Edelrid's New Rage Ice Axe

I've said a lot for a preliminary review but I make no apologies for being excited by the new Rage. So far this seems a well -designed and well-made tool, and it's certainly fun to climb with. Perhaps with the exception of days out soloing grade I and II ground, I can't see myself wanting to climb with any other tool for the time being, and my experience so far makes me want to climb plenty more routes with them! I will report back as I do.

For anyone wanting to see the Rage being used on much harder routes than I will ever climb, check out the Instagram account of South Tyrolean mountain guide Simon Gietl. He is sponsored by Edelrid so of course he would be using them, but you can see he is climbing very impressive mixed and pure ice routes with Rages, and they are clearly not slowing him down. Gietl is quoted in this article -  it is advertorial but has some interesting comments about what the designers were trying to achieve with the new design.