The Glacier is now sold with the LINKIN leash for the same price (see photo above), though not all retailers are carrying this version. If you want the leash, be sure to purchase directly from Petzl or read all product info carefully beforehand to ensure you're getting the version you want.
Petzl Glacier Review
Our Verdict
The Glacier is now sold with the LINKIN leash for the same price (see photo above), though not all retailers are carrying this version. If you want the leash, be sure to purchase directly from Petzl or read all product info carefully beforehand to ensure you're getting the version you want.
Compare to Similar Products
This Product
Petzl Glacier | |||||
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Awards | Best for Light Weight | Best Bang for the Buck | |||
Price | $109.95 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $109.95 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $110 List Check Price at Backcountry | $95.01 at Amazon Compare at 3 sellers | $74.89 at REI Compare at 4 sellers |
Overall Score | |||||
Star Rating | |||||
Bottom Line | A solid all-around mountaineering axe that wont break the bank | A surprisingly versatile axe considering its impressively low weight | Nearly half the weight of many of its all-mountain counterparts, it has a steel pick and proved surprisingly versatile | A solid general purpose mountaineering axe at a very good price | A solid general mountaineering axe for a great price |
Rating Categories | Petzl Glacier | Petzl Glacier Literide | Petzl Ride | CAMP Neve | 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 | Petzl Glacier | Petzl Glacier Literide | Petzl Ride | CAMP Neve | Black Diamond Raven |
Measured Weight | 12.3 oz/350 g | 11.2 oz/320 g | 8.4 oz/240 g | 15 oz/425 g | 16 oz/437 g |
Category | General | Ultralight | Ultralight | General | General |
Rating | CEN-B | CEN-B | CEN-B | CEN-B | CEN-B |
Pick Shape, Material, and Construction | Forged steel, classic positve curve | Forged steel, classic positve curve | Tempered steel, classic positive curve | Forged chromoly steel pick, classic positive curve | Laser cut, stainless steel, classic positive |
Lengths Available | 60, 68, 75 cm | 50 cm | 45 cm | 50, 57, 65, 73, 80 cm | 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 90 cm |
Included Pommel or Leash? | Yes | No | No | Slider leash | No |
Hammer Option | No | No | No | No | No |
Shaft Design | Straight | Straight | Bent | Straight | Straight |
Our Analysis and Test Results
A solid contender for our Best Buy Award, this outstanding all-around performer deserves note for those looking for a model that won't break the bank. While it isn't one of the highest performing models for steep snow or complex mountaineering routes, it's one of the best for its price.
Performance Comparison
The Glacier is a good option for early-season backpackers and snow climbers and excels in general mountaineering. We love the weight, self-arresting ability, and respectable steep climbing performance of the Glacier; however, if you partake in plenty of steep routes, we'd recommend the Petzl Summit Evo, Petzl Sum'Tec, or the Black Diamond Venom instead.
Self-Arresting
The Glacier performed above average in our self-arrest comparisons, only outperformed by the much more expensive models, and even then, only by a small margin. The Glacier pick provided effective purchase into firm snow, and the pick drove in smooth and did not feel jerky. It self-arrested noticeably better than the similarly priced Black Diamond Raven Pro and base model Black Diamond Raven.
Digging and Step Chopping
The Glacier sports a functional adze design, allowing it to excel during ice clearing and step chopping. The adze hacked into all but the hardest ice very effectively and dug “T-slots” and deadmans better than most, and just barely scored behind the Petzl Sum'Tec and Summit.
Use As Improvised Anchor
The Glacier is UIAA rated with a CEN-B, making it suitable for use as a “T-slot” or deadman while belaying or during crevasse rescue. The Glacier features a decent clip in point at the top of its head, which accommodates most carabiners. It also features a well-designed spike, which helps facilitate it to be driven quickly in vertically to self-anchor or to provide a quick backup while belaying others.
Steep Ice and Snow
The Glacier penetrates firm snow effectively, whether our testers were swinging in mid-dagger or low dagger position, better than nearly all of the other sub $100 ice axes like the Black Diamond Raven and Raven Ultra. The ripples on the lower part of the shaft provide noticeable assistance and additional grip while swinging the axe; we really appreciated this feature.
Comfort to Carry
The Glacier is quite comfortable to carry and scored above average in both self-belay or self-arrest positions, though it was more comfortable in self-belay position (pick forward/piolet canne).
Weight
At 12.3 ounces, this is one of the lighter models at $100 or less. It isn't quite as light as the single length (50cm) Petzl Glacier Literide (11.2 oz), but it isn't far off. It is also worth noting that it's lighter than the rest of the basic all-around mountaineering axes like the Black Diamond Raven (16 ounces) or Black Diamond Raven Pro (14 ounces).
Value
The Glacier presents an incredible value and was once again nearly the winner of our OutdoorGearLab Best Buy Award. It outperforms many of the base level models but is in line cost wise. We do think the Glacier is a better option than the Black Diamond Raven in nearly every way; if you aspire to climb general mountaineering and glacier routes, it's worth the extra money.
Conclusion
This axe is best for snow climbs and easy to moderate glacier mountaineering routes. It performs similarly to its closest competition, the Raven and the Raven Ultra, offering a few advantages like better steep snow climbing and adze performance, though it wasn't quite as comfortable to carry in the self-arrest position. It was a strong contender for our Best Buy Award and deserves a note for those scanning the market for a solid all-around model that won't break the bank.
Other Versions and Accessories
The Glacier Literide is basically the smallest length and a different color of the Petzl Glacier. Other than length and color, the Glacier Literide has all the same features as the Glacier.