Would you recommend the Petzl Gully or the Ride for ski mountaineering in the North Cascades and Olympics? Does a Ride with an added trigrest climb steep snow almost as well as a Gully?
Thanks!
Petzl Gully Ice Axe
The Petzl Gully is the axe we’ve been wanting to see for a long time. It blends the minimalism of a lightweight axe with the features of a larger, heavier, more technical axe that can be necessary for successful objective completion. Multiple head options allow you to select the correct tool for the job. Take the hammer for more technical objectives or choose the adze for general mountaineering and expedition-style skiing. The steel pick has been shaped to increase clearance when you take a swing, but also to release easily while your heart rate is up allowing you to keep moving quickly. The teeth nearest the head have been cleverly removed so your gloves don’t slowly disintegrate while using it to plunge up a couloir. The hand rest is adjustable without tools to fine-tune your hand position, which affords some extra peace of mind when in terrain that could use some peace of mind. A plastic plug in the bottom of the shaft keeps snow from packing in and weighing down your flashy new gear, while the aluminum spike has been shaped to be as efficient as possible while plunging. Designed from the ground-up for technical ski mountaineering, the Gully is optimized for moving fast in the mountains. Sold individually.
- A featherweight competitor with the design of a heavy-weight hitter.
- Hand-rest features tool-less adjustment capabilities for increased versatility depending on the occasion.
- Partially toothless pick design increases the user-friendly nature.
- Plastic plug in the bottom of the shaft keeps real-world weight in the field to a minimum.
- Curved aluminum shaft with machined grip for increased self-arrest power and pick placement in steep or technical terrain.
- Compact enough to fit inside a pack which reduces chance of injury if you run out of cool points on the descent.
- Steel head increases durability for rock and hard ice.
- Hammer, adze, or both depending on your fancy.
- Light enough you might as well bring it.
- CE Certified.
| Specifications | |
| Lengths (cm) | 45 |
|
Weight |
284g [Adze] 286g [Hammer] |
| Specs Verified | Yes |
| Design | |
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Tempered steel head, 7075 aluminum handle |
| Skimo Co Says | |
| Usage | Ski mountaineering, alpinism, mountaineering |
| Notes | Steel head for long-term picking. Comes as Adze or Hammer |
| Bottom Line | Purpose-built for technical mountaineering and steep skiing |
| Compare to other Ice Axes | |
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Questions & Reviews
4/17/2023
4/18/2023
Caroline, for use on steep snow, I would recommend the Ride over the Gully as it's lighter weight, more affordable, and will be a little bit more natural feeling when self-arresting and in really firm snow, you can add the trigrest. Since the Gully has a steel pick, it excels in more technical terrain when climbing moderate ice or rock.
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3/16/2023
I'm looking for an axe for climbing mountains in the cascades this spring, and think the gully is perfect for what I will be doing, however, I have read some reviews that since this is only offered in one size, and has a curved shaft, that it is not great for taller climber/skiers. I'm 6'2 and am worried that I won't get many of the benefits of the gully, and that it won't work great for booting up steep sections. Is it worth getting a different axe that I can get in a longer size/not curved? Thanks
3/16/2023
Hi Kieran, for moving across and up steep terrain, the length isn't necessarily an issue. A steep slope angle means that the surface will be close to your body, either in front of or beside you, and you'll be able to reach it with a shorter axe handle.
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5/17/2022
What’s the difference of the Hammer and the Azde?
5/18/2022
Hi Matthew, you can see the difference visually in the thumbnails above. A hammer would be used for pounding in protection such as pitons or pickets, while an adze is more of a scoop for digging snow anchors or chopping steps. Unless you are planning to use this axe for technical alpinism, the adze is a good bet for general ski mountaineering.
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The definitive ski mountaineering axe IMO. Weighs so little as to replace featherweight tools like the Petzl Ride and Camp Corsa on easier terrain, but climbs so well as to replace heavier technical ice tools on anything shy of vertical waterfall ice and mixed climbing.
If you can ski it, a pair of Petzl Gullys is probably the lightest, most efficient way to climb it. I take these mountaineering and alpine ice climbing even when skiing is off the menu as well.
If you can ski it, a pair of Petzl Gullys is probably the lightest, most efficient way to climb it. I take these mountaineering and alpine ice climbing even when skiing is off the menu as well.
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I had a Petzl Sum'Tec and a BD Raven when I got my Gully, and the Gully has essentially replaced both.
It's significantly lighter than the Sum'Tec with only one drawback (which is that it's significantly lighter than the Sum'Tec - which makes it worse for when you actually need to swing a tool). It's also significantly lighter and climbs better than the Raven. I'd go as far as to say that the Gully has made classic mountaineering axes obsolete for me.
I climbed some near vertical ice with one Sum'Tec and one Gully to test them out. The swing weight difference is definitely noticeable (though you can get a pick weight to help out there) so the Sum'Tec sticks better, but the difference isn't as big as I would've thought.
For ski mountaineering or easier ice routes like the North Ridge of Baker, the Gully is hard to beat. I'd trade out my Sum'Tec for a second gully in an instant if I could!
It's significantly lighter than the Sum'Tec with only one drawback (which is that it's significantly lighter than the Sum'Tec - which makes it worse for when you actually need to swing a tool). It's also significantly lighter and climbs better than the Raven. I'd go as far as to say that the Gully has made classic mountaineering axes obsolete for me.
