Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Microspikes and Crampons Suggestions

Yeah, ED...that would let you cackle back to your hen house.

SherrifJoe, have you ever been on a steep hillside, with wet beargrass or even mud and fell on your ass, scrambling to grab something, anything, to stop sliding downhill? "Real" crampons as you put it would work, but you'll be tripping over every log or rock you try to step over due to the overkill spikes and especially the ones on the toe. BTDT. They're great for walking up steep snowdrifts, but they're an absolute detriment for about anything else.

Mildly aggressive crampons, and even the microspikes work well for what the OP wants. They're not just for ice. I use steel Kahoola K10s, and think they're worth every penny when conditions dictate. Hell, just three weeks ago when getting a small bear out in Wyoming, I forgot to put my K10s in my pack as I left town, and ended up shooting the bear in a north/northwest facing avalanche chute with snowmelt water making everything into a mucky mess. I was absolutely wishing I had my not "real", K10s with me.

Speaking of that, I still need to scrub off the mud that got caked onto my rifle after falling on my ass a couple of times.

There are two answers to this.

1) SJ's answer, No he is so awesome and experienced he doesn't fall.

2) The real world answer, No because he is couch bound

Either way the answer is NO!

This old lady began alpine climbing in 1976. I got nostalgic thinking about it, so rooted around my gear closet and dug out my Salewa crampons and ice axe from that year. They're old and outdated but still serviceable. They got replaced within a year with better gear, but I still smile and think of the memories of those early climbs. I've still got my fiberglass Chouinard circa 1980 axe. When I met Yvon Chouinard a couple of years ago and told him I still had my axe and Great Pacific Iron Works Super Gaiters (circa 1976) he thought there was no way I was old enough to own those pieces... chalk it up to good genetics

On the vast majority of sheep/goat hunts microspikes are exactly what is wanted (and the aforementioned BD Whippet or BD Raven axe - which is what I use). And even then, they'll likely not get used. Packing crampons is utter foolishness... especially if you're unaccustomed to using them.

This is all fun and games, but it's sad running across someone who's entire self worth is wrapped up in it...

Awesome!

I love my circa. 2018 Salewa Mountain Trainers.

Salewa is good chit

Do the Chainsen Lights have any adjustability? I'm right on the borderline between sizes--would you order up or down?

DD, what boot size are you?

You guys make me feel old, I was guided up the Engleberg in Switzerland in about 1960. Flexible cramps attached to leather lace up ski boots and a straight picked ice axe. I have been hooked ever since. Chouinard was an enabler, wrote Climbing Ice, sold the 1st curved pick ice tools and rigid crampons and changed everything.

Someone will be along shortly to inform us that Yvon is the Debbil.


mike r

Nice.

I didn't get to Switzerland until 1977... been back 1/2 a dozen times since.

But I'm just a young girl using my mom's computer

Nonsense from a Montana guy who lives in an area with the biggest hill is 100 feet high, the biggest game is a rabbit or once in awhile a coyote. You don't know what you are talking about and always will NOT know what you are talking about. You are a flatlander.

No doubt you are one stupid son of a bitch!

But we have some big dark rabbits!


Only 50 foot hills here!

Had a feeling you are woman. That's great and am glad you have some experience in the mountains.

What I've noticed here is that many of the posters have an animus and resentment to those that have more experience and/or knowledge than themselves. They feel it is imperative to attempt to silence those that ACTUALLY know more or EXPERIENCE more than they.

When it comes to mountains readers can disagree with me, but don't expect me to kowtow to nonsense or deliberate stupidity. Vituperous comments and disparagement may make you feel good, but educates no one. Even though I am a trained avalanche forecaster and a very experienced climber of alpine and waterfall ice in the Pacific Northwest, I would defer to someone like Smokepole and others in the Inter Mountain region if he was a trail companion. Might not really like the guy, but would "consider" his local knowledge and local experience until I evaluated their abilities.

If you consider yourself a mountain "traveler" then you must know when to use crampons, trekking poles, ice ax, ice tools and anchors or belays. Entrusting your safety to the dubious performance of micro so-called "spikes" is not the best option. Poles and correct technique traversing or TRAINED ice ax technique is the safer option. Stow the weapons and concentrate on the slope. Once you slip...you BETTER KNOW how to arrest your fall.

Brad, come to the Pacific Northwest's North Cascades...especially the peaks near the Canadian Border region. See what you can do.

Will disregard any nonsense from those that don't know what the hell they're talking about, but shall refrain from responding angrily.

Right now am too damn busy in the Southwest!

Hey, MCH...can you teach me how to keep that spike looking so brand new?

That's a skill I'll have to defer...to you.

More verbal diarrhea out of you. Who would ever have guessed it?

So much anger...not presaging a long life.


BTW, how DO YOU keep that ice ax looking so new??

No anger at all. Actually I laugh my a_s off at your stupidity. Keep trying though.

My god, the OP isn't asking about advice or equipment to take his kids to climb Everest or ice falls, nor is he asking about anchors or belays for rappelling. I've tied myself off to trees to recover mountain goats, but never bear and certainly never rappelled for one.

Gear suitable for that kind of thing is total overkill in both weight and utility for bear hunting on wet, grassy hillsides. A blow up doll would be more useful than that kind of gear....

Not that there's anything wrong with packing one of those along....