The Best Ice Mountain Climbing Gear

Welcome to ThinkVail – shop our list of the best ice mountain climbing gear for ice and mixed climbing featuring axes, crampons, harness, boots, ropes, helmets, ice screws and more.

Below are 10 essential tools that you need to be safe(ish) and warm(ish) while ice climbing. These items are high-quality, brand name pieces of equipment that have withstood the test of time. In this type of extreme sport, quality and durability matter, you want the best equipment when the route turns tough.

Winter climbing in Vail Colorado, like in many alpine locations, is a combination of ice climbing, rock climbing and mountain climbing. You need technical, versatile equipment that can handle the nuances and demand of each discipline.

Ice climbing is extreme, you need knowledge, experience and the right equipment.  If you are ever in doubt, hire a local guide or go with an experienced climber, never go ice climbing or mixed climbing alone.

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See Also: Winter Hiking Essentials

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Best Ice Mountain Climbing Gear

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#1 Best Ice Mountain Climbing Gear – Black Diamond Ice Tool

Ice tools evolved from the traditional mountaineering ice ax, but is more specialized for the technical demands of ice climbing. An ice tool must be heavy enough to penetrate hard packed snow and ice but light enough that the climber can swing it for hours without tiring, this Black Diamond Cobra tool fits the bill perfectly.

If you plan to climb ice falls, look for an ice tool with a length of 50 centimeters. If you are a larger climber, look for a larger tool of 55 centimeters. Women and smaller climbers will be more comfortable at 45 centimeters.

Waterfall and mixed ice climbing demand an ice tool with a modular design, so you can easily change the pick, hammer, and adzes when they wear out or if you need to change an attachment.

• Tapered pick allows for easy penetration in ice and stable hooking on both ice and rock.
• Made of Carbon Fiber material so its lightweight but very strong for precise, technical swings.
• Pick that is included is for natural ice.
• Replaceable pick makes it easy to change out when pick gets worn out. Additional picks for Alpine, Ice & Alpine and Mixed are available.
• The serrated blade offers a secure hold and more stability on steep sections in hard snow or ice.
• Sold as Hammer or Adze.
• Ice tools are sold individually, so you can customize the shaft ends with adz or hammer
• Length is 50 centimeters
• Fixed grip
• Weight Adze: 617 grams/ Hammer 588 grams
• Very customizable, you can swap out leashes, picks, hammers, adze, and the strike and fang, for the perfect dry tooling, mixed climbing, technical alpine, or blue water ice tool that you need.
• Great tool for ice and mixed climbing
• CEN-B Rating means its perfect for mountaineering but NOT for technical climbing
• Winner of Climbing Magazine’s 2008 Best New Gear Award and Rock & Ice Magazine’s 2008 Best in Gear Award.

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#2 Best Ice Mountain Climbing Gear – Petzl Dry Tooling & Ice Climbing Axe

Outdoor dry tooling involves the use of ice tools to climb rock faces and typically takes place in caves and overhanging rock surfaces that aren’t great for rock climbing. The routes are generally half natural holds and half man-made holds, which are drilled holes that climbers use to place the pick of their axes into.

Because you are using these tools on rock instead of ice, your blades and picks will get worn out sooner. So dry tooling requires FAT picks that won’t wear out as quickly and a head that allows for interchangeable or modular picks so you can easily replace them. The Petzl Ergo is perfect for the job.

• Perfect for the most difficult dry tooling pitches and technical ice columns.
• 3mm Dry Pick
• Tapered pick allows easy penetration while the hooking serrated teeth help stabilize on steep sections of hard packed snow or ice.
• Ultra-curved shaft provides improved clearance and makes less accessible placements (such as in overhangs) easier and more comfortable with less loss of power
• Very versatile tool. Add the Masselotte weights to add heft for precise, efficient purchase into ice. Remove the weights for lighter dry tooling routes.
• Equipped with a Marteau(hammer) for pounding in pitons.
• Ergonomic handle is adjustable and offers multiple grip options and adjusts in length to fit different hand and glove sizes. GRIPTAPE on upper handle provides better grip and additional insulation.

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#3 Best Ice Mountain Climbing Gear – Black Diamond Ice Axe

The ice axe, or mountaineering axe is traditionally used for alpine and mountaineering, and is indispensable when traveling across ice, glacier or snowfields. It assists with the assent, helps to grab rock edges, cracks, ledges and stops a slide or a fall, especially down an icy glissade. This Black Diamond Raven Pro ice axe checks all the boxes.

• A modern version of the traditional curved-pick mountaineering axe.
• Engineered for secure self-arresting on snow and icy descents with unique pick curve and aggressive teeth
• Stainless steel head and spike ads weight and purchase into hard packed snow and ice
• Durable, aircraft-grade aluminum shaft keeps the overall weight down
• CEN-B certified. This means the axe is not strong enough for technical climbing but is great for traditional mountaineering
• Weight: 15.9oz (452g) 60cm
• Available lengths 55cm-90 cm

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#4 Best Ice Mountain Climbing Gear – PETZL Crampons

The PETZL Dart modular crampons allow you to cross glaciers, ascend snow slopes, climb frozen ice pillars and scale ice-smeared rock faces, safely and securely. They are essential for technical, steep and icy terrain. They are a great choice for technical ice and mix climbing and mountaineering. They need a stiff boot with a heel groove or welt.

