ice ax and crampons

[Wapiti1]

The main thing I noticed on my hunt with Jake. You will catch trekking poles in the rocks, and it is really easy to bend or tweak the bottom section. I caught mine a couple of times in the rocks early in the hunt, and had to be really careful in the rocks after that. It would be really easy to tweak a pole enough to have it fold up later on when you really need it. Poles are not made to take the abuse of bouldering.

If you somehow damage an axe, you probably damaged yourself as well. They are pretty bulletproof kit. They'll easily fit in a double rifle case along with your rifle and other goodies.

The axe is a great decision. I'll have at least one the next time I am up there.

Jeremy

 

[Grumman]

Great thread. I would have never seen value in an ice axe for me but now I do. I wish the Capra wasn’t anodized blue. If I get one I will have to give it a paint job.


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[AK Troutbum]

If your interested in exercising your patience go ahead and get on the SMC website and try and order one of these Capra ice axes. The only way to do it is to create an account. Creating an account is a complete nightmare but, if you are lucky enough to get that accomplished, hopefully you don't live in AK. If you live in AK, to purchase a $94 item that weighs just over 1 lb., will cost you no less than $96 to ship. I'm thinking that it would probably be cheaper for me to just buy a round trip flight to Seattle and go pick it up in person.

 

[BRWNBR]

We need someone in Seattle to pick them up for us. AMH used to carry these axes. Maybe we can contact them for a order?

Or just order 10 of them bring them home and add 30 bucks to the cost of each to cover your flight down and sell them here.

 

[BRobertson]

If your interested in exercising your patience go ahead and get on the SMC website and try and order one of these Capra ice axes. The only way to do it is to create an account. Creating an account is a complete nightmare but, if you are lucky enough to get that accomplished, hopefully you don't live in AK. If you live in AK, to purchase a $94 item that weighs just over 1 lb., will cost you no less than $96 to ship. I'm thinking that it would probably be cheaper for me to just buy a round trip flight to Seattle and go pick it up in person.

Greg,
If you figure out how to order one, please let me know!
I have a shorter version that is at least 30 yrs old, and I would like a long one!!
I concur with all of Brwnbr's points on "why an axe"

Thanks
Bob

 

[Grambo]

I live in SW Wa. Let me get ahold of Jake (after he heals up a bit) and maybe we can get something going and I can see if we could ship them cheaper . I'm more than willing to help if I can .

 

[Matt W.]

I am near Ferndale WA right now, and flying back to Alaska this Friday Evening. I have a big duffel bag and can bring a bunch up if needed. Someone would need to set it all up for me and I can swing by the Ferndale,WA factory location and pick them up. I am flying out of Bellingham, so if it is Seattle and not the Ferndale factory, I can't help. Let me know!

 

[AK Troutbum]

I am near Ferndale WA right now, and flying back to Alaska this Friday Evening. I have a big duffel bag and can bring a bunch up if needed. Someone would need to set it all up for me and I can swing by the Ferndale,WA factory location and pick them up. I am flying out of Bellingham, so if it is Seattle and not the Ferndale factory, I can't help. Let me know!

Thanks for the offer, but after making a few calls this morning, I was able to find them locally. So I plan on checking them out tomorrow and I’ll update this thread with what I find out.


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[AK Troutbum]

So I picked up a couple of these ice axes today (one for me and one for BRobertson), here at a local climbing/ski shop and actually got them for about three dollars cheaper ($90.95), than what SMC sells them for. Really looking forward to using it this upcoming fall. Thanks Jake for the recommendation and the suggestion on where to find them.

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[BRWNBR]

Did AMH have them? What’s the over all length in inches on that one? Want to compare it with my old 100cm.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Yeah, AMH had them and they measure out at just under 38 1/2” or 97 1/2 cm.

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[BRWNBR]

Man that’s perfect!!

 

[as.ks.ak]

Man that’s perfect!!

They really are perfect!!! I found one at AMH this summer right before sheep season! I cannot second everything brwnbr has said!! Think I have a few pics of mine in use somewhere....I also used mine as a weed wacker! The utility of the ice axe is second to none!! It might be the most versatile thing in my pack(even though it's never actually in my pack).




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[as.ks.ak]

Exhibit A: should have brought snow shoes

Exhibit B: Getting off glaciers is fun

Exhibit C: "I want to carry it all by myself"

Exhibit D: Getting back on said glacier is even more fun

Exhibit E: "

Exhibit F: Great for making camp comfy!

Exhibit G: Admire your brilliant purchase

mine is the 100 as well.


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[keller]

how do you know what lenghth to get I am a short guy 5'5"???

 

[Matt W.]

Hey! aa_smith11

It looks like you use both a trekking pole and the ice axe. Do you take both poles and the axe? Or one pole and the axe? Thoughts on how that works for you and what you would or would not do different?

Thanks!

 

[as.ks.ak]

Hey! aa_smith11

It looks like you use both a trekking pole and the ice axe. Do you take both poles and the axe? Or one pole and the axe? Thoughts on how that works for you and what you would or would not do different?

Thanks!

Yeah, I do! I like having the trekking pole for the added stability when coming down hill mostly. Also I carry a hilleberg tarp for bivvying or to stash meat under and I use it for that. In the event I need to leave the tarp up and go move while it's pitched I can leave the trekking pole and use my ice axe. Right now I think the only thing I missed or wanted on the ice axe was the wrist strap that the trekking poles have. Being able to use it as leverage when going up hill. So I retrofitted one on my ice axe, now I'm all set!


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[BRWNBR]

It’s weird my 110cm is shorter than your 100cm. Wondered if they measured them different back in the day.
It shocks me how many folks haven’t been informed on these axes. Life would suck without these things in the mountians!

A little input on length someone asked about. When you hike with a stick. Stick height should be so your pushing down on it with your palm. Not lifting your arm out in front like a ski pole. That creates arm fatigue. My palm
Pushing down on the head of my axe is where 99
Percent of my use is. I’m 5’8”. For a 5’5”
A 90cm would probably be about right. But a shade to long is helpfull when going down hill. And that’s where these things really shine. Also when using on rocks I typically reach out To the sidef or stability, where longer again is helpfull. Take the measurement trout gave you for the axe cut
A stick and wander around for a few minutes with it. See how it feels.

 

[Tekla]

I have used the black diamond whippet for the last couple years when on Kodiak. It’s a perfect hybrid of both a pole and ice axe. Just gives you that little extra bit of saftey. Not as stout as a solid ice axe but it’s pretty nice.

 

[BRWNBR]

I looked at a whippet but decided it lacked the versatility, it’s basicly a trekking pole with a tooth on it for self arrest. All the things I hate about a trekking pole are still there. But only one of the things I like about an Axe are there. Not a good blend for me. Someone made a blend, petzel maybe it was a super short axe with a trekking pole leg. So it had a handle and head like an axe. Could still chop and dig with it but had a adjustable lower half. Better blend. But still left some things to be desired.