For anyone who has bought themselves an ice axe, or is planning on buying one, what have you bought and how do you rate it? How have you got round the fact that it's more useful to have a longer one for the alps and short curved ones for Scotland? Are you just going to buy more than one pair? What is the make and model of the newest pair the club has? I used them in Scotland, I think they were Black Diamond.

Good luck to the new committee, it looks like a good lineup! I look forward to bumping into those of you whose names I don't recognise.

Also, apologies for not making the annual dinner this year, I was having an operation, rather than doing anything better! I hope it was a blast.

what sort of operation?

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Great Free Blowies (men or women) - 07702218917

I have some DMM Superfly's and they are excellent.

I have a pair of DMM fly's and they are also excellent.

As for needing a longer axe in the alps, i think that's a bit of a myth. Longer axes are heavier, they don't work as well on any thing you might need to use a axe properly on, and although you can use a long axe as a walking stick on flat ground you don't really need a walking stick when it's flat, and as soon as it's a little steeper you can reach with a short axe. So you might as well take a short axe because it doesn't weigh as much, and works a lot better for the climbing bits.

It sounds to me like you had the stubai hornets, they're pretty good because they're really cheap, but if you're tempted to buy a pair, try out something that costs a bit more and you'll see why they don't cost as much!

Also check out what Andy Kirkpatrick say's about ice axes:

http://www.andy-kirkpatrick.com/site/blog
under the bit that says "The best Axe in the World?"

Happy climbing!!

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Girls like three things: Danger, Boners and R1oss' guns.

good work mountainsec.

I think you've got decide how much climbing you're going to do with them. maybe get a set of climbing axes and a cheap light axe like a camp nanotech for descending icy gullies in the alps?

i recommend not getting the dmm aliens.

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Great Free Blowies (men or women) - 07702218917

why alek?

there are many hybrid aces, u get what u pay for really. a shortish length with bit of curve would be a great compromise between easy ice climbing and alpine mountaineering. for alpine, a cheep telescopic walking pole can be really useful and solves the longer shafted walking ace issue. they're great for taking load of knees in descents and can be used as splints!

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VP '08-'09

I've got petzl charlet-moser quarks, which are quite expensive but really nice axes, the petzl aztars are also quite nice but dont have the clippy leashes or wrist guards. Alek's suggestion of having a climbing pair and a walking axe makes a lot of sense but it depends on how much of each type of climbing you want to do.

I'd think hard before you buy hornets, they are cheap but the head is permenantly attached to the shaft and its all a single piece of metal so the hammer and adze dont take much breaking and you cant replace the picks - which is a bit rubbish. Just try lots and see which you like best...

go cheap: Long fingernails and stick some nails to your walking boots.

i have mountain tec axes because i use them mountaineering a lot more than i do climbing. they are no where near as angled as a lot of other pairs - but i have not have a problem using them up to grade 3 winter and they are perfect for alpine stuff

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Mountain sec .... once upon a time

Thanks for your quick replies, some useful info there and nice to see that I sparked a bit of a debate!

I have used Super Fly's and Fly's and have found both good. The super version has a rest at the bottom, which I found great for Scotland, but not so good for plunging into snow.
I have used the Stubai hornets in the Alps and they were fine - yes short, but second Tom Green's comments on not needing a walking stick.
Are you planning on going anywhere exciting?

I've bought the petzl aztars as they are very similar to the club DMMs in that they are a compromise all rounder. They are a little bit lighter though therefore girl friendly and easier to wave around your head

I now have an image of Fi waving ice axes around her head. Very amusing.

if you're on a tight budget these may be worth a look katie

http://www.upandunder.co.uk/eshop/catal ... _ID=8&rd=0

(scroll down to the stubai hornets)

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Great Free Blowies (men or women) - 07702218917

Thanks for the continuing info and advice. I haven't got anything planned just yet needing an ice axe but now I have a little encyclopedia to refer to when I do get one!