The Nuptse comes with an attached, sliding wrist loop on the shaft and a bulky, textured rubber grip on the lower shaft. The rubber makes plunging the shaft into hard snow difficult, and the metal slider and wrist loop end up right where you want to put the rope for a boot-axe belay. What's more, the metal slider on the wrist loop twists and locks up on the shaft, causing endless frustration. Fortunately, the wrist loop and slider can be removed and a normal leash tied to the hole in the head.

The Nuptse pick has an additional set of teeth set back near the shaft that dug into our fingers when used as a cane, and that snagged the rope during boot-axe belays.

Weight (70 cm): 1 pound, 11 ounces
UIAA rating: B
Price: $75
Pro: Performed well while self-arresting and chopping.
Con: Heaviness and awkward swing weight made it less than ideal for climbing.
Self-arrest: 2.5
Steep snow climbing: 1
Durability: 3
(Rating scale, 1  5: 1 = poor, 3 = average, 5 = excellent)
Comparative Ratings Chart

For more information: Adventure 16, (619) 283-6314