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Petzl Aztarex Ice Tool
You have been looking everywhere for a tool that climbs ice well, has a usable shaft for mountaineering and is light enough that you won't notice on your pack during a ski tour. You have been looking for the Petzl Aztarex Ice Tool. At a scant 500g you will hardly notice it on your pack. A removable GripSwitch allows leashless use or can be stored in the shaft for a cleaner profile when plunging. The weight of the Aztarex is concentrated on the head to allow better penetration and the curved shaft makes hooking easy.
Bottom Line: This is the perfect tool for lightweight alpine adventures.
Talk shop with all the gear freaks out there: ask 'em questions, upload/browse photos, and give your 2¢.
Does one normally get both the adze and a hammer, two adzes or
Does one normally get both the adze and a hammer, two adzes or what?
By: John
April 17, 2009
The adze is useful if you plan on doing 'alpine' style routes, longer less vertical routes where you can take the time to prepare screw placements and even cheat by cutting steps to steady yourself while placing a screw. On vertical ice you really don't have the time (strength) to chop screw placements so many people have shifted to climbing with two hammers, or even 'blanks' which are neither hammer nor adze to save weight. P.S. Don't hammer in screws.
By: Joshua Keith
April 26, 2009
Most people go for the hammer and the adze, hammer for pound-in screws and adze to clear space or the handle on screw-ins. Just know that if you ice climb long enough, you're going to whack yourself in the bridge of the nose with the adze. I know at least 5 people that have done it, most more than once.
By: Angus Bohanon
April 17, 2009
Light and Fast!
By: Pete T
December 12, 2007
As a die-hard BD fan, I was a hard-sell on these tools. On my last expedition to a technical route in the Karakoram, I brought two sets of tools - my tried and true carbon-fiber tools and a pair of Petzl Aztarex's.
On the warmup climbing, I brought the Aztarex's just to check them out. I was really attracted to the light weight and technical features (pinkie catch and recurve pick), but a bit concerned with the durability and shaft geometry for technical climbing and shaft plunging in snow.
I was pleasantly surprised by the tool's over all performance on snow, ice, and mixed terrain. The pinkie catch was never an impediment on snow plunging. The shaft geometry and pick combo climbed vertical ice with elegance and ease. The set of tools also weighed a pound less than my other tools.
The Petzl Aztarex's are a great choice for technical ice and mixed, especially if one has alpine aspirations. They work well leashed and leashless. Only an antler-style tool will outperform these on "sport-mixed" terrain. They are a bargain.
Are ice tools normally sold individually or in pairs?
Are ice tools normally sold individually or in pairs?
By: chr100206522
November 19, 2008
Individually.
By: Jacon Mayer
January 26, 2009
Super Tools!
By: Scott
September 18, 2006
I tried a lot of ice tools before I decided to purchase these. They are ideal for alpine climbing, since they are light and can be used in the cane position if needed. They swing very nicely and the angle of the pick and shaft are just right for climbing glacier ice even when if goes well beyond vertical. They are also MUCH lighter than comparable tools. I would highly recommend these to anybody climbing alpine ice.
Change me.
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