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Camp Awax

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Reviews	Views	Date of last review
1	5894	Mon Mar 20, 2006

Recommended By	Average Price	Average Rating
100% of reviewers	$200.00	9.0

Description:

Manufacturer's info - The Awax comes from the research of competition and is an extremely light Ice fall axe (less than 600 g !)ergonomic and adherent handgrip. While using this tool, the following leash solutions are possible: -Without the leash, the Awax has been designed to allow the least amount of energy to be used. -With the Awax leash, right/left hand reversible, a single movement is enough to release the hand from the leash.

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Mike R
Master Guide

Registered: Tue Dec 14, 2004
Posts: 824

Review Date: Mon Mar 20, 2006

Recommend? yes | Price paid: $200.00 | Rating: 9

Pros:	light, penetrate easily
Cons:	grip is cold

It's too bad that CAMP doesn't have a greater retail presence in the US, because these tools would be loved by many. More specifically, they will NOT appeal to the long time climber used to swinging a Grivel or BD framing hammer tool. But smaller, younger climbers, weaker folk, or anyone who appreciates a lighter tool should like the Awax. (The predecssor Camp tool, the Tiburon, checks in 200 g heavier and was well reviewed in the mags, so that might be the way to go for heavy hitters) The tip is so small that the lighter weight does not mean sacrificing ice penetration. The swing is Quark-like, but the light weight translates into less fatigue.

The stock leash is about on par with other non-releasable systems. Both leashes are the same, and this necessitates some compromise: the cuff is angled both ways (hard to explain) so it fits either hand, but as a result only half of its width is actually used. And on the left tool, the webbing around the shaft appears to have a half twist. But these don't affect the functionality. I will post again if I get to try the "freestyle" leash that is available for this tool. It's got rings on the cuffs that sit in hooks on the shaft. A low-tech, lightweight solution not unlike a Russian Aider. Also similar to a Cassin set-up that I've used and absolutely love.

EDIT March 2007 - I have the Freestyle Leash kit installed (mentioned above). I still think it's a great scheme, but the hooks aren't deep enough. When you cock your wrist on the backswing, the ring on the cuff floats up and out of the hook. Most disconcerting to plant the tool and find your leash is no longer attached. A deeper hook would solve the problem, and I suggested as much to CAMP USA. In the meantime, I built up little tabs on the hooks (glass cloth and epoxy gel) and this solved the problem. If you don't cock your wrist like I do, you might not have this issue. The Freestyle is a slick system and makes leashed to leashless pretty smooth. And there's not enough strap on the cuff to flop around and cause a problem while you're typing knots, racking gear, drilling screws etc. The cuff itself is kinda stiff vinyl but that feels worse in the living room than it does outside with gloves on. But it's still not the cush piece that the Big 3 provide.

Bottom line - this is a tool that can challenge the Big 3 (BD, Petzl, Grivel) for steep pure ice supremacy. Yes, including the Quark. If you like a light, wrist flick sort of tool. I do.

Only mod I did other than filing the paint off the tips is to wrap the grip in insulating tape. There's a bit too much metal there for my circulation-impaired extremities. The grip is small so this didn't present any issues.

Some of the promotional text refers to a T rated "head". That may be, but the pick itself is B rated.

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