[pct-l] ULA Potty Trowel

[Eric Lee]

AsABat wrote:
>
A  little history - when this product first came out, it WAS called an ice
axe. There was so much flack thrown about on the web by both backpackers and
climbers. I'm sure that had a lot to do with changing the name. It's no
longer an "ice axe", it's a "potty trowel." Some of us have no qualms using
this "potty trowel" for other purposes.
>

I agree that if you want to use it, you should use it.  Carry whatever you
want, or don't carry any self-arrest tool at all.  Safe is a relative term
and we each make our own choices.

However, Adam's question was, "is it strong enough to self-arrest"?  The
only correct answer is, "It has not passed the standard CE B test so it is
not rated for self-arrest."  The ice axe standards are the way they are for
a reason - mostly because the mountaineering community has a lot of
collective experience with ice axes that fail and the consequences that
follow.  The ULA Potty Trowel doesn't meet those standards.

Now, you might reasonably think that the typical usage on a PCT thru-hike
won't stress the tool to the same degree as typically mountaineering, so the
Potty Trowel is ok.  That's a reasonable position to take.  Though I think
Ned has a good point too - if you're confident that you're not going to be
in a situation where you'll put a lot of stress on your self-arrest tool,
then are you really sure you need to carry a self-arrest tool?

HYOH and all that.  But Adam needs to understand his choices.

Eric