Two axes, mix or match

I have progressed to an intermediate level of glacier ice mountaineering and started some occasional rec ice climbing. I'm looking at upgrading my semi-technical tools for mixed conditions mountaineering and occasional, easier water ice. Looking at Quark, All mountain, Viper etc. I noticed when just ice climbing most everyone uses matching, technical tools. I understand the advantage but is having matching tools a big deal at this level? Is it ok to mix similar but different tools when climbing low level to intermediate ice? North side Baker, Liberty Ridge, some Ouray is what I'm thinking. Thanks.

I used a BD Rage and CM Quasar for years and liked it a lot, climbing in CO, everything from the Ouray park to Eureka WI5+. A friend got the Quasar as a gift and sold it to me cheap and I picked up the Rage somewhere. I've never been that picky about tools though, and still climb on my CM Pulsars.... That was with leashes. Might make a bit more of a difference when switching hands leashless, but I doubt that much of a difference?

Chris Thomas wrote: Is it ok to mix similar but different tools when climbing low level to intermediate ice? North side Baker, Liberty Ridge, some Ouray is what I'm thinking. Thanks.

Yes, of course. It helps if they swing similar, so an "alpine" tool paired with a pure ice tool that isn't overly aggressive. Pretty much every ice brand makes a good alpine tool that climbs ice well enough and also works for general snow/glacier travel. Look for something with a spike, removable pinky rest, positive clearance pick, relatively straight shaft, and adze. For Liberty Ridge, Baker N Ridge, and similar routes, I paired a Grivel Matrix Light w/ added sliding rest and a Grivel Matrix Tech, though a number of combinations are out there.

-Alpine tools: Petzl Quarks and older Aztars, BD Vipers, Grivel Matrix Lite (replaced by Light Machine?), Edelred Riot, and others. All are fine alpine tools and great for Ouray ice too.

I have a single used  Petzl Nomic for sale for $130 if that helps.

I used the X-alls for a couple of years and find that they aren't a great tool for alpine climbing. On the North Ridge of Baker and Liberty Ridge, the Grivel North Machine Carbon worked great. Quarks are another good choice.  You could also take a look at a pair of Sum'tecs, which won't be great for waterfall ice but are the money for moderate alpine climbing.

I think there's situations where "mis-matched" tools are matched perfectly for the conditions. For the north ridge or liberty ridge I'll take a sum'tec and a technical tool (north machine, cobra, all-mountain).  It's obviously not necessary, but my preference to have a more traditional glacier style axe that's better suited for 90% of the terrain on those routes.  But if I wanted to climb a lot at Ouray or Hyalite I'd just get a pair of technical tools.

There's nothing inherently wrong with un-matched tools for technical ice; and as Micah points out sometimes it's good to have two different tools; however, once on higher-angle, technical ice you'll soon find that one tool's "sticks" will feel more secure and/or be easier to place than the other; that's when you probably want to "match" tools.

Don't know where you're from ("unknown hometown") but maybe look for a "Ice Fest" where you can sign up to try out various tools and get some low-cost group instruction.

Un-matched is just fine until you are swinging over your head a lot. This past spring I used a 60cm and 50 tool. More over they were both straight shafted tools. One can do a lot with such a combination.  Years ago I used the same tools on Mt. Mendal.

Listen to Nick and Micah.   I used a pair of x lights on liberty and they excelled on the long ice section.   However,  I would rather have had a Sumtec.   Even with the pinky rests off my axes I had a hard time plunging through the hard crust above the soft snow underneath.   My partners sumtec with the better spike and smaller profile excelled.  
I would have felt a lot more secure on the steep snow with a Sumtec or traditional tool.   (Sumtec is the tool to get IMO + whatever technical tool you have laying around)