What crampons is the best ?

[Impulsearm]

Was wondering what you guys/gals suggested for a good crampon. I have a pair of Hillsound Trail crampons but didn't have very good luck with them on my first venture in the steep terrain. I wasn't wearing good mountaineering boots which could have contributed to the fact that my ankles were rolling constantly and caused the rubber that's attached to the chains to break (Luckily Sitka gear has nice twine on the zipper handle that came in good use..LOL). I have recently purchased nice Asolo's that will accept a more rigid semi-auto crampons and wanted to know what your pro's and cons might be and which one's you might suggest. Thanks

 

[Marbles]

I have Pretzel Vasaks. They are heavy and overkill for most hunting situations. Mountaineering crampons are probably not the answer.

Work on ankle strength.

Decided how aggressive you want the traction to be. Something like the Kahtoola K10 might work. My Kahtoola microspikes and nanospikes have held up well for me, but are similar to the Hillsound Trail in construction.

 

[freezerfull]

For myself, in most hunting situations, kahtoola microspikes will suffice. But if crampons are needed due to consequence or conditions the BD serac 12 points have been solid.

Beware though, shank stiffness of the boots is critical for any strap type crampon. I’ve been struggling with this as some of my boots wear in more, boots that did work okay with strap crampons no longer do as they break in. Get too much flex and I start popping out of the toe bail, generally at the times when you least want it to happen.

I’m in the process of selecting some new full shank boots and semi auto crampons, just haven’t decided on the boot yet. Since you already have boots that accept semi autos, I don’t think you could go wrong with any of the major brands be it BD, petzl, camp, etc.

 

[Blurry1]

Are you looking for traction on relatively flat snow or ice? Or are you moving to much steeper 35 to 45° plus train? You certainly get more purchase with a traditional crampon but unless you’re moving on very steep terrain with very hard snow, they’re not gonna give you much benefit in my opinion. The other problem is with Front points in a traditional mountaineering crampon you’re more likely to stab yourself in the leg or rip gators. I climb steep snow all the time with no crampons whatsoever, but it’s always “skiable“ meaning I can kick step into the snow and be totally comfortable. my impression is you should try a boot with a stiffer ankle and a semi rigid sole.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I have a pair of aluminum grivels and a pair of the aluminum ones made by camp which stone glacier used to sell. I can’t tell a difference between the 2 and I’ve never weighed them so I don’t know which one is lighter but both are great for snow/glacier use, since they are aluminum, I’d imagine they would get smoked if you messed around on any sort of rock or scree.

 

[Macintosh]

@Impulsearm What specific boots, and for what terrain? Cant give a good answer without that info.

Hillsound “trail crampons”, regardless of name, are not crampons. They are “traction devices”. There is a big difference in capability and security. Are you looking for a traction device for slippery conditions on relatively flat terrain? Traction devices are great for a hiking trail that has been packed through use and become icy from melt/thaw, but pushing much past that is sketchy regardless of what boot they’re on.
Or are you looking for crampons suitable for long stretches of steeper hard snow, or actual water ice, etc? And what are the consequences of a slip, ie a minor tumble onto a snowy hiking trail, or a 1000’ slide down a 40* icy slope, etc?

“Mountaineering”, “more rigid semi-auto crampons” and “steeper terrain” all point toward real crampons for more technical terrain. But the initial foray with a rubber traction device has me questioning. A minimal crampon like a petzl irvis or similar with a hybrid binding can take you to some
truly wild places while minimizing the pitfalls of a heavy/overly tall crampon on lower-angle/less technical terrain. Aluminum is for harder snow—if you're on real ice or lots of icy scree and rock they are not going to last and will become a hazard real fast if you dont keep them somewhat sharp.

 

[chizelhead]

Petzl Leopards can work depending on your use. They're aluminum so they're light, but you don't want to walk on very much rock with them. I think they work well for part time, but not full time. I paired them with Zamberlan Mountain Trek GTX boots. I had them for a SEAK goat hunt and climbed Mount Hood with them which was steep and icy. I haven't used micro spikes so I can't compare.