Alpine trad: pitons, really?

Going to the alps next month and a bunch of (rock) routes suggest a rack that includes a hammer +/- some pitons. How necessary is that, really?

I'd strongly prefer not to have to buy/lug around pitons and a hammer, but I'd also like to not die when I show up to a belay with nothing but a wobbly fixed piton and no clean gear options. Obviously the popular routes shouldn't be an issue, but some of these seem a bit less-traveled and I don't want to count on anything erroneously, especially on limestone where the pro can be finicky or hard to come by. It's hard to gauge how much of this is necessity vs a byproduct of a European eye for protection.

What's been your experience (especially on the routes a little off the beaten path)? Necessary, nice to have, or unnecessary?

Where are these "Alps" you speak of?

Ha! Fair enough. I'll be all over the place (spending a week each in Grenoble, Briancon, Cuneo, Corvara, and Innsbruck). The areas with routes that I'd seen mention piton hammers were the Dolomites, the mountains on the France/Italy border between Cuneo/Briancon (eg: gulliver.it/itinerari/caste…), and some stuff around Innsbruck (eg: https://www.bergsteigen.com/touren/klettern/ueberschallwand-mittelpfeiler-speckkar-nordwand/).

I've done a handful of Dolomites routes and never felt the need for a hammer, but I was doing trade routes that see daily/weekly ascents, and now I'm hoping to branch out a bit more. 

Never took or wanted a hammer in the dolomites.

without a hammer you will be unable to accurately test, and redrive, if necessary, resident pitons that may be the only protection available.  also, in "remote" alpine terrain, cracks may be occluded by dirt, gravel, ice, and you may be unable to excavate a nut placement without a hammer equipped with a pick ("alpine hammer").  I am never on a high alpine route without a hammer and a small selection of pegs - less impact sometimes to drive a peg into a turf-filled or iced-up crack than to excavate the entire crack seeking a nut placement.

-Haireball

Matt, assuming you are not either going completely off piste, or super hard, I'd leave the hammer at home when in Europe 

Last weekend a guy from mountain rescue in Kandersteg advised me to bring a small hammer and a few pegs when going to the Dolomites. Just in case.

You could buy a hammer and pitons locally if you discover you need one after asking the local climbers. 

Buying local gives you and excuse to visit a local climbing shop, chat about the climbs you are interested in.  If the shop does not carry hammers and pitons that would be a clue you don't need one.  If the hammers and pitons are available and prominently displayed that would also be a clue. 

FWIW the instructor on one of my first climbing courses (in Austria) was carrying pitons and a hammer on his rack and when I made a tongue in cheek comment about old school equipment his comeback was 'well you obviously never climbed in the Dolomites'.

Which was true enough. 

Pitons and a hammer are not uncommon in the Canadian Rockies for alpine routes also. Another limestone trad data-point!