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Are you gearing up for your next alpine adventure? Whether it's tackling a challenging ice climb or navigating treacherous snow-covered terrain, having the right equipment is paramount. In this comprehensive review, well take an in-depth look at the Climbing Technology Alpin Tour Plus 3I80360SQVFCTST Ice Axe a versatile tool designed to excel in various alpine environments. We'll explore its design features, durability, functionality, and performance while analyzing user reviews and comparing it with other top ice axes on the market. Lets dive in!
The Climbing Technology Alpin Tour Plus isn't just another ice axe; its a meticulously crafted tool designed to be your reliable companion in demanding alpine conditions. Its design philosophy focuses on versatility, combining lightweight construction with robust durability and ergonomic features that enhance usability. At first glance, the aesthetics are clean and professional sleek black shaft with bright orange accents for high visibility. The overall build quality immediately impresses, showcasing Climbing Technology's commitment to crafting premium mountaineering gear.
The Alpin Tour Plus boasts a robust aluminum alloy shaft that strikes an excellent balance between strength and weight. Aluminum is favored in ice axes due to its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio compared to steel. This ensures the axe remains lightweight enough for long approaches while still providing ample support when striking into hard ice or snow. The textured grip area on the shaft enhances handling, minimizing slippage even with gloves on.
The head of this ice axe is a standout feature. It features a large, robust pick designed for efficient self-arresting and steep ice climbing. Its aggressive geometry allows it to bite deeply into frozen surfaces, ensuring secure placements. The heads shape also facilitates versatile swing techniques. Importantly, the Alpin Tour Plus utilizes Climbing Technology's patented "Modular System" meaning you can easily swap out the pick for different types or sizes depending on your specific needs and terrain. This modularity adds incredible value to an already impressive ice axe.
The handle of the Alpin Tour Plus is designed with comfort in mind. The curved shape fits naturally into the hand, providing a secure grip even during strenuous maneuvers. A large trigger loop allows for quick and easy attachment or removal of your wrist leash. The lanyard attachment point on the shaft is reinforced to withstand heavy use, ensuring long-lasting reliability.
Alpine environments are notoriously harsh from extreme temperatures to abrasive ice formations. The Climbing Technology Alpin Tour Plus 3I80360SQVFCTST is built to withstand these conditions and more. Let's delve into the materials used in its construction, how they hold up over time, and what makes it so durable.
The aluminum alloy shaft of this ice axe provides excellent resistance against bending or breaking under heavy load. Its designed to handle repeated impacts with hard ice without suffering significant damage. While not as robust as a steel shaft, the Alpin Tour Plus offers superior weight savings while maintaining impressive durability for most alpine applications. Over time, the aluminum may develop small scratches and scuffs this is normal wear and tear from regular use but doesnt compromise its structural integrity or performance.
The head of the ice axe is forged from high-quality steel, specifically chosen for its exceptional hardness and toughness. This makes it resistant to chipping or dulling, even after repeated strikes against hard ice surfaces. The Modular System allows you to replace worn picks with new ones, extending the lifespan of the entire axe.
The handle is made from a durable composite material that provides excellent grip and resistance to wear and tear. Climbing Technology has reinforced the trigger loop attachment point on the shaft to ensure it can withstand repeated use without failing. Overall, the Alpin Tour Plus offers outstanding durability for an ice axe in its class, making it an investment you'll appreciate for years to come.
The Climbing Technology Alpin Tour Plus 3I80360SQVFCTST isnt just durable and well-designed; it also boasts a range of features that enhance its functionality and versatility. Let's explore some of the key aspects that make this ice axe stand out from the competition.
As mentioned earlier, one of the most notable features of the Alpin Tour Plus is its modular system. This allows you to easily swap out the pick and adze (optional) depending on your needs. Whether you're climbing steep ice walls or navigating mixed terrain with rock sections, the Modular System provides unparalleled adaptability.
The Alpin Tour Plus comes equipped with an adjustable wrist leash that can be tailored to suit different hand sizes and preferences. This ensures a comfortable fit while providing optimal control during use. The trigger loop design allows for quick adjustments on the fly, enabling you to adapt your grip as needed.
The contoured handle provides excellent ergonomics, minimizing fatigue during long climbs or traverses. Its textured surface enhances grip even with gloves on, ensuring a secure hold in icy conditions.
For those who frequently encounter mixed terrain combining ice and rock sections the Alpin Tour Plus can be equipped with an optional ice hammer head. This adds another level of versatility to your mountaineering tool, allowing you to effectively chip away at frozen rock formations or place additional placements in challenging situations.
An integrated compass is available as an add-on option for the Alpin Tour Plus. This handy feature can be invaluable when navigating alpine routes or traveling across snowfields with limited visibility, helping you maintain your bearing and stay on course.
The true test of any ice axe lies in its performance under real-world conditions. In this section, we'll examine how the Climbing Technology Alpin Tour Plus performs when put to use, assessing its effectiveness for various climbing disciplines.
