Am considering this for snowshoeing on steep slopes:

http://www.bentgate.com/whippet.html

* Are they any good + any alternatives I should consider?

* Chances of impaling yourself just walking along and tripping?

Hmmm. 14 ounces each. Were you thinking about one or two?

Most skiers use two ski poles. Most snowshoers use one pole. I don't know what kind of snowshoeing you do, but I've never been with any who were on a slope so steep that they needed this much of a tool. Most use one ordinary low-tech ski pole.

There should not be much risk in using this thing. Of course, this is not a real ice axe, but ice axes are supposed to be of limited sharpness so that you can press your thumb against the pick point, and its sharpness should hurt, but not quite break the skin. For this wannabe ice axe, I would expect less risk.

--B.G.--

You may be interested in page 200 of:
"The mountaineering handbook: modern tools and techniques that will take you to the top" by Craig Connally (Google Books displays this page, but the book is worth buying).

-The author argues that trekking poles are a safer, more effective self-arrest tool. He mentions "self arrest grips" which I have never seen, but the whippet is a similar idea. My main issue with the whippet was/is the fact that I use the wrist loops on poles, but not axes, and do not like a pointy thing tied to me in a real fall.
Also, the length of the pole makes it difficult to switch positions of the axe in a fall... or so it seemed with my low-angle practice falls.

Edit; due to my use of Northern Lite shoes, I fall on my ass a lot when navigating steep slopes... so yeah, I would worry about a possible self-stabbing. A high traction snowshoe, proper technique, and the stability afforded by poles are likely the safest precautionary measures against falling in steep terrain.

Edited by febbom on 10/14/2010 20:16:28 MDT.

"Most snowshoers use one pole."

Not up here, Bob. Maybe you're talking about California?

Tom, that is correct. California snow is known to be a little different from the rest of the West.

--B.G.--

"California snow is known to be a little different from the rest of the West."

Ah. I was sort of wondering if it wasn't something specific to your locale. Just didn't know what it was.

i'm getting one of these ...

http://www.mtntools.com/cat/alpineice/axes/petzlcharletsnowscopic.htm

I recently used the (blunt) grip on a hired pair of ski poles when descending steep slopes on my butt. I was prepared to use it in case of unplanned descents too.

Obviously that would be completely useless on very hard snow and I wonder now in what conditions the pointy end of the pole would be effective eg. firm snow that the basket can't penetrate -- didn't try this end but I can't imagine going for one end or the other depending on icy or more powdery conditions.

That's why the whippet looked interesting but I wonder how much of a health hazard it poses in practice...


Wouldn't it be nice if you could minimise the risk of falling on it by folding it out of the way when you know there is little risk of a bad fall. Where I come from we use 2 poles all the time :)

Edited by stu_m on 10/15/2010 03:07:46 MDT.

Hi Stuart,

I recently bought a pair of Whippets off the forums for use exactly as you describe.

In use as poles, they're not too diabolical, especially since they come with covers for the self arrest blade. I actually found them quite useful for lots of prying/scraping/chopping activities that occur when the (winter) weather here craps out.

Having said that, they're not an axe, and not as effective for self arrest. It is a narrower cross section blade that slices through the snow more than a BD Raven, even with the 90 degree section of blade. In self arrest, the pole/handle is longer and more likely to catch (but less likely to impale you than a 60-75cm axe)

The longer shaft, especially if you use two, or one plus a regular pole, is likely to mean less chance of a slide if you're traversing or descending a steep icy slope than with an axe, but similar to two poles. On anything steep enough to arrest, I wouldn't use the wrist loops.

I second the recommendation on Craig Connally's book, and suggest www.bookdepository.com as the cheapest way to get it in Oz.

Unless you're getting into the properly steep stuff in Australia, you'll probably do just fine with a pair of regular poles, using the points to self arrest. If I was sliding that regularly, I'd be inclined to think about more aggressive snowshoes (MSRs) or crampons first.

Rod