Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Anyone know where to find climbing crampons?

I'm headed out to Colorado next week with some buddies to do some backpacking and possibly try some climbing. We will probably still have snow and ice up high, so I'd like to find some good crampons. We won't be doing any rope and harness stuff, just class 3 or 4 climbing. Any ideas?

Thanks!

REI. Usually they have free shipping and a bulletproof warranty.

Yes you will still have snow and ice up high--most likely it will be so soft after the morning that the only ice will be in gullies that have slid off, seeps, and some wind slabs.
A general 12 point crampon is the most versatile, if you don't want/need the frontpoints then the Hillsound trail pro is superb. The Camp Magix 10 is another good one that gives you frontpoints but is cheaper and lighter than some.

As for 12 points, I've had the Grivel G12, Camp Ice Rider, Petzl Vasak, and Cassin C-12. The only one of those I really didn't like were the Vasak's, and even they were fine for glacier travel, just not great on vertical WI. I'd pick one that's on sale. Where to find? Prolitegear, Mountain Gear, REI, Campsaver, E-OMC, REI, etc.

Grivel's have the best stock anti-balling plates in my opinion, but you can make some at home if what you get doesn't have them or they suck. Spray a little Pam cooking spray on the anti-bots before you go--sounds dumb but does help. Spring slush sticks to cramponps REALLY well and creates a hazard fast.

I prefer a solid 12 point crampon to heavier options even for water ice. They are lighter, more versatile, and cheaper to replace. Others climb harder and/or differently than I do and arrive at other conclusions.

Be careful where you put yourself, and don't poke a hole in your ankle/calf. It's still wet slide season up high big time. Have fun and take pictures!


The following were all on 12's.
Earlier this winter:





A couple summers ago on mixed limestone/alpine in the Bridgers:



Absoroka's:



Rainier:



Gannett:



Hyalite:

[img]https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/23653_568889289579_4022712_n.jpg[/img]

Google is your huckleberry.

SnowyMountaineer-
What is the avalanche situation like this year now?

Anywhere in particular? In general we are getting rain/slush on top of a week or two of sunny melt-freeze.

Just wondering in general. Did your area have normal snow this winter?

140-170% over the rolling 30 year average, depending on the snotel site.

That's what I was thinking, and caused me to wonder if there was still avalanche danger. Thanks.

Thanks Mountaineer, awesome pics! We won't be doing anything that extreme, but depending on what we decide to try there could definitely be some exposure/fall risk (Crestone Peak or Needle in Colorado). I will give one of the 12 points a try. I think I saw the trail pro on sale at Prolite...

Aside from snow/glacier walking, the trail pro's are useful on steep, half-frozen turf and similar conditions you might find hunting or hiking. You can still french technique w/ them but without real frontpoints you obviously have to avoid front-pointing.

SM- Have you used the Kahtoola KTS? If so, how would you compare them to the Hillsound? I've not done much in snow/ice, but have busted my butt more times than I care too on wet beargrass and the like on steep side hills. Looking for something to keep in the pack for those types of situations.

My pard's used the KTS and likes them, but was curious at other options. He sent his in to get a strap repaired and they had enough wear that Kahtoola wanted to keep them and sent him a new pair! Two years of pretty heavy use in the Frank Church wore the points to nubs.

I tried both with my footwear and actually kept the KTS. They are both good for the intended purpose, but for me the KTS binding worked better with trail runner type shoes/boots than the Kahtoola binding. Also, the trail pro front points stick out kinda far for hiking use in my opinion--the KTS points are oriented downward. Fronts get caught on stuff easily, and if you really need frontpoints then you should probably to step up to a general crampon anyway. Trail pros are a lot cheaper, which is worth something.

I also compared the Kahtoola microspikes and the Hillsound trail. I picked the hillsound trail because...they were on sale. They do have a little more underfoot structure and a sorta "power-strap" that I prefer over the microspike design.

If I was only going to have one it'd probably be the Hillsound Trail, partially because they're less than half the price of the KTS.

Ed has tried about all of them I bet, he should have some good input.

Thanks! In theory, the HS Trail or microspikes should work for what I want. That said, the fire folks at my old job had the microspikes and nearly everyone had a failure. The eyelet holding the chain to the binding tore. The new models look better...

I definitely don't want front points! I borrowed a pair of crampons to help a buddy with Nov mountain goat hunt in ID. They worked splendidly on top! Coming down, where there started to be some brush sticking above the snow, not so good. I face planted with a pack full of goat meat more times than I care to remember. That said, I wouldn't have gotten around on top without them...