Hammer and Adze - Between Two Worlds
The Edelrid Riot axe has been designed as a versatile, all-round tool with technical mountaineering and ice climbing in mind. According to Edelrid, due to its balanced construction, the Riot can be considered an advanced mountaineering axe whose design and grip offer great performance for ice climbing.
The T rated pick is made of hardened steel and can be used on any type of ice, regardless of how hard it is. The ergonomically formed double handle ensures excellent control and a secure grip that make it appropriate for technical areas, while the lower spike can be removed if the climber is looking to ascend alpine locations.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
MODULAR CONSTRUCTION
The materials that are used in its manufacturing are durable and of high quality. Importantly, all the components (pick, adze, hammer, head, handle, and spike) can be replaced individually. This is a great feature, as the axe will last us a long time with proper replacement of parts and maintenance.
PICK, ADZE, AND HAMMER
The hardened steel pick performs well on ice, hooking, and rock anchoring. It is tough and flexible, and can be sharpened correctly over time. The length and angle of the pick makes it so that you can easily penetrate ice and all angles, even when exiting the ice-fall or on cauliflowers.
The pick is an adaptable tool as it can be removed from the head. Even after doing this, the axe will be correctly balanced and maintain a good swing for hammering.
The hammer component is very useful. It is a good size, not too big or small and works well. As the curvature of the handle starts at about 30 cm from the cross, we found the hammer to be quite comfortable compared to other axes that have the curvature higher, making them more difficult to use in uncomfortable locations.
HANDLE AND GRIP
The handle and grip are comfortable in both stretched ice and ice that borders the vertical. The handle pivots well at the bottom right hand without compromising the natural movement of the wrist and without delivering a painful impact.
The handle is made with aluminum and many prefer to wrap it in tape (Edelrid sells a special grip tape for this), to improve grip when used on overhangs.
IN THE FIELD
The axe worked very well on technical terrain and ice climbs. It is not an axe for extreme routes or mixed climbing. However, it is a great option for those winter mountaineers that dedicate a lot of time to technical and ice runs and need an alpine tool for many approach areas and accompanying edges for such climbs.
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