Crampon Suggestions

[Pup]

I was wondering what campons were the most popular with everyone on the board. I hike like you, overnight backpacking, long day hikes.
I'd appreciate suggestions to help get me out of the stone-age.

[simonov]

My first crampon experiences were renting Grivel G10s from REI (the Santa Ana store rents crampons; I guess not all of them do). They had the classic bindings and worked really well. When I decided I was tired of driving to REI to rent and return the crampons, I started shopping for a set of G10s of my own. I couldn't find any as I guess they have been discontinued. REI just had G14s ($200 of overkill, designed for climbing ice walls) and Black Diamond.

Finally I found a set of G12s on Backcountry.com for $100, including antibott system. I have used them several times and they work great. I would recommend them except suddenly I can't find them anymore at that price. Backcountry.com has G12s with the fancy New-Matic bindings for $174.95, which seems like a lot. I guess maybe it's the bindings that cost so much, or maybe when I bought mine Backcountry was trying to get rid of their inventory of New Classic binding crampons.

The New Classic bindings work fine for what I do, and I can't imagine spending a lot of money for some of the fancier set-ups.

I can't find the equivalent Black Diamond crampons at Backcountry. The closest I found was the Neve Strap Crampons, but these are aluminum. I am no expert at all, more of a noob like yourself, but from what I have heard it is difficult to recommend aluminum crampons for climbing in Southern California mountains, as the inevitable rocky trails will chew them up. So I have heard. On the other hand, steel crampons are pretty heavy, to pack and to wear. But I prefer steel for most things (crampons, shotguns, etc).

[Kevin]

Personally, I like Grivels, but ... they're getting harder to find. It may be due to a change in US distributors 3 or 4 years ago. A good crampon, which will fit nearly any type of boot, is the Black Diamond Contact Strap. REI carries them for $125, which includes Antibots. Antibots is short for "anti-balling", and they're helpful if the snow is soft and sticky. They're inserts, usually made of either neoprene or nylon, and fit under the ball and heal of the foot.

Antibots are not critical to the use of crampons, and unless they come with the crampons, are not worth the investment for the occasional user, as they only work within a narrow range of snow conditions. And by "work", I'm stretching it somewhat - they HELP prevent snow from sticking, but they're only partially effective.

[FIGHT ON]

simonov, aluminum shotguns?

[simonov]

simonov, aluminum shotguns?

Mossbergs, Benellis and Winchesters have aluminum receivers (the main body).

I prefer the all-steel Remington 870: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpvRWa8il7k

[halhiker]

I was at REI in Rancho Cucamonga a couple weeks ago and I liked the look of these: http://rei.com/product/766573 Also, REI is giving members a coupon for 20% off right now so you could save a little $$ if you're a member.

I've had some Charlet Moser crampons for about 15 years and have had no problems so I'm happy with them.

[Rick M]

I still use my 12-point Salewa crampons I bought for $17 in 1972 and used them last night on San Jacinto by moonlight via Devil's Slide. Didn't like putting them on and off every few hundred feet of alternating hard snow and rocky trail dirt up to Saddle Junction. I had just sharpened them last weekend and their points are not like they were 31 years ago but are still MUCH better than these aluminum things I see people hiking with that no longer have points from wear (might be good for walking on flat trails or ice skating rinks). Does anyone have any experience with these lightweight wonders?

My first experience with the strapless step-ins was not reassuring as they frequently came off (not enough lip on toe) but new designs have pretty much solved that problem...make sure you learn how to adjust whatever crampons you get as some people I know always seem to have them popping off usually in places you don't want that to happen. I’m not sure if they even sell strap crampons…not very good for SoCal conditions.

I have never had my Salewa strap crampons come off but did have problems with the straps constricting my feet on a very light flexible pair of "boots" (not meant for crampons).

I have become so sedimental about my Salewas that I once climbed back up a glacier in Canada unroped leaping across crevasses to retrieve them after having done Mt Athabasca and taken them off to glissade down a face to the then softening glacier below...my friends didn't want to go back up and we thought if I stayed on our same tracks hopefully I wouldn't fall into anything (as would happen on Rainier the next year)...with all this "Global Warming”, do they still have glaciers in Canada?


ps help me save weight by sharping your crampons so I don't have to carry a file with me.

[KathyW]

I have a pair of the aluminum Stubai Ultralights - they are good for when I'm really concerned with keeping the pack weight down and I think I might only need them for a short part of the trip because they need to be sharpened too often if used regularly.

My main crampons for a number of years have been a pair of Black Diamond Contact Strap crampons - great little crampons for basic mountaineering and pretty light for steel crampons, but I have new toys that just came in the mail - a pair of Black Diamond Sabretooth Clip crampons and I can't wait to get out and try them out.

[Perry]

I was wondering what campons were the most popular...

I prefer to camp on dirt instead of rocks.

[HikeUp]

I have become so sedimental...

I love typos. New words almost everyday!