self-arrest purposes fairly easy, especially in colder weather conditions. It is also short overall and features a sharpened spike at the end, which can also double as a temporary anchoring point if necessary. While it doesn’t quite have the anchoring power of our top choice, it’s still a viable option for most safety issues.

Weight
Along with its smaller size, the Petzl Glacier Literide Axe is also one of the lightest we’ve come across. It weighs a mere 320 grams in total or just over 0.70 pounds. While its lightweight nature does have a few advantages overall, it does pose a bit of a problem especially when it comes to anchoring heavier people or objects.

Size
This is one of the shortest ice axes on the list, measuring only about 50 centimeters in total length from axe head to spike tip. While it most likely won’t work well as a makeshift trekking pole, the shorter design does make transportation and carrying a bit easier overall.

Use
This ice axe is rated for basic use, and really shouldn’t be used during more technical climbs and harder environments. This ice axe features a positive clearance and smaller curvature overall, which aids immensely in the act of self-arrest and use in both firm and softer snows.

Summary
If you’re looking for a very lightweight ice axe that is still useful for a typical climbing environment that is not too technical or as a back-up, the Petzl Glacier Literide Ice Axe is certainly one to have in your view.

Durability
The shaft is straight, and relatively long, making this particular ice axe well suited for use as a mountain trekking staff or as a walking stick in low elevation terrain. It is fairly lightweight as well, and can be easily carried in most situations, although the length does make swinging it time and time again a bit cumbersome overall.

Weight
The Black Diamond Raven Pro Ice Axe weighs about 14 ounces overall, so it’s not exactly the lightest out there, but it certainly won’t be a burden even if you’re traveling with a lot of equipment. However, because of its lighter nature, it’s stopping and anchoring power leaves a little bit to be desired overall.

Size
This particular ice axe can come in a fairly good range of sizes, from 55 centimeters to 75 centimeters at 5-centimeter intervals. The likelihood of finding one that fits your body and activity level is pretty good overall.

Use
This ice axe falls clearly into the basic category, although it does have uses on more technical climbs, such as using it for belay purposes and as an improvised anchor during rescue missions. While we certainly wouldn’t recommend that you use it for your only ice axe on technical climbs, it can certainly serve well as a back-up.

The curvature angle of the pick end of the axe head is relatively small, but larger than those found in more technical ice axes. It does feature a positive angle, though, which makes a self-arrest possible with this instrument, although one certainly shouldn’t expect a fast stop, but more of a gradual slow down.

Summary
The Black Diamond Raven Pro Ice Axe offers a very good all-around ice axe experience, and most people find that for their purposes this axe is hard to beat. While we certainly would have liked to see a curved handle and a technical rating, all in all, this is not a bad choice for mountaineering in general.

Durability
The shaft is comparatively short, so using it for trekking purposes is really not an option. However, the curved design does make for a powerful impact when swinging. The handles at the base are designed to maximize grip and are even removable if so desired.

Weight
This particular ice axe weighs a fairly hefty 550 grams, but it’s still smaller and more versatile than quite a few other ice axes on the market today.

Size
The length is approximately 50 centimeters from bottom to tip, so this is a relatively small ice axe. It can easily be carried on your person, tied to a belt, or carried in a small backpack until needed.

Use
This particular ice axe clearly falls into the “T” or technical category and is designed for vertical ice climbing, and crevice climbing where tight quarters are the name of the game. This tool features both a reverse acute angle for curvature and a very positive clearance, which makes it ideal for swinging into harder substances like ice, frozen ground or even rock. This ice tool is specifically designed for technical climbing, and can easily be used to quickly self-arrest if necessary.

Summary
If you enjoy going to extremes in your ice climbing adventures, having a quality technical ice axe that you can rely on is essential. Thankfully, this entry from Petzl can easily meet that requirement. While it’s not a great choice for the average climber, if you like to climb ice sheets or frozen waterfalls, this is likely to become an essential tool.

