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

Ya,, I was looking at those IceTrekkers, as well. The Kahtoolas have a shorter spike than Hillsounds.

My boots are similar to the ones in the pic and should do well in most snow conditions. I was actually looking at something like boot chains??

Looks like those Diamond Grip IceTrekkers might be a good compliment to my boots, giving me traction on slick surfaces, including sticks/limbs.

I won't be mountraineering; just want some extra traction, to carry with me, just in case.

I think the crampons would be dangerous. I have tried 2-3 different brands of the chain types that are held on with rubber.

Mostly here at home.I do a 2 mile walk almost every morning and most of the county roads are iced over for 3-4 months at a time.

Those chains wear out pretty fast and don't help much in deeper snow ( 6+ inches) unless you break thru all the way down to the ice.

My boots hold pretty well in deeper snow. It's ice that's my problem so the chains might do very well.

This.

Can't be any simpler or cheaper.

Look at the Diamond Grip. I'm thinking there should be a strap over the top of the boot.

https://icetrekkers.com/product/spikes#product_comparision_chart

You'll have to go down the page, to the "Comparison Chart" button.

What about a pair of logging calks? Running around in a snow covered timber of the wet side is great place to use them. I have run them hunting in the snow and muck covered timberlands in WA quite happily.

Just expensive, but a great option!

I just ordered the latest version of the YakTrax Diamond Grips from Amazon, for under $40, shipped.

That can't be too good on your soles, though, if used several times over the years.

My progression is; diamond grips when aggressive boot soles fail, easy on/off and pretty versatile and cheap. Next option is snowshoes of small-meium footprint w/ aggressive crampon across articulation at ball of foot. My new ones are Morpho w/ snowboard type bindings. Pretty easy on/off, are carbon fiber so very light and easy to maneuver in the woods. They also have climbing lifts for the steepstuff. I only use crampons on ice/frozen snow, and prefer the step in type which require specific types of boots. If I am wearing crampons I am probably holding an ice axe.


mike r

Tom---Pecks Boot and Shoe --- Moscow Idaho 83843 He charges about $70 and warrants his work to never de-laminate. Excellent work, never had to take a pair back to him and I beat the chit out of my boots.
Tell him you want the air bobs with the Idaho logo
Good Hunting
Lj

If you really want 4x4 traction on ice or slippery vegetated surfaces. Carbides on top, regular logger caulks on bottom. Hoffman's Boots in Idaho does them.



I've used the CMI Instep Crampons on top of rubber boots for more edge grip.



Just about cracked my skull open using climbing crampons in the woods. Those spikes got hung up on some root tendrils and I went ass-over-teakettle pretty bad - never again.

I've spent a lot of time wearing crampons, ice climbing and alpine mountaineering.




If you don't know what you are doing you can punch a hole in your leg pretty easy. On many occasions I've had to wear crampons to hike in on the approach. I hate that. It's miserable to wear crampons for general hiking.



KC

Us older guys don't lift our feet like younger ones. I don't shuffle but I do tend to catch my toes on stuff more often than I used to. Crampons would put me on my face a lot.

I like these - cheap, easy, quick. I mostly use them ice fishing but have used them on late season elk hunts too. The chains/springs seem like they'd take you for a ride if you stepped on the wrong log/branch under the snow.

http://www.thewarmingstore.com/stabilicers-walk-orange.html

I have used YaxTrax for just walking around, they work very well and are cheap. If you were planning on some serious climbing then Crampons are the only way to go.

Not really. I use the Hillsounds and the trail crampons have really short spikes, I've never had a problem or worried about hurting myself or tearing my gaiters.

They go on/off pretty quick, which is the big advantage over permanent spikes.

Have you used Hillsounds in wet snow and tree limbs?

Nope, just on packed snow and ice. The spikes are short, but if you're gonna be stepping over a lot of blow-down any kind of spikes might be a problem.