Best crampons

[Timberghost]

Hey guys. Need your input on which crampons to buy. Looking for late season sheep here in alberta.
Easy on/off, weight, and cost all factors.
Let me know what you are using or recommend. Thanks.
Keep it together, rob

 

[goatboy]

I use Black Diamond Contact Crampons for late BC goat and sheep hunts. My boots are crampon compatible but there is no way that these will come off and they will work on all boots. I don't think it really matters what brand you buy as long as they fit your boot and they are a full crampon not something that looks like it belongs on a mail man.

 

[endorice]

Grivel Air Tech Lite crampons. Strap on, great for lightweight mountaineering. Google and come to your own conclusions.

 

[COSA]

I like the Kahtoola k10 hiking crampons - Got them new for 80 bucks on eBay.

 

[Aron Snyder]

The last two listed are pretty hard to beat and both are easy to use.

 

[mtnclimber]

Right now i use the kahtoola aluminums and they work but i want a lighter pair. I plan on trying these camp usa race 290's. only 10oz

http://www.camp-usa.com/products/crampons/race-290-318.asp

 

[Becca]

Luke and I have both been using the Hillsound cypress 6 for the last year or so. Fold up small and aren't too heavy, but are sturdier than the micro spike style rubber ones. Ratcheting straps help them stay on tightly. They also have a plate underneath that keeps the snow from balling up underneath them.
Best part is they are only $37 a pair....

http://www.sunnysports.com/p-snshc6/hillsound-cypress-6

 

[kodiakfly]

I use Grivel G12 Crampomatics. They've been great, but a lighter option may be in my future. They're rock solid, but hauling them is a pain.

 

[jherald]

Kahtoola KTS Aluminum. Have had them for a long time but they are starting to wear down some. Still good enough to help with serious traction where you need it. One thing to remember, you can get yourself into stuff with your crampons you might not be able to get out of or be extremely unsafe doing so, just be aware of that. It's easy to do too when your putting on a stalk or finding a new route.

 

[Ramcam]

Hillsound trail crampon pro for me http://www.sunnysports.com/p-snshtcp/hillsound-trail-crampon-pro

 

[Jason Snyder]

The guys on Bowsite that have hunted Canmore said that the Kathoola's are recommended by their guides. Easy on/off and provide sufficient traction.

 

[Matt W.]

It seems there are two options, the instep kind like Becca listed and a full on set like the Grivel Air Techs. I've been leaning toward an instep version..

Why do you choose full on crampon vs. instep crampon and if you have both what makes you pick one pair vs the other for you adventure?

 

[charvey9]

I've been thinking about a set of crampons for awhile now, but not so much for ice/snow. I don't run into that as much in the PNW, but do get into rain soaked, mud slicked, and loose slopes quite often in the winter and spring.

The options above seem like they would be a little too agressive for that type of terrain, but would like to hear from experience. I was thinking something more like the Kahtoola Microspikes.

https://kahtoola.com/product/microspikes/

Any thoughts?

 

[Becca]

I've been thinking about a set of crampons for awhile now, but not so much for ice/snow. I don't run into that as much in the PNW, but do get into rain soaked, mud slicked, and loose slopes quite often in the winter and spring.

The options above seem like they would be a little too agressive for that type of terrain, but would like to hear from experience. I was thinking something more like the Kahtoola Microspikes.

https://kahtoola.com/product/microspikes/

Any thoughts?

I have not used the micro spikes, but did run hillsound trail crampons for several seasons, which are very similar. I liked them overall, and you will find a lot of folks using them. There were two reasons I switched to the cypress 6. First, when side hilling, the rubber had a tendency to stretch, which caused the crampons to twist over time making my feet sore. Luke actually had the rubber tear on his under similar circumstances with a heavy load. While mine never tore, they did stretch enoug to cause twisting of the spikes on the soles of my boots. I far prefer the ratcheting straps on the cypress6 which never move at all.

The second complaint I had about the trail crampon design was that in certain winter conditions, wet snow would ball up underneath my boots until I was trying to walk on softball sized lumps. No amount of kicking would get it to knock off, and I ended up having to stop frequently and chisel the snow out with my trekking pole tip. No Bueno. The cypress 6 have a plate on the bottom that prevents this very issue,and so far it's worked well for me.

Again lots of people swear by the micro spikes/ trail crampons, and I imagine in lots of circumstances they work fine, but the two reasons listed above are what pushed me to try a more aggressive crampon.

 

[jherald]

If you go with the Kahtoola get the snow skins to keep the snow from wadding up under foot. Worth the extra 15 bucks.

 

[kodiakfly]

The options above seem like they would be a little too agressive for that type of terrain, but would like to hear from experience. I was thinking something more like the Kahtoola Microspikes.

https://kahtoola.com/product/microspikes/

Any thoughts?

I've become less and less of a Microspikes fan just in the past month. The balling up on wet snow, sure. I got the supposed anti-balling plates and they didn't do anything for me. OK, so no snow use. I then go to use them on what a lot of people say is where they shine- wet, frozen/frosty grass. I started balling up wet grass on them! I do still carry them because once in a while I'll get somewhere where they work well, but 90% of the time my boots provide sufficient traction. If I could get them to stop balling, then yes, their traction is great over a wide array of settings. But balling up negates that and even makes them dangerous.

 

[Timberghost]

Thanks for all the replies. Lots to think on for sure. Like the weight of the grivel air techs. Will have to keep an eye out for a sale. Thanks, rob

 

[R Miller]

Stubai 6 point in steps or a full 10 point from Black diamond, not sure of the name but they're tough. The Air Grivel lights will break eventually, I had a pair and now only buy burly when it comes to traction.