Your Guide to Ice Axe Insulation

For many of our climbs of 7000m and above, which include alpine-starts (early-morning starts and ascending through the dark, cold hours) it is practically a necessity to insulate your ice axe. We will be carrying this for hours on end in the "ready position", primed to balance or self-arrest, and the metal of the ice axe quickly conducts the warmth from your hands, even with mitts & gloves. There is nothing quite as miserable as cold hands on a long ascent!

The fix for this is simple and inexpensive! All you need is an old Karrimat and some gaffer tape!

Step 1 - cut out a piece of Karrimat

Step 2 - place this on your ice axe and trim to fit

Step 3 - hold in place with gaffa tape

It really is that simple!!

It is important to ensure that this is comfortable to hold when you're wearing your gloves and mitts, so practise holding it with the clothing that you'll be wearing on your trip. While you have your mitts on, you may aswell practise your other skills - such as opening and closing your caribiners, so that you're a pro when you're out in the mountains!