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Black Diamond Raven $128

Used by: Perfection-seeking roving editor Shaun Barnett

Used for: 17 years

Any ice axe suitable for trans-alpine tramping is a compromise between durability, performance and weight. Too light and it won’t cope with cutting steps in the ice. Too heavy and you might decide to leave it at home for those marginal trips, when it probably won’t be needed, but just might be.

And that’s what I love about the Raven – it’s so light (less than 500g) that I don’t hesitate to take it, even if there is only a slight possibility of snow. It’s useful even when there’s no snow: I’ve used the Raven to secure my stance on the Waterfall Face in Mt Aspiring National Park during summer conditions.

My 70cm version is long enough to