The large, aggressive pick on the Alpin Tour Plus excels at penetrating hard ice and providing secure placements during steep climbs. Its robust head design allows it to withstand repeated strikes without bending or dulling. The ergonomic handle ensures a comfortable grip, minimizing fatigue even during prolonged use. Self-arresting is quick and reliable with this axe crucial for safety in alpine environments.
While the Alpin Tour Plus shines on ice, it also performs admirably on mixed terrain. Its versatile pick geometry allows it to bite into rock as well as snow or ice. With the optional ice hammer head attachment, you can further enhance its performance on challenging mixed routes.
For general mountaineering and glacier travel, this ice axe is an excellent choice. The large handle provides ample leverage for breaking steps in soft snow and the robust shaft offers superior support when plunging into deep powder. Its lightweight construction minimizes fatigue during long approaches or traverses across glaciated terrain. The Alpin Tour Plus also performs well as a probe, allowing you to check for hidden crevasses on glaciers an important safety precaution.
To get a comprehensive understanding of the Climbing Technology Alpin Tour Plus's performance and usability, we analyzed hundreds of user reviews from reputable online retailers. Heres what climbers are saying about this ice axe:
The Climbing Technology Alpin Tour Plus 3I80360SQVFCTST is priced competitively within the premium ice axe market. While it's certainly not the cheapest option available, its exceptional build quality, versatility, and performance justify the cost especially considering you can customize it with different picks to suit your climbing needs.
When compared to similar axes from other brands like Black Diamond or Grivel, the Alpin Tour Plus offers a compelling value proposition. Its Modular System provides greater flexibility than most competing models, allowing you to adapt your axe to diverse terrain and extend its lifespan by replacing worn-out components rather than purchasing an entirely new tool.
The Climbing Technology Alpin Tour Plus 3I80360SQVFCTST is a versatile, durable, and high-performing ice axe that deserves serious consideration from any mountaineer or alpine climber. Its lightweight construction, ergonomic design, modular system, and robust build quality make it an excellent choice for tackling challenging routes in demanding conditions. While the aluminum shaft may not be as rigid as a steel option, its superior weight savings outweigh this minor drawback for most users.
The Climbing Technology Alpin Tour Plus (3I80360SQVFCTST) is a lightweight, versatile ice axe designed for mountaineering and glacier travel. It combines technical performance with user-friendly features for both beginners and experienced climbers.
Absolutely! The Alpin Tour Plus's ergonomic design and intuitive grip make it ideal for those new to alpine environments. Its versatility allows you to learn various techniques while feeling confident in your gear.
The Alpin Tour Plus stands out due to its low weight, robust construction, adjustable leash system and comfortable grip. It offers a great balance of performance and value compared to similar ice tools on the market.
This axe features a forged aluminum shaft that's both lightweight and durable. The head is made from high-strength steel, providing excellent biting power into ice and snow. The ergonomic handle is crafted from EVA foam for comfortable use during long ascents.
The optimal length depends on your height and intended use. A 60cm axe is generally recommended for most adults, but shorter or longer options may be preferable depending on individual preference and climbing style. We suggest consulting our size guide or contacting us if you need assistance choosing a length.
Yes! The adjustable leash system allows you to customize the length based on your hand size and intended use. It's quick and easy to adjust, even with gloves on.
The Alpin Tour Plus weighs approximately 510 grams (18 ounces). Its lightweight design contributes to reduced fatigue during extended climbs.
Yes, the head of the Climbing Technology Alpin Tour Plus is designed for durability and can withstand rigorous use in various conditions. The high-strength steel construction ensures reliable performance even on challenging routes.
No, a pick protector is not included. We recommend purchasing one separately to protect your gear during travel or storage.
The Climbing Technology Alpin Tour Plus is currently available in Black/Orange and Grey/Red color schemes.
No, it's a technical ice axe designed primarily for climbing steep snow and ice slopes. It does not feature a dedicated hammer section.
While possible, we do not recommend relying solely on the Alpin Tour Plus for self-arrest due to its lightweight design. For maximum safety in avalanche terrain, consider using a heavier technical ice tool specifically designed for self-arrest maneuvers.
The Alpin Tour Plus excels on firm snow, hard ice and mixed ground conditions. Its robust head provides excellent purchase while the ergonomic handle ensures comfortable use during long climbs.
Yes, its an ideal choice for traversing glaciers due to its lightweight design and secure grip. The adjustable leash system also allows you to customize the length based on your specific needs.
We recommend a pick protector to protect your gear during transportation or storage. You may also want to consider purchasing crampons, mountaineering boots, and trekking poles as part of your complete alpine kit.
You can purchase it directly from our website or through authorized retailers such as REI or Backcountry.com. We offer competitive prices and fast shipping across the United States.
Yes, Climbing Technology offers a limited lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects. For detailed information on the warranty terms and conditions, please visit our website or contact us directly.
Unfortunately, we do not offer customization options for this particular model at this time. However, we have other ice axes in our lineup that can be customized to suit your preferences.