Foldable Ice Axe
During the summer of 2022 my brother, Tristan, went on a trip to Mount Rainier for a climb with some friends. He had to check his bags due to the nature of an Ice Axe. After landing, he went to claim his bags and discovered one of the worst potential mishaps had occurred. His bags had been punctured by the sharp metal blade during the turbulence. This story led me to think more about how the nature of mountaineering necessitates travel and we should optimize our gear around this essential part of the sport.
Problem
1 / Packability
Due to the strange shape of Ice Axes they can be difficult to pack in a secure way when traveling to destination mountains.
2 / Damage of other items
Since Ice Axes are meant to pick into ice, this can lead to the puncturing of clothes or suitcases while traveling.
Mood Board/Persona
Ideation
Prototyping
With the first prototype I was quite satisfied with the hinge mechanics. However, the scale of the whole axe was off which meant a redesign and second mid fidelity 3D print was needed before higher fidelity prototypes could be created.
Revision
With this round of revision I chose to focus on scale of the overall piece excluding length of the handle because I was concerned about the structural safety of the points of stress introduced from the folding mechanics. I also elected to elongate the spike on the bottom to dig deeper into the ice and add supporting bars to the adze for increased safety.
Final Prototype (At least for this Portfolio)
 Unfolded Axe |  Axe in travel configuration |  Cleaning prototype pieces |
|---|---|---|
 3D print prototype |  Iceaxe in suitcase |  Axe lodged in snow |
I like how much more stable the hinge system feels now that it has been scaled to have more mass. Going forward I intend to keep working on this to reduce the bulkiness of the handle down to a more comfortable diameter and work to reduce weight for more convenience in an actual mountaineering scenario.