An ice axe is a mountaineer’s best friend. They ascend together to reach steep, ice-covered slopes and work together to guarantee a safe descent. To a mountaineer, no hiking or mountain climbing adventure is complete without the best ice axe as a companion. 

If an ice axe is to be a mountaineer’s friend. It, of course, needs to be reliable. The best ice picks would be hosts to features that elevate safety, control, stability, and experience. Although there are tons of ice axe models in the market, not all of them can be a good hiking or mountain climbing companion.

And then there’s the Petzl Summit Evo Ice Axe, which is hailed as the best self arrest ice axe in the market. This model boasts of being well-balanced, well-rounded, and well-disciplined to sustain and support a mountaineer throughout a day’s adventure. 

A look at the features of the Petzl Summit Evo Ice Axe will leave no doubts as to why it’s the best ice pick for mountaineering. At a glance, it has an innovative anodized aluminum shaft that curves slightly near the top for a better grip while plunging up or down the mountain. Durability is also of no question, as this ice axe for self arrest has a steel adze, hot-forged steel head, and stainless steel bottom spike that guarantee the best quality that doesn’t deteriorate. 

More than its solid build, the Petzl Summit Evo Ice Axe also has the features that make a mountaineer ascend and descend a world easier. It has top and bottom holes for easy carabiner clipping, as well as strategically-placed teeth for solid, stable, and secure anchoring. 

With its reliable and durable features, this all-around tool is the best mountaineering axe for great adventures. Without sabotaging the overall thrill and experience of mountaineering, this tool guarantees fun, excitement, but most of all, safety and reliability. 

Petzl Summit Evo Ice Axe Review

Design

The pick of the Petzl Summit Evo Ice Axe is well-designed and of outstanding quality, made with a steel adze and hot-forged steel head. This feature becomes especially useful for digging and chopping, making this difficult task much more manageable. The adze droop and cutting angle also play a part in easy plunging. The adze has the perfect droop and a 45-degree cutting angle that assists in swinging the axe and penetrating into the surface. 

This ice axe has a curved shaft, which, although a seemingly small feature, helps with a variety of different purposes. First off, it allows more leverage when holding onto the axe because it keeps a mountaineer’s hands away from the snow. This allows climbers to ascend more securely and comfortably without slipping. The shape also assists in a mountaineer’s form, requiring less effort to push and ascend steep mountains. 

Unlike conventional ice axes, the Petzl Summit Evo Ice Axe takes support up a notch with its upper teeth, which is not usually found in regular ice axes. This addition makes it easier for the tool to grip and bite the snow. 

The handle of the Petzl Summit Evo Ice Axe is oval-shaped for a better grip and more comfortable handling. This shape reduces hand fatigue while climbing steep mountains. It’s also equipped with a rubber grip that increases safety and reduces the chances of slipping. The textured rubber will reduce the pressure on your hand, making it more comfortable for self-arrests. 

Built Quality

With its myriad of features comes another perk that mountaineers can enjoy — the lightweight build of the Petzl Summit Evo Ice Axe. It is relatively lighter than most models of its kind, making it easy to carry around without adding weight to a mountaineer’s load. 

It weighs only 14.1 oz. or 400 grams, which is a reasonable weight considering its high-quality and durable construction. The Petzl Summit Evo has the best construction you can find in an ice axe for self arrest. Despite being thin in construction, it showcases amazing strength and performance. In fact, its thinness helps it penetrate and hold a stronger grip on snow. 

The bottom pike of the Petzl Summit Evo is constructed with durable stainless steel for better quality, a sleeker design, and the best performance. It’s slightly rippled to sustain strong blows and full-strength swinging, ensuring long-lasting durability.

Performance

The Petzl Summit Evo Ice Axe consistently tops the ranks of best mountaineering axes thanks to its versatility. It can perform outstandingly in any activity, whether for steep ascending or descending routes or rock climbing. Regardless of what activity you are undertaking, this ice axe can be a solid companion that performs well under any circumstance. 

Though it can be used for a wide variety of activities, the Summit Evo performs best in steep routes with its lightweight design and performance-oriented features. It also works wonders for self-arresting, thanks to its pick that has the perfect droop and teeth that can hang on to and provide solid anchoring in a variety of different surfaces. 

The Petzl Summit Evo has been a top pick for most mountaineers, considering its unprecedented balance of comfort, weight, and performance — all in one versatile ice axe. 

Benefits

Lightweight and thin construction

Probably the last thing a mountaineer wants when traversing steep routes and undertaking long hikes is to carry around a heavy ice axe. And that’s particularly why mountaineers like the Petzl Summit Evo. Despite its plethora of features and benefits, it still manages to be lightweight and extremely portable. 

The thin construction of the Summit Evo is also a plus when it comes to easy carry and handling. This thin build also makes a world of difference in penetrating snow and improving support while ascending steep routes. 

Better grip and handling

The elevated support and handling features of the Petzl Summit Evo are most likely its biggest selling point. All of the small improvements make a huge difference in terms of ease in use, portability, and grip comfort. 

