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Alpinist Magazine Gear Review: Petzl Sum'Tec Ice Ax

Posted Friday, February 6, 2015
Gear Reviews

The Sum'Tec is offered with either an adze or a hammer, with various shaft lengths: 52 cm for the hammer version and 52 or 59 cm for the adze version. Each features a 3.5 mm "B"-rated pick connected to a "T"-rated, slightly curved aluminum shaft. A quick click of the Trigrest allows it to slide from technical tool positioning up the shaft to the head, such that the spike can be used as an effective balance point in piolet-canne position. The spike also features an ample hole that easily accepts tethers. I prefer pairing the 52 cm hammer with the 59 cm adze to tackle technical-but-lower-angle alpine ice objectives like the icy prow of Mt. Baker's North Ridge and mixed terrain on the Aiguille du Chardonnet in the French Alps.

Read Kel Rossiter's review on the Alpinist website and let us know what you think!