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Petzl Aztarex Ice Tool

Petzl Aztarex Ice Tool description

The Petzl Aztarex Ice Tool is a versatile tool for mountaineering and ice climbing.

Bottom Line: This is the perfect tool for lightweight alpine adventures.

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.

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.