I climbed some near vertical ice with one Sum'Tec and one Gully to test them out. The swing weight difference is definitely noticeable (though you can get a pick weight to help out there) so the Sum'Tec sticks better, but the difference isn't as big as I would've thought.
For ski mountaineering or easier ice routes like the North Ridge of Baker, the Gully is hard to beat. I'd trade out my Sum'Tec for a second gully in an instant if I could!
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Just got this based on everyone else's reviews and word-of-mouth and have not been disappointed. I have been using a BD Raven for many years and I wanted a second tool that is lighter, slightly more technical, and has a hammer. This checks all the boxes with aplomb! I think I may have picked up the last one at skimo #sorrynotsorry. When they're back in stock definitely pick one up! Up on and around Superior it has treated me perfectly
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3/9/2021
Will the Camp touring leash fit this axe? Thanks
3/9/2021
Hey Mike, the Camp Touring Leash will fit the Gully. Thanks
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11/18/2020
Would you recommend Petzl Gully, the Petzl Glacier Literide, or the Petzl Ride for mostly snow-centric (no ice or rock climbing) ski mountaineering? Looking for an axe primarily for steep boot packing in addition to my Black Diamond Whippet. Assuming I am using it mostly for plunging & self-arrest, would the Literide make more sense with the steel spike or the Gully/Ride with a curved shaft?
11/18/2020
Hey Kevin!
Rad question. I think it comes down to weight and usage.The Petzl Gully is a smidge heavier than the Ride but the adjustable hand rest feature in the Gully really steps the performance up. With the Literide I find the plunging to be, again, just a smidge easier than the Gully but not enough to justify the extra weight. Plus, if you happen to find yourself in a pretty steep & technical position, you'll be happy to have chosen the Gully over the Literide or Ride!
If I could have one tool to rule them all I'd select the Gully!
Rad question. I think it comes down to weight and usage.The Petzl Gully is a smidge heavier than the Ride but the adjustable hand rest feature in the Gully really steps the performance up. With the Literide I find the plunging to be, again, just a smidge easier than the Gully but not enough to justify the extra weight. Plus, if you happen to find yourself in a pretty steep & technical position, you'll be happy to have chosen the Gully over the Literide or Ride!
If I could have one tool to rule them all I'd select the Gully!
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Love them. I pretty much use them year round. I have hammers so I can place pins. The picks are great and bite into ice and neve no problem. This is THE tool for routes like the North Ridge of Baker or Liberty Ridge on Rainier. The shaft isn't fully rated of course so use on mixed terrain with caution but I've had good luck on easy mixed. Also if hammering and you miss, the shaft can get dented by the pin. Definitely wouldn't want to use them on WI4+ but they bite fine into lower angle ice if you keep the picks sharp. The more you swing into rock, the shorter they last...
The only downside in my opinion is the lack of a replaceable pick. Obviously that would add weight so it makes sense they did it but the natural progression would be the same weight with a replaceable pick (or lighter with non-replaceable!). I do use the pick weights to add swing weight and it takes some careful placement of the weight to avoid impeding on the umbilical clip holes in the head.
The only downside in my opinion is the lack of a replaceable pick. Obviously that would add weight so it makes sense they did it but the natural progression would be the same weight with a replaceable pick (or lighter with non-replaceable!). I do use the pick weights to add swing weight and it takes some careful placement of the weight to avoid impeding on the umbilical clip holes in the head.
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This tool blows my mind! So dang light, yet very capable. One of my main touring partners likes to venture into the unknown which in the Wasatch can require the need to hammer in pitons for decent. My goal was the lightest snow tool option with a steel head for driving in pins. Bam! This is it. Legit.
10/26/2019
A little follow-up after some more use. I still love them and don't know a better/lighter tool on the market that offers what these do. A slight heads-up tho: because of how light these are they don't hammer in pitons 'that well.' They will get the job done but the tool deflects as it lacks any real heft.
10/26/2019
Hi Nat, good point! You can add the Petzl pick weights to get that oomph for pitons.
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6/6/2018
what is the difference between this and the Ride ax?
6/6/2018
Hey Peter! There's a bit more shape to the shaft of the Gully, the head is shaped a little bit differently and it's been beefed up as well, all with the intention of improving swing-ability. On top of that there are the easily noticeable differences of the different head options and the included trigrest. The Ride is a bit better for plunging, adding stability to a down climb, and self arresting, all of which the Gully is more than capable of though. The Gully is more of an ultralight technical tool that's good for softer ice and neve.
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Perfect for ski mountaineering, carry two and climbing neve, and warm glacial ice is easy. They are surprisingly capable for their weight in the vast majority mountaineering applications. I have seen these advertised as an ice climbing tool, they are not, even with the added pick weights these bounce off of water ice, the head ergonomics are simply not designed to penetrate cold ice.
At 45cm and 289 grams these double nicely for trail running missions, light and short there is little to no swing weight.
These have become my new favorite, I never pick up my old glacier axe anymore.
At 45cm and 289 grams these double nicely for trail running missions, light and short there is little to no swing weight.
These have become my new favorite, I never pick up my old glacier axe anymore.
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