Backpacker Magazine – Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011

Gear Review: Cassin X-All Mountain Ice Climbing Tool

A all-mountain tool that truly lives up to its name.

by: Shannon Davis, Julie Ellison, Dougald Macdonald

Tags:
• Climbing Gear
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The gear-naming committee had it easy with this one: CAMP’s Cassin X-All Mountain proved excellent for nearly every type of route our testers targeted, from iron-hard ice on a single-digit day in Cody, Wyoming, to slippery limestone edges on mixed climbs in Colorado.

The secret: a sharply bent shaft that provides clearance over erratic ice features, balanced swing weight, and a tough but thinner-than-most pick that penetrated all densities of ice and held aggressively onto rock features. “I got consistent, bomber sticks,” says a Colorado tester. “It fit well in my hand and never felt top-heavy, even when I was starting to get pumped.”

Also backing up the name: a unique interchangeable grip system which lets you customize the tool for different styles of climbing: One grip with two supportive hand “ledges” for leashless climbing; a single-ledge grip for steep ice; and a minimalist grip designed for plunging into snow while mountaineering.

The tool comes standard with the leashless grip; other grips are $15 apiece. In effect, it’s three tools in one.

$220
1 lb. 6 oz. available with hammer or adze
camp-usa.com


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