Petzl Summit Evo

£140 415g (52cm) comfortable in the hand expensive

The Summit Evo immediately felt like an old friend, because I’ve been using its more basic predecessor – the first-generation Summit – as my go-to axe for non-work settings for some years (I use a T-rated axe for work as an ML). It has a similar comfy feel in the hand and familiar weighting to the head.

The Evo is much lighter than the old Summit, but heavier than the new Summit. The extra weight is due to the excellent rubber grip, but it remains a fairly lightweight axe.

The slightly angled adze makes it very effective for chopping into snow and it compares well with others, although it isn’t the best in this test. The pick feels steady and aggressive when swung into hard snow or ice thanks to a gently chamfered top edge and a couple of teeth to really help it bite.

It has a gentle curve in the upper third of the shaft, but the lower section is straight for easy plunging. The shaft’s ergonomical shape makes it feel particularly ‘handfriendly’ when daggering.

It’s a lovely tool for general mountaineering, and a superb walking axe, but the price tag may be off-putting.