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Petzl Glacier Review

One of the best models you can buy for the price.
Petzl Glacier
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Price:  $100 List | $99.95 at REI
Compare prices at 3 resellers
Pros:  One of the best ice axes for the price, lightweight, comfortable to carry, excellent self-arrest performance, solid adze performance
Cons:  Just okay steep snow climbing ability
Manufacturer:   Petzl
By Ian Nicholson ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Mar 21, 2019
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69
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#8 of 17
  • Self-Arresting - 15% 8
  • Digging & Step Chopping - 15% 7
  • Use as Improvised Anchor - 15% 7
  • Steep Ice & Snow - 25% 5
  • Comfort to Carry - 5% 7
  • Weight - 25% 8

Our Verdict

The Petzl Glacier is a fantastic ice axe for an excellent price and was nearly the winner of our OutdoorGearLab Best Buy award. In fact, compared to the Raven, the Glacier is lighter, self-arrests smoother, and climbs steep snow better, while the Raven offers a better price tag. The Glacier remained a standout choice for most general mountaineering applications and was one of the higher scoring axes in nearly every category.

Leash Now Included!
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

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Petzl Glacier
This Product
Petzl Glacier
Awards  Editors' Choice Award    
Price $99.95 at REI
Compare at 3 sellers		$179.95 at REI
Compare at 3 sellers		$193.99 at Amazon$189.95 at REI
Compare at 3 sellers		$149.95 at REI
Compare at 3 sellers
Overall Score Sort Icon
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Pros One of the best ice axes for the price, lightweight, comfortable to carry, excellent self-arrest performance, solid adze performanceHot-forged pick penetrates snow and ice extremely well, no-teeth on gripping area of pick, curved shaft and teardrop/oval shaped shaft excel in steeper terrain, exceptional self-arrest performance, one of the best overall adze designsBest steep snow climbing performance, durable, penetrates hard ice well, excellent self-arrest and steep snow climbing performanceCEN-T rating, rad FlickLock style slider pommel, curved shaft keeps hands warmer and drier during steep snow climbs, heavy tapered pick provides great support/purchase during normal conditions, huge spikeHot-forged pick, excellent self-arrest performance, fantastic adze design, below average weight particularly for an all-mountain option, solid steep snow climbing ability
Cons Just okay steep snow climbing abilityA little on the heavier sideExpensive, slightly on the heavier side, like its slider pummel but wished it could be placed in more positions along the shaftHeavy, expensive, wide pick is strong but doesn't penetrate ice as well as someSlightly more expensive side, not the best ice performance
Bottom Line One of the best models you can buy for the price.The best all-around ice axe; while other models might perform specific tasks better, there is no better do-everything model.Across-the-board high performance helps this axe excel at almost any application; from general glacier travel to steep snow routes to alpine rock climbs, this model is among the best.It lacks overall versatility and is geared for challenging glacier routes and steep snow climbs.One of the most versatile models, the Summit excels in a wide-range of activities, from steep snow routes to alpine rock climbs.
Rating Categories Petzl Glacier Petzl Summit Evo Grivel Air Tech Evolution Black Diamond Swift Petzl Summit
Self Arresting (15%)
10
0
8
10
0
9
10
0
9
10
0
9
10
0
9
Digging & Step Chopping (15%)
10
0
7
10
0
9
10
0
9
10
0
9
10
0
8
Use As Improvised Anchor (15%)
10
0
7
10
0
8
10
0
8
10
0
9
10
0
8
Steep Ice & Snow (25%)
10
0
5
10
0
9
10
0
9
10
0
8
10
0
7
Comfort To Carry (5%)
10
0
7
10
0
9
10
0
7
10
0
10
10
0
8
Weight (25%)
10
0
8
10
0
7
10
0
7
10
0
6
10
0
8
Specs Petzl Glacier Petzl Summit Evo Grivel Air Tech... Black Diamond Swift Petzl Summit
Measured Weight 12.3 oz / 350g 14.1 oz / 400g 15.2 oz / 430g 17 oz / 487g 12.6 oz / 360g
Category General General General General/Technical General
Rating CEN-B CEN-B CEN-B CEN-T CEN-B
Pick Shape, Material, and Construction Forged steel, classic positve curve Hot-forged steel, Classic Positive curve Hot-forged chromoly steel, classic positive curve Hot-forged stainless steel, classic positive curve Hot-forged steel, Classic Positive curve
Lengths Available 60, 68, 75 cm 52, 59, 66 cm 48, 53, 58, 66 cm 50, 57, 64 cm 52, 59, 66 cm
Included Pommel or Leash? Yes Lower Rubber Grip Pommel and leash Pommel No
Hammer Option No No Yes No No
Shaft Design Straight Bent Bent Bent Bent

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.

Testing the Glacier ice axe on Mt. Shuksan North Cascades WA.
Testing the Glacier ice axe on Mt. Shuksan, North Cascades WA.

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.

The pick of the Petzl Glacier performed slightly above average for self-arresting and our testers unanimously thought it self-arrested better than the Black Diamond Raven.
The pick of the Petzl Glacier performed slightly above average for self-arresting, and our testers unanimously thought it self-arrested better than the 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.

The Glacier was comfortable to carry in either position. It was very nice in self-belay position (pick-forward) and was fine for all-day ascents in self-arrest position (pick-backward) but wasn't as good as the Black Diamond Raven.
The Glacier was comfortable to carry in either position. It was very nice in self-belay position (pick-forward) and was fine for all-day ascents in self-arrest position (pick-backward), but wasn't as good as the Black Diamond Raven.

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.

Comparing how effective the Glacier was at digging T-slots and being used as an improvised anchor. We thought the Glacier had the best performing adze of the axes under $100.
Comparing how effective the Glacier was at digging T-slots and being used as an improvised anchor. We thought the Glacier had the best performing adze of the axes under $100.

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.

The spike of the Glacier.
The spike of the Glacier.

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.


— Ian Nicholson