Ergonomic handling is possible with the Summit Evo Ice Axe, thanks to its oval-shaped handle with a rubber grip. Mountaineers who invest in this tool will enjoy the benefits of effortless handling, less hand fatigue, and increased safety. It reduces the pressure and friction on your hand regardless of what activity you do — whether it be self-arresting, digging and chopping, or traversing steep routes. 

Further, the curved construction of the shaft offers better clearance and easier plunging. This slight addition makes it a hundred times more comfortable when swinging and penetrating into snow surfaces, hence requiring less force and pressure. This becomes increasingly beneficial after a long, exhausting adventure. 

Durable

The minor construction and build upgrades increase the quality of the Petzl Summit Evo in terms of performance and durability. High-quality materials were not spared in creating this all-around, lightweight mountaineering tool. 

It features a steel adze, hot-forged steel head, stainless steel bottom pike — all of which ensure durability and longevity. Hot-forged steel heads are stronger and more durable than regular steel. Further, the anodized aluminum helps prevent rusting.  

Aesthetic appearance

An ice axe should not only excel in its technical features. It would be an additional perk if it was aesthetically built as well. The Petzl Summit Evo is a great tool both inside and out, boasting of the perfect blend of style and functionality. 

The Summit Evo is orange in color, making it immediately stand out among other contenders. The rubber handle has a sleek black design that perfectly complements the orange body and silver head. 

Versatile

Mountaineers who like to engage in a wide array of activities will find that the Petzl Summit Evo is a very versatile piece of mountaineering equipment. It maintains its solid high performance regardless of the activity it works on. 

This is indeed a solid tool to bring in all types of alpine trips, being reliable and elevating safety and experience across a myriad of activities and uses. 

Top and bottom holes

The Petzl Summit Evo supports a wide range of attachments with its top and bottom holes where carabiners and straps can be clipped or attached. Although the tool doesn’t come with a strap of its own, it is compatible with conventional leashes, most especially the LINKIN leash. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you choose an ice axe? 

Ice axes come with different features and designs, but this is not only for aesthetic purposes. More than appearance, the build of an ice axe becomes significant for different activities. You can say that ice axes have specializations depending on their overall construction. 

There lies the importance of finding an ice axe that suits the activity you will be undertaking. But the standard non-negotiables should be durability, ergonomic design for easy handling, lightweight construction, performance, and reliability. 

What should you look for in an ice axe for a specific activity? 

Classic Mountaineering

For classic mountaineering activities, it’s best to choose versatile ice axes like the Petzl Summit Evo. This model is great for intermediate climbing and can perform well in a variety of different terrains and routes. For classic mountaineering, look for ice axes that are lightweight and provide outstanding grip and anchoring. 

Glacier Travel, Snow Climbs, and Ski Mountaineering

For these snow mountaineering activities, you need an ice axe with great handling features that allow you to have a supported and comfortable grip while still providing excellent anchoring performance. 

Ice Climbing and Dry Tooling

More advanced mountaineering activities like ice climbing and dry tooling need more technically advanced ice axes that excel in performance and handling. 

Technical Mountaineering

Technical mountaineering requires high-performance ice axes. Look for models that provide an ergonomic grip and good ice anchoring qualities. 

What is the ideal weight for an ice axe? 

Most preferred ice axes weigh about 500 grams, which many mountaineers believe is the ideal weight for easy and efficient blows. However, there are more modern ice axes now that weigh much less but provide excellent performance. They compensate for their decreased weight through other features like shape and construction. 

The ideal weight for an ice axe will also depend on the mountaineering activity you are going to undertake. Lightweight axes that weigh about 350 grams are better to use for summer hiking. If you, however, will be using the ice axe for winter mountaineering activities, heavier axes are more ideal so you can get the best momentum and support while ascending or descending on hard snow surfaces. 

What is the ideal length of a walking ice axe?

Ice axes are not only used for ascending or descending mountain routes. They also find significance in walking on hills during the winter. For this purpose, the axe should be 50 to 70 centimeters long, but this also depends on how tall you are. 

When choosing the right length of ice axe, consider that you will be walking uphill. Hold the axe at a diagonal angle and see if can support you while walking on an upward terrain.

What are the types of pick tips? 

The tip of an ice axe’s pick can either be positive, neutral, or negative. Each of these types offers their own benefits and, at the same time, have their own downfalls. 

A positive tip is pointed and sharp, making it ideal for penetrating hard snow and making climbing a whole lot easier. However, because it’s made to penetrate hard ice, the consistent impact can easily cause the sharpness to dull out. 

A neutral tip is very conventional and versatile. It is a basic yet safe bet for a wide range of activities, whether during the winter or summer. 

A negative tip is not sharp like a positive one, hence, they are not made for winter use since they cannot penetrate hard ice as effectively. It tends to slip on ice instead of sinking into it. Negative tips, therefore, are better for summer hiking. Their use is more commonly for support purposes, helping mountaineers hold onto rocks and grass. 

How many ice axes do you need?

Most mountaineering activities only require one ice axe, as long as it’s a versatile and reliable one that can support the wide range of activities you are planning to undertake. However, other more complex mountaineering hikes need at least two axes. 

This is especially true when navigating steep or vertical terrains. In these types of activities, you will need one hybrid axe and one ice tool. You can also use two similar axes that are made specifically for vertical terrains.