Ice Axes are a vital piece of equipment for mountaineering that cannot be overlooked. Choosing the right Ice Axe is important, there are a few things that should be considered:
- How steep is the terrain you will be on?
- Will it be used often or rarely?
- How strong does it need to be?
The steeper the terrain, the shorter the shaft of the axe, having a shorter Ice Axe makes it easier to plunge into snow and ice on steep angles.
For walking across glaciers etc, a longer Ice Axe can be used as a walking stick.
For sporadic use, a lighter weight Ice Axe is important as you will spend most of the time just carrying it.