• Hybrid Crampon with Leverlock universal bindings for ice or mixed climbing
• 12 points
• Longer, more aggressive front points (forward-facing points) that can be easily adjusted, replaced or reconfigured for any type of adventure.
• Adjustable front points – The front points can be switched out to a long mono point for dry tooling, long dual points for mixed climbing, or short dual points for ice climbing. Super versatile!
• Anti-balling plates help prevent snow from sticking to the bottom of the crampon. It is an important feature that keeps you from losing traction. Anti-balling systems are highly recommended by the UIAA (the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation)
• Weight 1lb 8oz

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#5 Best Ice Mountain Climbing Gear – Black Diamond Climbing Rope

When ice or mixed climbing, it’s best to have two ropes to help reduce drag, for rappelling and to better protect your route. The best type of rope for this type of climbing is a dry core rope, it is more expensive because both the sheath and the core fibers are dry treated. But it keeps your rope protected from water from getting into your rope and freezing, making it unusable. In cold, wet, icy, winter conditions it is imperative that your rope remains dry.

• Black Diamond Dry Core Rope means both the core and sheath are dry treated, and protected against the weather from the inside out. Meets UIAA water repellent requirement
• The 2X2 Woven Sheath is constructed to withstand everyday use
• These ropes are not too stiff and not too soft, the rope knots easily, feeds through your belay device with ease, but is very lightweight and durable
• Weight: 58 g/m
• Number of UIAA falls: 5-7. So, after 5-7 falls it is time to retire this rope.

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#6 Best Ice Mountain Climbing Gear – Black Diamond Helmet

It is essential to wear a helmet and protect your head. Helmets offer protection against falling rocks, gear or ice particles falling from above while climbing or belaying. The Black Diamond Half Dome helmet is one of the best on the market.

• Hybrid design with molded EPS foam. This type of foam is very hard and serves to absorb the shock. Under stress, (or a big chunk of ice) it cracks and fractures, so these climbing helmets are single impact only.
• An all-purpose helmet that is perfect for all types of climbing.
• A wheel adjuster for quick, secure and precise fit adjustments allows you to add a thermal layer underneath or take it off quickly and easily while making sure your helmet fits perfectly regardless.
• Cooling slits help with ventilation
• Headlamp clips on helmet
• Helmet is not ANSI rated.
• This is the most durable helmet Black Diamond makes.

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#7 Best Ice Mountain Climbing Gear – Scarpa Boot

Leather and synthetic are the best materials for an ice climbing boot. Synthetic boots are lighter, more comfortable, break in quicker and dry faster than all-leather footwear. But you need them to be stiff so they can support you on the ice. These Scarpa Men’s Mont Blanc Pro GTX synthetic boots smartly blend stiff plastics with softer fabric for support and comfort

• The Mont Blancs area 100% Synthetic boot that is more comfortable and pretty darn stiff but not as stiff as plastic boots
• Constructed of 3mm Perwanger leather that is impregnated with silicone for extremely effective waterproofing
• Gore-Tex insulated comfort linings insure waterproofing and insulating warmth.
• Heel measures approximately 2″
• Hybrid or Step-In crampon-compatible
• Injected polyurethane ribbing on the tongue provides stability and evenly distributes lace pressure across the foot to eliminate chafing and hot spots
• Micro pulley hardware provides an effortless closure
• Integrated double gaiter with double snap closure is perfect for extreme high-altitude conditions and gives the boot more structure
• Total traction rubber sole offers tons of support and torsion stability so you don’t slip
• Toe and heel welts

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#8 Best Ice Mountain Climbing Gear – Petzl Harness

Ice and mixed harnesses are similar to trad harnesses but specially designed and constructed to cope with winter conditions. You will not find a better harness than the Petzl Corax.

• 4-season harness that is perfect for ice and mixed climbing
• Waist belt is equipped with two DoubleBack buckles to easily adjust to seasonal clothing .
• Unique design centers the harness, keeping equipment loops in optimal position.
• Adjustable leg loops.
• Numerous loops to carry and organize equipment with two rigid front equipment loops, two flexible, high-capacity equipment loops in back and accessory loop in rear center.
• The Corax is compatible with CARITOOL EVO for transporting ice screws.
• Designed for comfort with FRAME Technology design allows the weight to be distributed between the waist belt and the leg loops.
• Pressure points are lined with soft fabric and padded with closed-cell foam.

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#9 Best Ice Mountain Climbing Gear – Black Diamond Ice Screws

Threaded Black Diamond Express ice screws are used as a running belay or to anchor climbers on steep alpine ice to hold the climber in the event of a fall. They are critically essential for a safe climb.

• These screws are quick to bite and easy to screw in. They are an easy and fast-placing ice screw.
• Tapered tube with teeth that cut a hole just larger than the tube itself, means less friction during placement
• A large, color-coded crank knob makes for easy size identification and uninterrupted 360-degree motion
• The colors and lengths are as follows:
  • Orange: 10mm
  • Yellow: 13mm
  • Blue: 16mm
  • Silver: 19mm
  • Green: 22mm

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#10 Best Ice Mountain Climbing Gear – Black Diamond Gaiters

Black Diamond Apex gaiters are made specifically for ice climbing and feature waterproof fabric and durable reinforcements to keep crampon points away from ripping pant legs. They also keep out snow, rocks, block the wind and keep your legs warm. If your boots don’t have built in gaiters definitely go this route and buy them separately, you’ll be glad you did.

• Made of waterproof, durable Gore Tex material
• High calf design
• Velcro clasp keeps gaiter securely on
• Neoprene coated nylon foot straps
• Webbed closure at top with slide release buckle

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See Also: Where to Ice Climb in Vail, Colorado

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Comments

What are your thought on the year’s Best Ice Mountain Climbing Gear? What are your favorite ice climbing or mixed climbing brands and equipment?  Has any piece of climbing gear ever saved your life or saved you from serious injury? We would love to hear your thoughts and comments on the subject.

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