Ice Axe and hiking pole options made by Black Diamond

Not for me, because I have both and know how and when to use them, but I am seeing a lot of newby people asking. So, I wonder if anyone here has tried this setup in New England?

http://blackdiamondequipment.com/en...BNncyEPVKknqqf8Rt9Itx-kVWqil8vK0mgaAtn88P8HAQ

The BD Whippet has been around for MANY years; I'm sure you can find a bunch of on-line reviews. My perception from talking to people (hearsay) is that it is handy for a quick stick catch, but not burly enough for general ice axe type use.

It's probably most used by skiers, since it's hard to ski with an ice axe. As said by TCD, it's better than having nothing, and it can work in excellent snow conditions. But it's clearly inferior in stopping power compared to a real ice axe.

You'll poke your eye out

I used the alloy one shown in the link a couple of years to go up and down Lowe's path, in the month of January. Used it only for balance on the iced over slabs of the trail. It was too flexible, and short for down hill balancing, and I did not trust it to not bend. Never had to arrest with it, but on that too I had concern that the collapsible extension locks might pull apart if it was jerked real hard on a accidental slip.

I've seen them used by many backcountry skiers in CO.

sierra said:

I've seen them used by many backcountry skiers in CO.

Click to expand...

Definitely a Skier's tool. http://backcountryskiingcanada.com/...k-Diamond-Whippet-Self-Arrest-Ski-Pole-Review

TCD said:

The BD Whippet has been around for MANY years; I'm sure you can find a bunch of on-line reviews. My perception from talking to people (hearsay) is that it is handy for a quick stick catch, but not burly enough for general ice axe type use.

Click to expand...

This is my opinion on this as well. Thus far in my W115 (a round of the W46, plus most of the 48 and most of Maine including Katahdin), I honestly don't think there is any given peak that requires an actual ice axe***. We did the saddle trail on Katahdin in some fairly challenging conditions (though the snow was fairly soft). While the whippet certainly wasn't a full blown ice axe, keeping the pole at a short length, and having the powder basket removed did a pretty good job of faking it (it plunged very well). Personally, I would recommend anyone who is interested in winter hiking, that they invest in a whippet long before they buy an ice axe (also a little training/reading never hurts). If you want to do mountaineering, you are going to need the right tools.

*** Disclaimer: Haven't done Jefferson yet, and I also recognize that there are plenty of fun routes that require a true ice axe. The real ice axe came in helpful when we climbed Bennies Brook Slide in winter, and I could see it being useful for many of the routes in the presidentials.