Axes and Crampons Advice

Having a walkers or ice axe and crampons in winter and knowing how to use them are essential for safe winter walking and mountaineering. Remember axes and crampons are just tools for walking and climbing, make sure you know how to use them before the need arises.

Walking and Ice Axes

Why use an Axe?

Many people decide to use an axe as they provide superb levels of security whilst on the hill. It's important to realise that they are used by people other than those on snow and ice-bound expeditions but also by recreational walkers, tackling hardened winter ground. There is certainly a need for the use on an ice / walking axe even in the UK in the winter.

An axe provides an extension of walker or climbers arm, in a way that can be used to dig into the hardened ground. They provide three very useful tools when tackling a mountain: the axe shaft (often with a spike at the base), the adze (squared-off end of head) and the pick.

Buy a Walkers Axe or Ice Axe

These tools make a walking axe or ice axe into a very versatile tool - one that can provide a great deal of reassurance and security on the hillside, and may even save your life.

Using an Ice Axe

Walking and general mountaineering axes are used to cut steps, climb easy snow and ice, prevent a slip, and to affect self arrest should you slip. It is important to practice Ice Axe Self Arrest on a suitable safe slope with a gentle run-out at the bottom. But the benefits extend to other elements too:

• Axes provide excellent stability in the same way a walking stick would, but for more aggressive purpose and for steeper inclines.
• The handle can be forced in the ground to act as a belay.
• The axe can also turn into a sort of brake if, for instance, you beginning to slide down the mountain face. This can be achieved by holding the axe across your body and push the pick into the snow to provide a 'self-arrest'.
• Ice axes are often used to gain comfort by digging steps for you to sit and rest, or place your gear.
• Use an axe to help anchor your gear too (in conjuction with a rope).
• An axe is also a very handy general tool, providing a hardened extension of your arm to test the integrity of the ice and snow before continuing, or alternatively for digging out buried belays, etc.

Although most axes can offer these properties, they will not necessarily provide them equally as well. That is why there are predominantly three types of axe. These are the walkers axe, ice axe and technical axe.

Walkers Axe

The walkers axe is most often used a a sort of walking stick on relatively flat terrain, possibly to arrest a fall and to occasionally cut steps into the hill. Walkers axes' are usually 60 to 70cm tall (or slightly longer), with a simple to use adze and straight bladed pick for easier braking after slipping. A walkers axe is often relatively lightweight (compared to the other two styles), and usually has a head that is comfortable to hold for long lengths of time as a walking stick.

Ice Axe

Ice axes are often seen a the most versatile form of axe, and are therefore used by both walkers and low-grade climbs or mountaineering. Scramblers find this form of axe ideal as they can switch between holding the comfortable head and shaft easily and comfortably when crossing different terrains. It does provide self-arresting attributes, though due to the additional bend in the pick it is slightly more difficult. The extra bent pick does offer additional benefits though, through it's additional hooking qualities - offering the chance to latch onto roots, rocks and the ground. Adze are used more widely when mountaineering so ice axes often employ a larger sized adze, to enable easier digging of steps (and seats!). Ice axes tend to be ever so slightly smaller that a walkers axe, and range from 55cm to 60cm (sometimes longer). The overall construction of an ice axe is designed to withstand more of a vigorous use.

Technical Axe

Technical axes are used predominantly for climbing steep snow and ice, and often used as a pair, consisting of an ice axe and a hammer. In addition to the points above, the ice hammer can be used for hammering in pitons and ice protection, and is often used together with the ice axe for much higher grade climbs. Each the technical ice axe and ice hammer are approximately 50cm, making them more compact that the basic ice axe and walkers axe. The shaft of the axe is usually bent which means that it allows clearance of the ground during use of the pick and adze, which aids comfort and versatility in it's use. The adze is often shaped in a way that can double up at hooking (in addition to the pick). The technical axes and hammers will often come with a comfortable grip (on the shaft in particular), will have a replaceable pick and well balanced natural swing when in use. The reverse curved pick too, provides better hooking, ice penetration and easier removal from ice, although is disadvantaged by it's length when walking on lower grades of hill - it makes a superb choice for climbers and those looking for a far higher specification. Many technical axes are available with B-rated or T-rated picks. The T-rated axes are better suited for mixed climbing as they can endure greater tests, whereas the B-rate axes benefit from a slimmer pick allowing them to pierce ice more easily without excessive shattering.

