 This Product
CAMP Neve | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best for Light Weight | |  Best Bang for the Buck | ||
| Price | $74.96 at Amazon Compare at 3 sellers | $110 List Check Price at Backcountry | $109.95 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $109.95 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $89.99 at Public Lands Compare at 4 sellers |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A solid general purpose mountaineering axe at a very good price | Nearly half the weight of many of its all-mountain counterparts, it has a steel pick and proved surprisingly versatile | A solid all-around mountaineering axe that wont break the bank | A surprisingly versatile axe considering its impressively low weight | A solid general mountaineering axe for a great price |
| Rating Categories | CAMP Neve | Petzl Ride | Petzl Glacier | Petzl Glacier Literide | Black Diamond Raven |
| Self-Arresting (15%) | |||||
| Digging & Step Chopping (15%) | |||||
| Use as Improvised Anchor (15%) | |||||
| Steep Ice & Snow (25%) | |||||
| Comfort to Carry (5%) | |||||
| Weight (25%) | |||||
| Specs | CAMP Neve | Petzl Ride | Petzl Glacier | Petzl Glacier Literide | Black Diamond Raven |
| Measured Weight | 15 oz/425 g | 8.4 oz/240 g | 12.3 oz/350 g | 11.2 oz/320 g | 16 oz/437 g |
| Category | General | Ultralight | General | Ultralight | General |
| Rating | CEN-B | CEN-B | CEN-B | CEN-B | CEN-B |
| Pick Shape, Material, and Construction | Forged chromoly steel pick, classic positive curve | Tempered steel, classic positive curve | Forged steel, classic positve curve | Forged steel, classic positve curve | Laser cut, stainless steel, classic positive |
| Lengths Available | 50, 57, 65, 73, 80 cm | 45 cm | 60, 68, 75 cm | 50 cm | 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 90 cm |
| Included Pommel or Leash? | Slider leash | No | Yes | No | No |
| Hammer Option | No | No | No | No | No |
| Shaft Design | Straight | Bent | Straight | Straight | Straight |
The CAMP Neve is a well priced, general mountaineering axe that will serve most climbers attempting simple glacier routes and moderate snow climbs. A strong contender for our Best Buy Award, this model only barely missed the award, as the Neve can be purchased for an impressive price. Despite missing out on our award, it features several advantages over many of the more costly models we tested.
Smooth self-arresting, respectable performance in low and mid-dagger positions, and a solidly performing adze make this a great ice axe for general mountaineering and snow climbing. If you climb steep snow and ice, you may want to upgrade to a slightly different model. While the Neve doesn't offer poor performance in these arenas, it just doesn't offer the performance of some of the higher-performing models. However, for almost any mountaineering application, this is an excellent all-around ice axe.
The Neve is designed with general mountaineering and self -arresting in mind. The continuous drop of this model's positive curve pick helped it to self-arrest smoothly and effectively, earning it above average marks.
The Neve's head is nicely weighted; coupled with its aggressively shaped adze, it chops steps in even the hardest of ice. It is the best performing adze in the general mountaineering category for steps and digging anchors but is a little too downturned for truly exceptional step chopping. For breaking up firm surfaces, it offers up excellent performance.
While the heavily curved adze doesn't perform incredibly well at chopping steps, it digs T-trenches for snow pickets or other improvised snow anchors extremely well. It also breaks up ice surfaces nicely; two trade-offs we'd easily take over good step chopping, a technique we rarely, if ever, use.
The Neve has a CEN-B rating, meaning it is suitable for use as an improvised anchor for crevasse rescue or for belaying off of while ascending steep snow (but not vertical terrain). We generally liked models with bent shafts better than straight-shafted options for self-arresting and ascending steeper terrain. However, straight-shafted designs are easier and require less digging when using as a deadman in a t-slot and are easier to drive in vertically for backing up a previously buried snow pick either in front of the snow picket (saxon cross anchor) or behind equalized with a cordelette.
The Neve's head is a single piece of forged chromoly steel; similar to all other models in its price range; it is not hot-forged. The Neve's pick is slightly more aggressive than typical for a general mountain axe, allowing it to penetrate firmer snow and ice well.
The Neve is pleasant to carry in the self-belay/piolet canne (pick forward) position. Its adze is nicely articulated to fit in the palm of your hand but is one of the least comfortable to carry in self-arrest/pick backward position. This is both because of the sharp teeth on the pick that continue down and the aggressive downward dropped pick (which offers other advantages but is just not comfortable in the pick-forward position). Comfort to carry is one of the main reasons this axe only barely missed out on our Best Buy Award, as the Black Diamond performed very similarly overall, but was far more comfortable to hold.
The Neve weighs in at 15 ounces which is the same weight as its closest competition, the Black Diamond Raven. The Neve is average in weight when directly compared to general mountain axes in its price range. For little more in cost, you may want to consider the similar Petzl Glacier, which is only 12.3 ounces.
The Neve is among the best-priced models in our review, with only the Black Diamond Raven offering the same price point. The Neve climbs steep snow and penetrates firm conditions slightly better, but the Raven is far more comfortable to carry, particularly in a self-arrest position.
