Grivel G1 Review
Compare prices at 3 resellers Pros: Good price, excellent self arresting performance, decent steeper snow climbing ability, comfortable to carry
Cons: Just okay steep snow climbing ability, marginally on the heavier side
Manufacturer: Grivel
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Grivel G1 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  | |||
| Price | $79.95 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $89.95 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $89.95 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $79.95 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $59.46 at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Good price, excellent self arresting performance, decent steeper snow climbing ability, comfortable to carry | One of the best ice axes for the price, lightweight, comfortable to carry, excellent self-arrest performance, solid adze performance | Lightest weight mountain axe with a spike, great price, very comfortable, solid self-arrest performance | Great price, self-arrests very smoothly, adze is above-average for digging snow anchors or choping tent platforms well | Comfortable to carry, great price, decent adze performance, head is easy to clip in several fashions |
| Cons | Just okay steep snow climbing ability, marginally on the heavier side | Just okay steep snow climbing ability | Only comes in one size, just okay steep snow performance | Less comfortable to carry than other models, particularly in self-arrest positions; slightly heavier than average | Doesn't penetrate firm snow or ice well, below average steep snow performance |
| Bottom Line | High quality and a decent price, it offers solid performance | One of the best models you can buy for the price | One of the most versatile axes for the weight, this model performs surprisingly well at a wide range of tasks | If you are new to the sport or on a tight budget, this is adependable model that offers solid all-around performance for the price | Excellent price for a solid all-around mountaineering axe for use on moderate snow climbs and basic glacier routes |
| Rating Categories | Grivel G1 | Petzl Glacier | Petzl Glacier Literide | 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 | Grivel G1 | Petzl Glacier | Petzl Glacier Literide | CAMP Neve | Black Diamond Raven |
| Measured Weight | 16.7 oz / 473g | 12.3 oz / 350g | 11.2 oz /320g | 15 oz / 425g | 16 oz / 437g |
| Category | General | General | Ultralight | General | General |
| Rating | CEN-B | CEN-B | CEN-B | CEN-B | CEN-B |
| Pick Shape, Material, and Construction | Hot-forged steel, classical neutral | Forged steel, classic positve curve | Forged steel, classic positve curve | Forged chromoly steel pick, classic positive curve | Laser cut, stainless steel, classic positive |
| Lengths Available | 58, 66, 74 cm | 60, 68, 75 cm | 50 cm | 50, 57, 65, 73, 80 cm | 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 90 cm |
| Included Pommel or Leash? | Leash | Yes | No | Slider leash | No |
| Hammer Option | No | No | No | No | No |
| Shaft Design | Straight | Straight | Straight | Straight | Straight |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Performance Comparison
The Grivel G1 is best for general mountaineering applications and is suitable for early season backpacking or ski mountaineering, but is a little heavy. It has okay steep snow climbing ability for more difficult routes, but if you plan to climb steep snow and ice routes more regularly, we would recommend the Petzl Summit Evo or the Grivel Air Tech Evolution.
Self-Arresting
The G1 earns a decent score in this metric. Our testers thought the G1's hot-forged pick bit into firm snow extremely well in addition to very good soft snow performance. We appreciated that the curved shaft self-arrested better than a straight shaft and, as a result, offered good performance in this metric.
Steep Ice and Snow Climbing Performance
The G1 was okay for steep snow and ice climbing performance and was slightly above average overall. The G1's pick isn't super aggressive (one reason it self-arrests so well) but was aggressive enough for moderate snow and ice routes.
Use As Improvised Anchor
The G1 is a CEN B rated ice axe, meaning it is suitable to be used as a deadman or in a "T-slot" type situation for moderate loads. We thought the G1 featured a well-designed pick that helped facilitate the axe to be driven into the snow for self-anchoring or as a backup while belaying on snow. The only thing our testers didn't love is that the hole on in the head of the G1 is a little difficult to clip and doesn't work super well with all carabiners.
Digging Step Chopping
The G1 offers above-average performance when hacking out icy tent platforms and digging anchors. It features a well designed hot-forged adze that chipped away firm and icy snow noticeably easier than the similarly priced Black Diamond Raven.
Comfort to Carry
The G1 was average to carry overall among ice axes in our review. Like many European models, our testers felt it was a little more comfortable to carry in self-belay (pick forward or piolet manche) position. It wasn't necessarily uncomfortable in self-arrest position; it just wasn't as comfortable as the Black Diamond Raven, Raven Pro, or the Petzl Glacier.
Value
The G1 remains an excellent value considering its hot-forged high-quality pick and construction.
Conclusion
The G1 performed better in nearly every category compared to the similarly priced models.
— Ian Nicholson