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CAMP Corsa Ultralight Ice Axe Review

CAMP Corsa Ultralight Ice Axe on Mt Washington

The CAMP-USA Corsa Ice Axe is quite possibly the lightest weight ice ax in the world, weighing just 8.8 oz (250 grams) in a size 60 cm length. Despite its lightweight, it is a fully functional UIAA-certified B ice ax capable of being used for self-rescue, glissading, and strong enough to be used as a belay anchor. But the lightweight of the Corsa is not without compromises and it is best used for hiking across moderately sloped snow-covered terrain when low gear weight is deemed an essential.

CAMP-USA Corsa Ice Axe

Weight
UIAA Rating
Comfort
Self-Arrest
Chopping
Glissading

Excellent

The CAMP-USA Corsa is an ultralight ice axe that strikes a good balance between low weight and safety. Best used in moderate terrain, it's sufficient for the low angle self-arrests and glissading required by most hikers and backpackers, but not as comfortable or fully featured as heavier ice axes.

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Specs at a Glance

  • Material: 7075-T6 aluminum alloy head and shaft
  •  Length/Weight:
    • 50 CM / 202 grams
    • 60 CM / 250 grams
    • 70 CM / 281 grams
  • UIAA Certification: B

How to Use an Ice Axe

The CAMP Corsa is not an ice climbing ax but a walking ax, one whose primary function is to halt an uncontrolled slide down a slope (self-rescue). The stopping and braking action is performed with the pick end of the ax head and requires that you be able to span the pick and shaft with your hand using a special grip designed for that purpose (see a short video about how to grip an ice ax).

Ice axe self-arrest
The sequence of moves required for an ice ax self-arrest to get your chest and torso on top of the pick for maximum braking action. This is a worst-case fall scenario when you topple backward. Doing it reliably takes practice. If you can’t do it reliably, you slide off a cliff or into a crevasse. Hard to sugar coat it.

Glissading, which is when you slide down a slope sitting up with feet first (never wearing crampons), is another common function of a walking ax. It also requires holding the ax is the ready position, but you brake with the ax’s spike at the base of the shaft. This is done by dragging the spike along your hip like a canoe rudder, digging it hard into the snow when you want to slow down.

There are other uses of an ice axe, but those are the two principal ones of interest by hikers and backpackers.

CAMP Corsa Dimensions

Made from aluminum, the Corsa is plenty strong, but the pick and adze of considerably shorter than heavier axes like the popular Black Diamond Raven Ice Axe. There’s also very little room for your hand to wrap around the pick and adze in a self-rescue readiness position, making it awkward to get a good grip when you’re wearing an insulated glove.

Here’s a side by side photo of the Black Diamond Raven pick and adze (top) and the CAMP Corsa (bottom) to put the dimension difference into perspective. Both axes are rated ‘B’ rated by the UIAA (International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation) and their shafts are made with aluminum to keep their weights low. However, the Raven has a steelhead, while the Corsa has an aluminum one.

CAMP Corsa Ice Axe
Comparison between Black Diamond Raven Ice Axe (Top) and CAMP Corsa Ice Ave (Bottom)

A 60cm CAMP Corsa weighs 250 grams while a 60cm Black Diamond Raven weighs 452 grams, and the nearly identical 60cm Black Diamond Raven Pro (not shown) weighs 392 grams. As you can see here, the Corsa has a noticeably shorter pick and smaller adze than the Raven. Despite the difference, I’ve found the Corsa perfectly satisfactory for self-arrests, provided you use good form and really dig in with the pick.

Less obvious is the difference in grip comfort that results from having a shorter pick and adze. The Corsa is difficult to carry in the ready position while wearing thick insulated gloves because there isn’t space for your fingers to wrap around the shaft which is flush against the pick and adze. The Raven, in contrast, is easy to carry in a ready self-arrest position, with the adze facing forward. The small grip size is less of an issue in warmer weather when you need less glove insulation against the cold aluminum. It’s an important nuance if you intend the use the Corsa for hiking in early spring weather or at an elevation where snow remains into the summer months and wearing heavy gloves isn’t necessary.

The Corsa also lacks a hole at the top of the shaft for securing an ice ax leash. That’s not necessarily a problem is you’re willing to use the CAMP Touring Leash which can slide up and down the shaft, but is prevented from falling off by a tight-fitting rubber O-ring. The adze, which can be used to chop steps or dig into the snow to make a tent platform, is also quite small and you’ll have to swing it more times to get the same result as the larger Raven adze. Not a show stopper, but far less convenient.

CAMP Corsa Ice Axe
Comparison between Black Diamond Raven Ice Axe (Left) and CAMP Corsa Ice Ave (Right)

The Corsa also doesn’t have a traditional spike at the end of its shaft like the Raven, Instead, the aluminum shaft is open in the bottom, though plugged with a piece of foam to keep snow and ice from accumulating inside. Despite the difference, it is as easy to penetrate crusty snow with the end.

Recommendation

The CAMP Corsa is an ultralight mountaineering ax that trades weight for range of use and comfort. That’s a perfectly valid tradeoff, provided you backstop the difference with skills and prudent decision-making about where you’d be willing to travel with it. While mountaineering ice axes are designed for self-rescue, it’s a good day when you can keep one lashed to the back of your pack and not need to use it.

If you’re on an adventure where you believe reducing your gear weight is of paramount concern, then the CAMP Corsa is a good option to consider. But the Corsa can be more difficult to use in than a heavier mountaineering ax that has a longer pick and is easier to grip while wearing insulated gloves. However, if your trip is in warmer weather when a heavy insulated glove is not required to hold a metal ax and you plan to hike in predominantly low angle terrain, the Corsa is a good choice. For steeper and more challenging routes, I think carrying a heavier ax would be preferable in terms of safety and range.

Disclosure: CAMP provided the author with a Corsa Ice Axe for this review.

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5 comments

  1. I’ve got the Corsa in 60 cm, too, and my only regret is not getting the 70 cm. When walking with it on flat ground, I find it convenient to use like a cane, but the 60 is just /that much/ too short to be comfortable…

  2. Thanks for this detailed review. I saw this axe advertised and was curious about it since it is so light. Seems like they may have a cut a few too many corners for me though to get it down to that. At least for most of my uses.

    Great Mt. Wash pic too. I have two winter summits myself, it’s always an adventure!

  3. Certification notwithstanding and not to be taken lightly, Steve came up with a ti/carbon tool last year that has had glowing reviews from users so far. Not quite half the weight of this Corsa. I don’t suppose he has any plans to pursue certification or if it would even qualify for testing, but it looks/sounds like a pretty viable option for some conditions. https://suluk46.com/product/tica-ice-tool-r5/

  4. Great review thank you. I am trying to lighten my load for early spring backpacking and I have the heavier raven. I really only take it off my pack if I am worried about needling to self arrest. Just wondering your opinion on the camp corsa nanotech with the steal points which appears to be less than an ounce more or the corsa alpine at two ounces more. I am not too worried about the aluminum wearing (if it saved me with a self arrest once it would be worth the cost of replacement) just wondering if the steal does better on ice. I also was hoping for your opinion on length. I measure holding it to my ankle at 70cm and I have practiced with the 70cm. If I used it for walking on flat terrain I think I would want it a little longer but man the number of branches I have hooked on that thing when it is on my pack is ridiculous. Almost fallen backwards several times with green branches pulling me backwards. Any opinion on going shorter for primarily self arrest. Thanks again, great site.

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