Light and functional axe for general mountaineering, not suitable for technical ice climbing

By The T. family Ranked #1148 - Backcountry Snowboarding October 4, 2004

My wife, my son and I used the Raven Ice Axe in the Alps on gentle to moderate ice slopes and moderate to steep snow slopes. This axe is very light, which helps when every ounce counts. The shape of the head makes holding the axe in the self-arrest position much more natural and less tiresome. In my opinion, this tool is not suitable for technical ice climbing. We tried it on steep ice slopes for practice and discovered that the shaft is much too slippery for any serious work.

View Details: Black Diamond Raven Ice Axe

Helpful Votes: 0 Yes