What is the right size of Axe?

Walking and Ice Axes should be short enough to handle easily but long enough to provide reassurance on unseen ground. Ice axes are available in a range of shaft sizes, from about 45 cm to 70 cm. When holding the axe by the head, with your arm by your side, the spike should be about 8 cm from the ground.

For ice climbing, axes with a curved, shorter shaft and a reverse curve pick are recommended as they increase clearance from the ground. Make sure you identify the use of the axe first before buying the axe. If you have any doubt as to which axe is most suited to you, please do not hesitate to speak to a member of our team by telephone (UK, 01925 411 385) or email us, as we will be happy to help.

Caring for your Walkers, Ice or Technical Axe

Like with any sharp instrument it is important to make sure the blade or the spike is kept sharp enough for it's purpose. Some axes have removable blade to allow for them to be replaced after the hammering they get when out in the mountains, though protective sheaths (such as head covers and spike plugs) are a great investment at very little cost (and they also protect you and the rest of your gear from being damaged too!). Click here to buy spike plugs and head covers. After use, make sure you clean all part of the axe and dry them carefully.

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Crampons

Using Crampons

Crampons are essential for walking across hard snow and ice. Not all walking boots are suitable for use with crampons and those boots that are, may only be suitable for certain types of crampons. Please see below for our guide to matching boots and crampons. It is vital for safety in the mountains that the correct footwear is chosen, particularly when used in snow and ice conditions.

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Before using your crampons in winter conditions make sure you know how to put them onto your boots and how to adjust them. Practice walking on the flat, being careful to walk with your feet slightly apart so that the spikes do not catch on your trousers, gaiters or straps.

Footwear manufacturer Scarpa have developed a grading system to help determine the correct walking boots/crampons combination. The grading system is based on a proposed system by Mountaineer and Mountain Guide Brian Hall. It should be stressed that this is only a guide and should be used as a supplement (not a substitute) for good advice from experienced shop staff, experienced mountaineers or mountain guides.

B0 Boots are unsuitable for crampons. Most walking boots are designed to flex for comfort and do not have sufficient lateral and longitudinal rigidity in their midsole. Additionally the upper is often made of soft calf leather or a combination of suede/fabric which compresses easily under crampon straps causing discomfort and cold feet.

B1 Boots are suitable for the easiest snow and ice conditions found when hill walking, using crampons more for emergency or for crossing a short patch of snow or ice, rather than setting initially fitted for a full days walk. They have a reasonably stiff flexing sole and the uppers provide enough ankle and foot support for traversing relatively steep slopes.

B2 Boots are a stiff flex boot with the equivalent of a three quarter or full shank midsole and a supportive upper made from high quality leather (probably over 3mm thick). These boots, designed for four season mountaineering, can be used all day with crampons, whilst easy alpine terrain and easy Scottish snow and ice climbs can also be covered.

B3 Boots are a technical mountaineering/climbing boot regarded as "rigid" both in midsole and upper. Used for mountaineering and ice climbing.

Compatible crampons are graded as follows:

C1 Crampons are a flexible walking crampon attached with straps, with or without front points.

C2 Crampons are articulated multi-purpose crampons with front points. Attached with straps all round or straps at the front (ideally with a French ring system) and clip-on heel.

C3 Crampons are articulated climbing or fully rigid technical crampons attached by full clip-on system of toe bar and heel clip.

Boots in the B3 category are ideal for C3 crampons and will also take C2 and C1. At the other end of the spectrum a B1 boot could only be recommended with a C1 crampon.

Crampon pouches or spike protectors are useful for preventing accidental injury and protecting your gear when your crampons are not in use. Click here to see the range of protective crampon bags.

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