Winter’s here. You’ve got the ideal excuse to nip off to the nearest gear shop and spend some of your hard-earned on shiny new kit. Everyone knows that when there’s snow on the ground you can’t be seen leaving the car park without an ice axe of some sort strapped to the outside of your pack and some nice sharp crampons perilously close to your trusty Platypus.
So it’s off to the gear shop, but what should you be looking for? Virtually every person that joins a winter skills course wants to know which are the best axe and crampons to buy, how long should the axe be, how many points do the crampons need, and a host of other tips. Well, read on - but remember that like all things in mountaineering there are no rules, and if you have a combination that works for you then stick to it.
Your first ice axe
Lets start with the ice axe. Many of the older instruction books will tell you that an axe should reach your ankle when held at the head with a straight arm. But modern thinking does away with this, an axe that long is unwieldy and difficult to use. As a general rule go for an axe measuring 55-65cm, as this range seems to suit most heights. Shorter axes make it much easier to successfully perform self-arrest (i.e. stop yourself from plummeting downhill rapidly after a slip), and they’re more effective at both cutting steps and climbing steep ground.
What to look for in an ice axe
Firstly material. Avoid wooden shafts as they’re not strong enough for enthusiastic use although you will get certain retro kudos as you leave the car park. Don’t go for a super-light alloy axe as cutting steps in hard snow or ice becomes impossible. Check the rating - at the top of the shaft will be a letter “T” or a letter “B”. The “T” rating means that you can belay off it and it will perform all the duties you would expect of a hill walking and mountaineering axe. The “B” rated axe is more suitable for ski mountaineering and hill walking where weight is the key issue. When it comes to shape, a straight axe for hill walking / mountaineering, and certainly avoid the technical banana shaped axes that are designed for ice climbing. Walk around with it in the shop, wearing gloves and hold it by the pick with the axe down by your side and make sure it feels comfortable. You’ll look the part if nothing else.
A slight grip on the shaft is useful and a hole at the top of the shaft within the head of the axe will mean that you can fit a leash. Leashes are a personal choice. Taking it out with you and then try using the axe with, and without, to see what you prefer. A leash makes step cutting easier and more precise and ensures that you won’t lose your axe. But it can be a pain in the backside when zigzagging up or down slopes, where you need to constantly change hands with the axe.
Crampons
Now let’s have a look at crampons. You’ve basically got three types to choose from, rated according to stiffness or rigidity. C1 and C2 crampons are flexible and ideal for winter hill walking whilst C3 crampons are stiffer and designed for winter climbing. The biggest influence on what crampons to buy will be what boots you have. I tend to find the best boots for the job that I have in mind then get the shop to tell me what crampon will be the best fit for that boot - some crampons suit some boot manufacturers better than others.
Boots are rated in a similar way to crampons with B1 boots tending to be 3/4 season boots, B2 boots being stiffer and often being sold as “winter boots” and B3 boots being fully rigid climbing boots. The classic winter hill walking boot is the Scarpa Manta, being available in men’s and women’s moulds. This strikes a good balance between stiffness and all-day comfort and is lined to provide the additional warmth that you will need for standing around in the snow. Look for a boot that suits your foot shape, go to a shop and be properly measured and fitted and allow a couple of hours. If you intend doing a bit of easier climbing as well then you may want a more technical boot like the La Sportiva Trango or the Scarpa Mirage as they give you more feel on rock.
Once you’ve found the right boot then you can buy the crampons to match. If you go for a B1 boot you need C1 crampons. If you go for a B2 boot you can choose C2 or C1 crampons. Make sure they come with anti-balling plates and folk tend to go for a 12-point design for hill walking with general-purpose front points, nothing too long or aggressive. These will also do the job for easier climbing and alpine use. Avoid the super lightweight ski touring ones ( alloy)as they just won’t last.
A well-fitted crampon will stick to the boots without the straps being done up, so make sure they fit the shape of your new boot if they have a strong curve to them. You can buy replacement asymmetric centre bars if necessary. If in doubt then ask the shop assistant.
Look like a pro
OK. So you’ve chosen your new gear and handed over the readies. Here’s a quick tip on how to really look the part when you leave the car park. Ignore the ice axe attachments on the front of the rucksack and stuff it down the compression straps on the side of your pack, or alternatively down between your back and the pack with the shaft at a slight angle so that the spike emerges just above the lower shoulder strap attachment. Have the pick at the top in either case. This way you avoid taking passers by’s eyes out with your upturned shaft and the axe is quick to hand when you need it. As for crampons, pack them away inside the rucksack in a crampon bag - people lose them from elastic straps on the outside.
Having spent the money and got the kit, make sure you know how to use it.
Extracted from BMC Hill skills