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Grivel G1 Review

High quality and a decent price, it offers solid performance
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Grivel G1 Review
Credit: Grivel
Price:  $110 List
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Manufacturer:   Grivel
By Ian Nicholson ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  May 18, 2015
59
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#15 of 17
  • Self-Arresting - 15% 7.0
  • Digging & Step Chopping - 15% 7.0
  • Use as Improvised Anchor - 15% 7.0
  • Steep Ice & Snow - 25% 4.0
  • Comfort to Carry - 5% 9.0
  • Weight - 25% 5.0
RELATED: Best Ice Axes

Our Verdict

The Grivel G1 is a solid, well-designed ice axe that is made of high-quality materials for a sweet price tag. The G1 was above average in nearly every one of our comparison categories and is a fantastic option for general mountaineering applications. It's an okay option for steeper routes but doesn't perform as well as many of the other ice axes we tested with more aggressive picks and slightly curved shafts.
REASONS TO BUY
Good price
Excellent self arresting performance
Decent steeper snow climbing ability
Comfortable to carry
REASONS TO AVOID
Just okay steep snow climbing ability
Marginally on the heavier side

Compare to Similar Products

 
grivel g1
This Product
Grivel G1
Awards    Top Pick Award
Best for Light Weight
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for the Buck
Price $110 List
$89.95 at REI
Check Price at Backcountry
Compare at 2 sellers
$109.95 at REI
Compare at 2 sellers
$110 List
Check Price at Backcountry
$99.95 at REI
Compare at 3 sellers
Overall Score Sort Icon
59
79
69
69
54
Star Rating
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Bottom Line Well-designed and solid, the G1 features high quality materials and is friendly on the bank accountIncredibly versatile, there are very few mountaineering objectives that this model doesn't perform well onA solid all-around mountaineering axe that wont break the bankNearly half the weight of many of its all-mountain counterparts, it has a steel pick and proved surprisingly versatileA solid general mountaineering axe for a great price
Rating Categories Grivel G1 Petzl Summit Petzl Glacier Petzl Ride Black Diamond Raven
Self-Arresting (15%)
7.0
9.0
8.0
9.0
5.0
Digging & Step Chopping (15%)
7.0
8.0
7.0
4.0
7.0
Use as Improvised Anchor (15%)
7.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
7.0
Steep Ice & Snow (25%)
4.0
7.0
5.0
5.0
3.0
Comfort to Carry (5%)
9.0
8.0
7.0
8.0
10.0
Weight (25%)
5.0
8.0
8.0
9.0
5.0
Specs Grivel G1 Petzl Summit Petzl Glacier Petzl Ride Black Diamond Raven
Measured Weight 16.7 oz/473 g 12.6 oz/360 g 12.3 oz/350 g 8.4 oz/240 g 16 oz/437 g
Category General General General Ultralight General
Rating CEN-B CEN-B CEN-B CEN-B CEN-B
Pick Shape, Material, and Construction Hot-forged steel, classical neutral Hot-forged steel, Classic Positive curve Forged steel, classic positve curve Tempered steel, classic positive curve Laser cut, stainless steel, classic positive
Lengths Available 58, 66, 74 cm 52, 59, 66 cm 60, 68, 75 cm 45 cm 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 90 cm
Included Pommel or Leash? Leash No Yes No No
Hammer Option No No No No No
Shaft Design Straight Bent Straight Bent Straight

Our Analysis and Test Results

Performance Comparison


The Grivel G1 is best for general mountaineering applications and is suitable for early season backpacking or ski mountaineering, but is a little heavy. It has okay steep snow climbing ability for more difficult routes, but if you plan to climb steep snow and ice routes more regularly, we would recommend the Petzl Summit Evo or the Grivel Air Tech Evolution.

Self-Arresting


The G1 earns a decent score in this metric. Our testers thought the G1's hot-forged pick bit into firm snow extremely well in addition to very good soft snow performance. We appreciated that the curved shaft self-arrested better than a straight shaft and, as a result, offered good performance in this metric.

Steep Ice and Snow Climbing Performance


The G1 was okay for steep snow and ice climbing performance and was slightly above average overall. The G1's pick isn't super aggressive (one reason it self-arrests so well) but was aggressive enough for moderate snow and ice routes.

Use As Improvised Anchor


The G1 is a CEN B rated ice axe, meaning it is suitable to be used as a deadman or in a “T-slot” type situation for moderate loads. We thought the G1 featured a well-designed pick that helped facilitate the axe to be driven into the snow for self-anchoring or as a backup while belaying on snow. The only thing our testers didn't love is that the hole on in the head of the G1 is a little difficult to clip and doesn't work super well with all carabiners.

Digging Step Chopping


The G1 offers above-average performance when hacking out icy tent platforms and digging anchors. It features a well designed hot-forged adze that chipped away firm and icy snow noticeably easier than the similarly priced Black Diamond Raven.

Comfort to Carry


The G1 was average to carry overall among ice axes in our review. Like many European models, our testers felt it was a little more comfortable to carry in self-belay (pick forward or piolet manche) position. It wasn't necessarily uncomfortable in self-arrest position; it just wasn't as comfortable as the Black Diamond Raven, Raven Pro, or the Petzl Glacier.

Value


The G1 remains an excellent value considering its hot-forged high-quality pick and construction.

Conclusion


The G1 performed better in nearly every category compared to the similarly priced models.

Ian Nicholson