Durability
The shaft of this ice axe is straight with rounded edges for a fairly comfortable grip, and the end of it features a good-sized spike for use for added stability and traction on mountainous terrain.

Weight
The weight can vary slightly based on the length, of course, but for the most part, this ice axe weighs about 15 ounces, which makes it fairly lightweight. While it doesn’t really provide a great deal of anchoring or stopping power, for general use in mountaineering and alpine environments, it is more than suitable.

Size
There are three basic lengths available for this particular ice axe, namely 58 centimeters, 66 centimeters, and 74 centimeters. All three appear to be comfortable lengths to allow this item to be used as a trekking pole when needed.

Use
This ice axe is rated for basic or type “B” use, and is really not suitable for more technical climbing. Unlike many of the others on this list, this particular ice axe doesn’t feature a positive or negative clearance, but rather a neutral one, meaning that the angle between the pick end and the surface when struck is actually very close to zero. The curvature angle is also a little on the larger size, which makes this one great for general mountaineering and hiking through rough terrain, but not really suitable for technical climbing.

Summary
If you want an ice axe that is both lightweight and relatively durable for the next time you climb into the foothills of a mountainous region, this entry from Grivel is a pretty good one to have along. While we wouldn’t trust it completely to do a self-arrest, it can certainly be an aid when hiking through more treacherous terrain.

Durability
The shaft is slightly curved near the axe head and is constructed of aluminum, to maintain its lightweight. The pick is tapered and forged out of steel for added strength and durability and for deeper penetration. The bottom portion of the handle has horizontal grooves for easier handling and control.

Weight
Perhaps the best feature of this axe is its weight. This axe weighs in at only .617-pounds or 280-grams. This 45cm axe also features a beveled spike, making it easy to store inside your backpack and safer to attach outside your bag.

Size
The length of the entire ice axe is only 45cm long. And while the shorter length may be seen as a disadvantage to some, for the most part, the length isn’t a hindrance to most people.

Use
For the price point, this ice axe falls squarely into the technical rating and has significant punching power and the ability to make quick arrests on a moment’s notice. If you’re working through some terrain that is a bit unstable, this is definitely a great choice for an ice axe.

This particular ice axe features a relatively gentle curvature to the pick and positive clearance, making it usable as both a mountaineering pick and as a self-arrest tool when needed. With this particular ice axe, a type of balance has been found between general use and technical merit that works quite well.

Summary
The Petzl Gully Ice Axe is a solid, technically sound ice axe that is fairly comfortable to hold and use. While some might find the fact that the picks are non-replaceable a turnoff, this ice axe is a great choice to have around at all times because of its small size and portability.

Durability
The shaft is made from carbon steel and features a slight curve to it that isn’t quite ergonomically friendly but is still quite noticeable for those who prefer to have a straight shaft. While it can easily be used as a trekking aid, quite a few customers found the overall shaft design to be somewhat cumbersome.

Weight
The weight is approximately 16.9 ounces, which makes this ice axe a little on the heavier side. The added weight certainly aids in the stopping power that it possesses, but the overall design makes it easier to perform a slow-down instead of a full out arrest in most cases.

Size
The length of this particular ice axe can vary between 58, 66 and 74 centimeters, so finding one that suits your body and style of climbing should be fairly easy.

Use
This ice axe is rated for basic use, but can easily be used as a backup even on more technical climbs. We simply wouldn’t trust it to stop more than two hundred pounds of force when necessary. This ice axe features a negative clearance and a fairly shallow curvature, which aids in helping a person to slow down and stop when necessary.

Summary
The Grivel Nepal Self Arrest Axe provides a reasonable ice axe that can easily be used in a wide range of non-technical climbing and mountaineering situations. While it’s not ideal for technical use, for most climbers, this is more than adequate for mountaineering or an alpine adventure.

