Designed for the alpine realm, the Charlet Moser Aztar Tool features a gently curved shaft for performance and a reverse-curve pick penetrates ice solidly.
Shaft is gently curved in the upper portion to prevent mashed knuckles, yet the straight bottom allows shaft to be plunged into snow for use as an anchor. Thin, forged pick features a reverse-curve design for solid performance in hard, water ice. Ergo grip handle allows countless hours of comfort. 3mm blue ice pick, 4mm quattro pick available for mixed climbing.
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Reviews
| rhyang | Untitled Review | | 
Voted 4/5 | I've used these for climbing alpine ice couloirs and also some waterfall ice (WI2-3) and like them for softer conditions, since they are so light. You do need to develop a good wrist flick to set them, something that I'm always working on.
The leash is fine for most stuff, though takes a little getting used to - you have to twist your wrist up to get out of it.
There is enough clearance to pull bulges pretty handily. The spike and hand grip seems pretty utilitiarian. Have heard people say they don't think it would plunge in the snow well, but I don't know how useful a comment that is.
The hammer and adze are not interchangeable, so if you want to climb with two hammers, you are stuck with them - have to buy a whole tool if you need or want an adze.
The picks they come with are optimized for ice (3mm), but mixed picks are also available for torquing maneuves (4mm). Neither has beveled teeth, so cleaning them out of the ice can be a chore (this can be fixed with some filing).
For harder climbing in colder more brittle conditions I prefer the Quarks. However, the Aztar is a lightweight tool and I find it a little easier to peck placements in thin ice or hooking while mixed climbing. I've followed to about WI4- with them in plastic conditions. | | Posted Mar 30, 2005 2:43 pm |
| tommi | Untitled Review | | 
Voted 4/5 | The Aztar ice tools are good allrounder, they are light light and good to handle. These tools are perfect for classic North face routes with ice steps, for pure ice climbing routes i would prefer other tools. | | Posted Jan 28, 2007 7:10 am |
| jomisp | Untitled Review | | Voted 5/5 | I think these are great all around tools from anything with steep snow/ alpine ice up to moderate WI, which is what they were designed for. Very light and swing well. The tool, IMO is very well designed. I believe one of the reasons they may have went with the inablity to change out the hammer or adze is to keep things simple, reduce weight and lower the probablity of things breaking or coming loose, an advantage IMO in the alpine environment. For pure Ice climbing at difficult grades you will probably be looking at something more radical. | | Posted Feb 27, 2007 1:52 pm |
| Nikman | Never had a problem ... | | 
Voted 5/5 | ... with my pair. A very good choice for me as an intermediate climber. | | Posted May 10, 2007 12:39 pm |
| Sheets | Good alpine tool. | | 
Voted 5/5 |
rhyang nails it in his review--these are a great tool for moderate alpine ice climbing. | | Posted Sep 28, 2007 2:40 am |
| steste | Used as single axe... | | 
Hasn't voted | ...on steep glacier routes and found it not only light and comfortable but also efficient. As mentioned by Rhyang, the large spike and hand grip make deep plunging in the snow a bit difficult.
| | Posted Nov 12, 2007 3:33 pm |
| mountainmanjohn | Nice pair | | 
Voted 5/5 | I only do easier routes.....and Ive found these great. Not too bad a price, and well made. | | Posted Apr 24, 2008 6:52 am |
| Oyvindd | Aztar | | Voted 5/5 | Superb allrounder. Have used this for iceclimbing, mixed climbing and alpine climbing. There are better axes for ice and mixed climbs, but it perfoms relly well in all conditions. My only problem is that the strap can freeze up on longer alpine climbs. It still works but not that good. | | Posted Oct 8, 2008 10:48 am |
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