Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Boot chains or crampons? Favorite brands and why?

I'm looking at/for traction for mtn hunting in the snowy timber. No glaciers, but want something more than my hunting boots w/lug soles. Should I be thinking shoe/boot chains, or crampons? Thanks! Ken

I think crampons will cause serious problems in timber and maybe even injuries.
boot chains might help some but when you step on a branch pointing downhill in snow when traveling you're going to be on your ass no mater what. I have all my boots resoled to huge air bobs right after I get them and it has made a big difference for me. I hit the ground much less often now even when on really steep terrain.
Good Hunting
Lj

The Kahtoola hiking crampons work very well. Hillsounds makes some similar. I've not tried the microspikes/chain crampons. There have been a couple of very good threads in the Backpacking forum on crampons. EdT I think has tried most of them! Might take some digging (use the google 24hour search) to find them.

Good advice, guys! What are "air bobs"??
LLBean said that the Hillsound crampons are a little more aggressive than the Kahtoolas.

I used YaxTrax this year and they worked amazingly well. I had the sport models with the strap that goes over the instep and they fit my Asolo hikes well. I wish I has used them in the past.

I don't really know how to describe them. Many boot manufactures have at least one or two models with air bob soles. But my boot are resoled with a very aggressive type made in Idaho. There very deep and don't break off on the rocky slopes. I even resole good boots made in Germany. Stay away from air bobs from Asia, they use very soft rubber and they break off easily.
Lj

They look like this. They hold better in snow than regular Vibrams do.

Thanks!, Rock.

Shoot: what kind of terrain? Any windfall/trees/limbs on the ground?

Hey Rock Chuck I didn't know you guys in SE Idaho even know what snow is
I thought about taking a pic of the soles with my cell phone but it's beyond my tech ability to get that on a computer
Lj

I have used Kahtoola spikes for several years and they are a game changer on steep, slick, slopes. I got them on Amazon for less than retail. I think they also sell crampons-which are more aggressive. I think that the crampons could be problematic, as the spikes are longer. They are made more for glacier stuff.

It does not take many falls on ice, to make the Kahtoolas look pretty good.

REI has both and I wanted to look at them. I'm thinking that the more aggressive Hillsounds might be too much? I have a "real" pair of crampons from decades ago, but they definitely are too much.

Heavybullets, I have a pair of boots that need resoling, where did you get them done at?

I just screw a few hex-head sheetmetal screws in my soles, if'n I need more traction.....

Ice Trekker Diamond Grip. Easy on and off. Grip well and even improve traction a bit in soft snow.

I'm not sure what kind of conditions you would be hunting in to require shoe traction though.

Yak Trax I've seen have a tendency to come off. Katulas are too much.

Casey

When the Air Bob soles first appeared they wore pretty quickly. I don't think they were asian made soles either. Maybe they have been improved.


Casey

The Kahtoola K10s are great, but if you're not careful you'll destroy a good set of gators and pant legsreal quick like. Get the steel ones...if they even make the aluminum ones anymore.

I've also had a few set of various brands of 6 points, and while they work great, the strapping mechanism to secure them to your boots doesn't last long.

Air bobs have never impressed me much. I still fall on my ass with them. Nothing beats spikes and the Kahtoola K10s are the best/easiest that I have found without getting into serious glacier climbing gear.

Ya,, those K10s are similar to my 1960s crampons. Too much for just a little added traction to boots... maybe not??

I have used and can recommend Hillsound Trail Crampons for everything except for ice climbing.

When side walking on steep slopes they will not "twist" around the boot, like I have seen others do.

Like with all non-technical crampons you will have to watch for snow balling under them, and in soft snow you will have to take that snow from undreneath every now and then or you will, dangerously, loose traction.

Yes.

Crampon style is going to pierce sticks and then.....well, it could be hysterical to watch.....
Plus, more often then not here in the west a guy is moving from deeper snow to rocks and such. Trying to sidehill with crampons is tough. A shoe traction device that is easy to get on and off and can be shoved into a coat pocket is a lot more convenient.

Ice Trekker Diamond Grip is the best shoe traction I've found. It stays on, obviously is made for ice/hardpack, does well enough in soft snow, can be worn while crossing dry ground and rocks.

$45-$50 at REI. Probably can be found a bit cheaper other places.

Casey

$5 cheaper at Amazon than REI