Durability
The shaft is straight, making it less than ideal for the very steep inclines where every added bit of force is an asset in the swing, but for the most part, this ice axe serves very well as both a pick and a stopping tool. The rubberized grip on the handle makes it easy to keep a firm hold, and the Ergal 7075 aluminum materials make for a fairly lightweight ice axe, given its dimensions.

Weight
The weight of the ice axe is about 1.2 pounds, which does make it a little heavy on the lightweight side of things, but again, the balance is quite good, and few people experienced significant fatigue during its use.

Size
The overall length of this ice axe can vary between 58, 66 and 74 centimeters. While the weight may fluctuate according to the amount of material used, this ice axe appears to be fairly well balanced and can be used for trekking purposes if needed.

Use
This ice axe features a “B” or basic rating, which means that it can easily be used for non-technical climbing, mountaineering, and to stop a moderate amount of weight. While we certainly would use a backup ice axe as a partner to this one, in most cases, it can be used as a primary tool.

As stated earlier, the pick and axe head on this particular ice axe features a more neutral design that is well suited for a wide range of uses and environments. While it may not be the best we’ve seen at self-arrest, if you’re looking for a tool that you can use on ice, snow, frozen ground or even rock, this is certainly a viable option.

Summary
The Grivel G-1 Axe provides a strong, yet relatively lightweight ice axe that can be used in a number of climbing and hiking situations, including mountaineering, and some gentle slope climbing. While we wouldn’t suggest using it on more vertical or steeper faces, for the majority of climbs, this is a good choice to have around.

Durability
The shaft is straight but tapers slightly in the middle to allow for an easier grip at a key swing point for the axe. In addition, the shaft is made from lightweight aluminum that is still sturdy enough to be used as an anchor and support when needed.

Weight
This ice axe averages about 17.1 ounces in weight, which makes it fairly heavy overall. While the heft does allow it to provide great stopping power and anchoring ability, it can also cause a bit of fatigue over time.

Size
The length of this ice axe can vary between 57, 65 and 80 centimeters in length. These lengths are slightly longer than average, which can add a bit more force to a person’s natural swing. Conversely, though, it can be awkward to carry on the person, depending on the amount of equipment used.

Use
This ice axe is rated for basic use, and does so superbly. While we wouldn’t necessarily use it on very steep climbs or vertical ascents, for most mountaineering needs, this one is certainly a great option.

The curvature of the axe head on this example is fairly shallow, almost bordering on straight, which makes it fairly versatile. The clearance is positive, so it can still easily be used for anchoring and self-arresting purposes. In fact, this particular ice axe is one of the best we’ve seen at self-arrest that we’ve seen. Add to that the CC4U wear indicator, and a user can easily see when the pick is no longer safe to use.

Summary
If you’re a beginner ice climber or know someone who is, the Camp Neve Ice Axe is a great overall choice. It’s fairly comfortable to use, has great stopping power, and is extremely durable as well. The only disadvantages that we could see were the overall weight and the fact that a leash is attached to the handle, and not the axe head itself.

Durability
The shaft is straight and extremely light. Made from lightweight aluminum material, it is difficult to remember that it is being carried on your person until the time that it is needed. It’s very comfortable to grip and use as well.

Weight
This is by far one of the lightest ice axes that we’ve ever seen. It weighs just 7.2 ounces, making it extremely comfortable to use and carry.

Size
This ice axe comes in three different sizes, namely 50 centimeters, 60 centimeters, and 70 centimeters.

Use
This ice axe is suitable for general use and is specially designed for use on low relief glacier travel, or for self-arrest on gentle slopes with moderately packed snow. The curvature on this particular ice axe is fairly shallow, and the clearance is slightly positive compared to a neutral surface. Its ability to stop someone is established, as its ability to be used as an anchoring point, to some extent.

Summary
If you’re looking for a backup ice axe that is suitable for general mountaineering, especially in snowy and icy conditions, the Camp Corsa is definitely one to consider. Extremely lightweight, and yet durable, this ice axe is a great one to have while traveling across a glacier.