Grivel Matrix Tech is great combination of durability, lightweight and good usability. Shaft bend is just perfect for any ice up to 90 degrees. Grip is nicely designed and the grip rest is large enough even for the largest gloves I have. Axes work great with Grivel double leash and they can be cutomised with grivels yellow triggers(which I have done). Matrix Tech is also considerably cheaper than most of other technical axes. Therefore, they are more than worth the price.

However, there is couple negative things in these axes.
Firstly, the swing is good but not perfect. Or should I say it is not the easiest but works great when you figure out the right swing move. For example BD:s Vipers are much easier to use especially on easy ice. Matrix Tech shows it's fangs on steeper, more technical ice and they are at home when hooking or climbing icicles where you need to use soft touch rather than pure force.
Secondly, as Edvin also said on his review, Grivel has hammered out the screws of the pick so you have to grind them before the first pick change. Don't know why it is so, but it definitely is not a good solution.

Despite these little minuses I still love these axes and could recommend them for anyone who is looking for a lightweight technical axes on reasonable price.

I've been using these axes for two winter's now, a really great axe for anything for hard alpine to any ice or even easier drytooling. Compared to say the old Petzl Quarks thesea re much lighter while still giving good sticks thanks to having most of the weight in the head. The balance and swing is really good and the griprest is really comparable and gives good protection from hitting the ice with your knuckles. I only had to grind it out a little bit to fit my big hands.

Changing the picks the first time is a bit harder than for most other brands since Grivel have hammered out the screws, but grinding them down takes only a couple of minutes and can easily be done with a hand file, just don't try and do it on a hanging bivouac or when your friends are waiting for you in the car :)

I have also added some sticky tape to the handle a a Petzl trigrest to give another handle higher up. I don't use it much but on mixed ground it's quite handy to be able to match on the tools. The tape is selfamalgating stuff that plumbers use to fix leaking pipes. You can also use tape for wrapping hockey sticks but that stuff is so sticky that even snow sticks to it really easily :(

One big downside with these axes is that the hole in the bottum where I attach my springleashes is just plastic, ok you shouldn't fall on your leashes but I rather be catched by them than risking a long fall on ice.