Crampons

Joined
Jul 31, 2016
Messages
732
Location
Washington
I was in a situation last weekend where I would have sold my soul for a set of crampons.
Unfortunately i know very little about them and how they can apply towards hunting situations.
Like:
Can you use them on huckleberry slopes even when there is no snow?
Any input is appreciated.


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Joined
Feb 20, 2014
Messages
1,043
Location
Southwest Colorado
1) not very good for long distances in anything other than snow and ice. Steel crampon are a little more rugged and can be taken off the ice for a little longer but you will ruin a pair of light weight (titanium?) crampons in no time.

2) There are a few styles of attachment, the best being automatic (locking bales give you a positive attachment to your boot) I have had terrible luck with any other style and trying to get them to stay on a boot. You have to have special mountaineering style boots with to and heel welts for automatic crampons to attach.

3) be careful they will tear your pants up.
 
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
Messages
682
Location
North Idaho
Hands down, the best way to go about it, is to send a pair of boots into Hoffman's and have them corked. (spelled caulk, but pronounced cork, don't ask me why)

No sticks to run through anything and get hung up, nothing to rip off or break. They can be replaced with either tool steel or carbide. The carbide last much longer but aren't as sharp as the steel. The needle sharp steel tips are kind of pain in the butt because lots of stuff sticks to them, so I suggest the carbide.

The downside, don't step on your own feet and don't catch your pant legs.

The upside, you never slip and fall again and they don't come off.

As far as how much noise they make, I had a guy in camp one morning claimed I wouldn't be able to sneak up on anything, I snuck up on him two days later and scared the hell out of him. :)
 
Joined
Jun 14, 2016
Messages
88
Tagging along. I often find myself looking for more traction in the steep wet country of the pacific northwest


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Boreal

WKR
Joined
Nov 11, 2013
Messages
356
Location
Anchorage, AK
For those times when extra traction is needed, but not a full set of mountaineering crampons, I like the microspikes (Home - Kahtoola). These are more than ice grippers you'd use walking around downtown Anchorage, and perfect for hiking slippery slopes on Kodiak. Small enough to throw in your backpack just in case.


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Fjelljeger

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 4, 2014
Messages
275
Location
Alaska
+1 for the micro spikes. I use them on ice, snow, muddy slick areas and fall down the slope wet grass. I don’t put on crampons until either doing glacier travel or steep hard snow slopes. Generally if I feel the need for crampons I also feel the need for an ice axe and normally then a rope. The micro spikes are great for everything else.
 

ozyclint

WKR
Joined
Apr 27, 2012
Messages
1,745
Location
Queensland, Downunder
Tagging along. I often find myself looking for more traction in the steep wet country of the pacific northwest


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i've used crampons in what i imagine would be conditions you speak of. wet, steep, temperate rain forest with slimy decaying leaf litter etc on the west coast of new zealand while tahr hunting. in certain situations they were just as useful in the bush as they are in ice and snow.
 
Joined
Apr 1, 2016
Messages
302
+1 for the micro spikes. I use them on ice, snow, muddy slick areas and fall down the slope wet grass. I don’t put on crampons until either doing glacier travel or steep hard snow slopes. Generally if I feel the need for crampons I also feel the need for an ice axe and normally then a rope. The micro spikes are great for everything else.

The problem is they seem to break on the steepest hills...


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frankrb3

WKR
Joined
May 10, 2016
Messages
529
Location
SW Montana
Ive been using the kahtoola microspikes for two seasons now, going into my third. They work really well 80% of the time. The other 20% of the time wet snow sticks to the metal chains when the temperature is still cold enough to cause freezing. This causes the wet snow to clump to the chains making for a very annoying situation. When this happens I just take them off and go without them, but like I said it's only about 20% of the time. They work best in very cold conditions when everything is frozen and "dry".
 
Joined
Jan 8, 2016
Messages
990
Location
SW Idaho
I've used crampons a lot over the years and have used a few different styles. Fully automatic (meaning bails on heels and toes) are the most solid, but most boots that accept that style of crampon are 100% rigid soled designed for high angle mountain use. The next is semi auto which just has the heel clamp, these are great for general purpose as they stay on pretty well and get the job done on bad terrain. The last is the strap on kind which work with any boot but wont be as solid.

I've worn crampons while climbing and walking on non snow and ice terrain. While it does give you a lot of purchase they do pick up sticks and make getting over deadfall more precarious. Also, anytime I have crampons on I'm wearing Outdoor Research Croc gaitors... they are burly and save your expensive pants from getting nicked and torn by the crampons.

What type of boots do you have?
 

JP100

WKR
Joined
Dec 20, 2013
Messages
1,227
Location
South Island New Zealand
Crampons are great when used in the right situation. So are micro spikes. I have been playing around with 'Kold Kutters" this winter. Like a hex screw into your soles. They have been a bit hit and miss. Work amazing when in your boot, but seem to come out quite often. Worth a look I think
 
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