How to Size an Ice Axe

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By Marie Mulrooney
eHow Contributing Writer

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Ice axes are important mountaineering tools that are put to a variety of uses, including as a means of self-arresting a fall if you should happen to slip and tumble. Many climbers have strong individual preferences about how long an ice axe should be, with some tending toward the shorter ice tools (not the same as an ice axe) most often used for ice climbing instead of mountaineering. The "tried and true" method of sizing an axe is the best place for a beginner to start; you can always select a larger or smaller axe according to your preferences once you've had a bit of time to figure out what you like.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Mirror
Tape measure

Step 1

Hold the head of the axe, where the shaft attaches, in one hand. The shaft should hang down toward the floor. Stand as naturally as possible with both arms relaxed at your side.
Step 2

Use a mirror to check how far down your leg the bottom tip of the ice axe reaches. If the ice axe is the right size, its should reach down to your ankle bone. If the tip reaches too low or ends too high, you can size down or up accordingly.
Step 3

Have a friend or sporting goods salesman use a tape measure to gauge how long it is from your fist down to your ankle bone; this way you will know exactly what size ice axe you need (they're usually measured in centimeters, not inches) if you're ordering online or over the phone.

Tips & Warnings

If there's no one to help you measure from your fist to your ankle bone, measure the distance from the bottom of your foot to your ankle bone yourself with a tape measure. Then hold the "0" end of the tape measure in your fist while letting the rest of the tape measure hang straight down. Place your foot over the tape measure, then bend down and look at the mark just outside your foot. Subtract the distance you measured from ankle bone to bottom of foot from this measurement, and you've got your ideal ice axe length.