[pct-l] ULA Helix Cathole Digger (was: Etna Summit area snow surveys)

[Brian Lewis]

AsABat wrote, w.r.t. the ULA Helix not-an-ice-axe:

"Whether it should be trusted is not my decision to make. I talked to one
person who did some fairly serious practice self arrests on it and it worked
fine. I look at this product as something to take instead of no ice axe at
all, not instead of one of my other axes."


That's my read too; given recent snow reports, I'll likely be bringing both
55 cm Helix and the now no-longer-sold ULA Axis ~half crampons.  I like both
of these for day hiking too, in situations where I might or might not end up
climbing up into significant snow --- a low weight + bulk penalty for such
"maybe" cases.   For something more serious, I too bring a "real axe" (and
at least "more real" crampons).

I have done some practice self arrests with the Helix.  If I recall
correctly, I wasn't wearing a pack at the time, but I was nevertheless
pleased at how well I could arrest with this incredibly light 55 cm axe (or
whatever you want to call it), when I'm used to using a more standard weight
75 cm axe.

I guess the concern is that the head could detach from the carbon fiber body
at just the wrong moment.  It's possible, and short of intentionally
breaking a number of these, I don't see how to realistically assess the
risk; I can say that I'm aware of at least one other person besides me who
has done multiple self arrests without this happening.  

My recollection was that someone at backpackinglight.com did intentionally
break one of these and was impressed at what it took to do so, but searching
just now I don't find any such reference.  Maybe I'm delusional on that.

For subscribers to backpackinglight.com, there's a pretty good review here:
www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/helix_potty_trowel_review.
html
 
I guess the next step in this discussion is to go back to discussing other
self-arrest options again, such as the Black Diamond Whippet,
http://www.backcountry.com/store/BLD1150/Black-Diamond-Whippet-Self-Arrest-S
ki-Pole.html

Seems like an adequately maintained FAQ would be a more efficient way to
handle topics that come up every year ? ! 



	Brian Lewis