Collecting every piece of gear takes a little time.
We think it's worth the wait.

Nice choice!
Give us a moment to collect those options for you.

Blue Ice Blackbird Ice Axe
  • Blue Ice Blackbird Ice Axe
  • Blue Ice Blackbird Ice Axe
  • Blue Ice Blackbird Ice Axe
  • Blue Ice Blackbird Ice Axe
  • Blue Ice Blackbird Ice Axe
  • Blue Ice Blackbird Ice Axe
  • Blue Ice Blackbird Ice Axe
  • Blue Ice Blackbird Ice Axe
  • Blue Ice Blackbird Ice Axe

Blackbird

Rating

My vote: None ( 4.5 avg )

Description

The Blackbird is a classic and versatile mountaineering ice axe: its head is designed with Chromoly steel, both light and rigid, for effective anchoring.
This straight axe is the ideal tool for both glacier approach and classic mountaineering excursions.

Retail price

US$ 99.95

When you click a link below and then checkout online, no matter what you buy (climbing gear or not), we get a small commission that helps us keep this site up-to-date. Thanks!

Weight (g / oz)

Weight (g / oz)

In grams and ounces, the weight, as stated by the manufacturer/brand.

Since the most common ice axe length is 50cm that is the main length that we reference.

When available, we list the weight for each length here.

330 g / 11.60 oz

49 cm: 330 g / 11.6 oz
54 cm: 342 g / 12.1 oz
60 cm: 357 g / 12.6 oz
67 cm: 374 g / 13.2 oz
(We have converted the grams to ounces)

Best Use

Best Use

Ultralight Mountaineering

The lightest axes available, used most for ski mountaineering, adventure racing, and other "go light" ascents. 350 grams is usually the max weight. The decreased weight means they are axes are built for snow missions, not ice.

Mountaineering

This is the most common type of snow mountaineering axe. These axes are above 350 grams and are a great balance of weight and durability. There may be a grip and they will always have an adze head (and no matching hammer pair). These axes are great for snow and can handle chopping steps in ice, or other small ice scenarios.

Technical Mountaineering

These axes are for tougher conditions when the majority of climbing is on snow, but the axe needs to be able to handle a short ice wall. They generally have a bent shaft and T-rated (more technical) pick. Often these beefier axes will have a rubberized grip and they may have a matching adze and hammer version. They're basically the offspring of an ice axe and ice tool.

Ultralight Mountaineering
Length Options (cm)

Length Options (cm)

Measured in centimeters, the best length is based on your height and ape index (arm length). Holding the axe in your hand, the spike (sharp end) of the axe should arrive around your shin. At the max size, it should go to your ankle.

Two people of the same height could need a different sized axe, based on arm length (t-rex vs monkey). If in-between sizes, our bias is towards sizing shorter.

Rule of Thumb

  • Under 5'6" 50cm
  • 5'6" to 5'8" 50-55cm
  • 5'9" to 6'0" 50-60cm
  • 6'1" to 6'4" 55-65cm
  • Over 6'4" 60-70cm

Worth Considering

There are other resources online that suggest a longer axe is a plus and that you should measure below the ankle. We absolutely disagree. A longer axe means you'll be tempted to use it as a trekking pole (which will put you off balance), or you'll have to give your arm a huge workout just to lift it in and out of the snow. Ice axes are meant to be used on the uphill side, which is already much higher.

49 cm, 54 cm, 60 cm, 67 cm
Head Details

Head Details

This refers to the back of the ice axe head (opposite the pick).

For ice axes, adze's are (by far) the most common. An adze will allow you to break ice by chopping or shoveling in a specific area, and they also provide more room to hold on to the head than a hammer does. This grip helps for arresting too.

Hammers are usually only used as a pair with an adze on the other axe (hammer's are much more common in ice tools than ice axes). A hammer uses a more broad force to break ice bulges.

Adze­
Ice Rating

Ice Rating

The certified rating of the pick and the shaft. These ratings might not match each other.

There are only 2 possible shaft ratings:

B / Type 1 / CEN-B: Basic
T / Type 2 / CEN-T: Technical

Materials

Materials

The materials, as stated by the manufacturer / brand, of the pick, head, shaft and grip.

Pick: Chromoly Steel
Head: Chromoly Steel
Shaft: Aircraft grade anodized, sandblasted aluminum
Grip: Dual-textured grip
Certification

Certifications

The main climbing gear certifications are CE and UIAA--and normally the UIAA creates the rules that the CE body also supports. When possible, we try to list all the certifications the product carries.

To sell a climbing product in Europe, the device must be CE certified. There are no official requirements to sell climbing gear in the US. The UIAA certification is a voluntary process.

For ice axes, there is a separate certification for the pick and the shaft.

Learn More

Rock and Ice Certifications Guide
CE, EN
Warranty

Warranty

This isn't super common, but sometimes the manufacturers will state a specific warranty such as "3 years against manufacturer defects"

­

No reviews yet.

If you know of a good product video that should be here, let us know, and we'll put it up.

If you're looking for gear videos in general, check out our Vimeo and YouTube channels to see the newest gear.