Snowalker

Simple design, lightweight (less than 1lb) and basic touring model. I've used mine for a season and a half with no apparent flaws in workmanship or design. This is the most appropriate tool for a mountaineer in SoCal.

Nice and light. The shaft is easily marred though. Works well for its purpose (self arrest).

A few seasons of use with this tool and I can say that it does what it's advertized to do.



Very light, easy to plunge, comfortable in cane position, durable. Note that this axe was never meant for routes that have steep ice. The head is too light to have any significant authority on alpine ice in low or high dagger positions so a different or second tool would be required for a steeper route with ice. Snow climbs are no issue and it can eat those for lunch.



I use this tool 90% of the time and it has never let me down. A perfect tool for anything casual.

This is my main alpine ax. Great to see it already posted here. Much lighter than my older REI alpine ax. When many routes call for two tools, I still use one tool and this ax and get along just great. Lightweight, versatile, good spike. Like all alpine axes in the rockies, keep it sharpened.

I've used it in the Whites for several winters with great luck. I agree with the other comments about the weight. It's nice and light, but you have to use a lot of arm strength if using it to actually chop ice. The head is too light for that.

It's a case of you get what you pay for. As mentioned above for ice, it's a pretty weak tool, for self arrest on a mostly snowy surface or for a glissade back down it works fine. I've used it for a couple of seasons mostly on the underhill side of Mt. Mansfield and it's been fine though when I get into icey sections I've had to find alternate routes.

I have an earlier 68cm Charlet Moser version. It's advertised for basic snow touring and glacier travel - and excels at both. I would not feel confident beyond its use as a cane and self arrest. The pick and adze sharpen easily. As indicated above, the shaft is easily marred with crampon-banging. Overall, it's a good and inexpensive axe.

I bought this ice ixe last year I'm quite satissfied. A little bit heavier than my previous one (Camp HL 250) but also quite light. Very good for glacier travels (but no so comfortable in cane position as Camp) also suitable for steeper snow slopes (up to 50 degrees).
Overall, good but not perfect.

This is a good, lightweight and solid tool. I haven't had any problems with mine, it's worked out really good for me.

Nice and light, but very durable for the weight. The coating on the shaft is easily scratched off, but the head and spike are very tough. Works great on snow, not so well on ice...