How to carry crampons

pwsINC

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How are you guys carrying crampons on backpack hunt?

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South island new zealand. Fly in public land, western side of mountain range. Tahr and chamois. Since its fly in I'd like to bring them. From what I understand in June weather can change quickly in alpine there so it seemed wise to bring them from the individuals I knew that had tried it

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406

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When I climbed I had a pretty beefy side pocket/pull out made by Lowe. I believe it had a Kevlar layer or something so no punctures... Well, less punctures any way. I ended up just rolling that bag inside half a blue closed cell pad which I usually brought anyway for a sit/gear pad.

You bringing an axe/ice tools? Are you up to speed on crevasse self rescue? Bringing rope, hardware, possible leave gear?

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I've never carried them hunting, but I've used them some on a couple mountains hiking/climbing. I always carry them in a crampon bag, on the outside of the pack dangling off one side. You don't want to strap them down to tight or you will puncture everything they touch.


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SMC capra axe. I hope to not have anything aggressive enough to need tools. Climbing I am certainly novice. Though I am going with someone that guides in New Zealand.

More than happy to review any literature you might suggest.

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I've never carried them hunting, but I've used them some on a couple mountains hiking/climbing. I always carry them in a crampon bag, on the outside of the pack dangling off one side. You don't want to strap them down to tight or you will puncture everything they touch.


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This was my concern. Figured alot of people on here have experience packing them.

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This was my concern. Figured alot of people on here have experience packing them.

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A lot of guys who use them a lot, just strap them on the outside of their pack spikes out, especially if they are doing a lot of mixed climbing. I don't do this anymore as I ruined a brand new pair of rain pants because I forgot about them, swung my pack off and destroyed the right leg of my pants.


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Poser

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I'd use a crampon bag. FYI: This protocol may have changed in the last 15 years, but back when I was Alpine climbing, mixing inflatable pads within the proximity of crampons and ice tools was considered a "no-no" of alpinism, so climbers used closed cell foam pads. One wrong placement of your crampons and you have an unrepairable gash in your pad.


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406

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SMC capra axe. I hope to not have anything aggressive enough to need tools. Climbing I am certainly novice. Though I am going with someone that guides in New Zealand.

More than happy to review any literature you might suggest.

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Be sure you practice self arrest several times before you get yourself into the shit. First with out the pack on something with a good run out, eventually doing it with your pack filled to a working load. It's a whole different game trying to flip over with a heavy pack while not ripping your own guts out with an ice tool and talons on your feet.

Just like anything else, it's a skill that needs to be developed and relentlessly practiced when your doing things that can kill you.

Sounds like an awesome hunt

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Be sure you practice self arrest several times before you get yourself into the shit. First with out the pack on something with a good run out, eventually doing it with your pack filled to a working load. It's a whole different game trying to flip over with a heavy pack while not ripping your own guts out with an ice tool and talons on your feet.

Just like anything else, it's a skill that needs to be developed and relentlessly practiced when your doing things that can kill you.

Sounds like an awesome hunt

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Thanks for the tips. I had never attempted arrest with pack full of hunting gear. Had been advised to attempt this beforehand. Thanks for the information. Will do.

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406

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"More than happy to review any literature you might suggest."

I've been out of the serious climbing world for a while but 'back in my day' Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills published by The Mountaineers was the Bible. And for the fast & light crowd Extreme Alpinism by Mark Twight.
I have both still on my book shelf.

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Poser

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"More than happy to review any literature you might suggest."

I've been out of the serious climbing world for a while but 'back in my day' Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills published by The Mountaineers was the Bible. And for the fast & light crowd Extreme Alpinism by Mark Twight.
I have both still on my book shelf.

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I still have a copy of Extreme Alpinism as well. That book was a game changer. I'm sure it's been updated since then, but I can only imagine that the updates deal with lighter gear. I still remember the horror some my partners experienced when I switched to rappelling off of a overhand knot after reading that book
 

406

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Game changer indeed, definitely inspired. Stove mods were especially sketchy.



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Muttly

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Crampon bag, or find a good sturdy cordura zip top you can drop em in, then some where easily accessable in or on the pack. Boots with good ankle support, so there,s less chance of rolling an ankle....and good trekking poles are pretty handy...make it a lot easier to keep your baance..
 
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Crampon bag, or find a good sturdy cordura zip top you can drop em in, then some where easily accessable in or on the pack. Boots with good ankle support, so there,s less chance of rolling an ankle....and good trekking poles are pretty handy...make it a lot easier to keep your baance..
I have been using lowa tibets but I've got the new Lathrop and Sons boot im planning on using this season.

Trekking poles definitely. I Had been looking at the crampons bags. Seems most are similar enough no one has any particular brand preference?

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406

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Honestly... A cheap bag or old pull out, lined with closed cell foam. No reason to spend money on a kifaru ultra bro bag that'll 100% get wrecked at some point. That's my advice from years as as climber/mountaineer. As noted above, we always used to just hang them from our pack. I wanted to hear them jingle back there, let me know I still had em.

Hunting, not so much. Even a tough pouch will still rattle. Figure out a way to wrap them so they're quiet and strap them outside your pack so they're easier to get to.

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I've used crampons for hundreds of days.
Always just strapped them to the back side of my pack, with the points toward each other.
Crampon bags are too heavy.
 

PhatSki

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when I am worried about weight but still need to carry crampons I really like the aluminum ones like the Black Diamond Neve's. They are not nearly as good as my steel Sabertooths but they will suffice for the times you will need them. My Black Diamond crampon pouch only weighs 5 ounces so well worth having that to carry my crampons. The aluminum crampons are also not nearly as sharp as the steel ones as well. I would caution against carrying them on the outside of your pack with points facing out. Thats a good way to stick yourself or someone else.
 

ozyclint

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I made a bag out of canvas with velco closure and two 3bar sliders to allow attachment like a kifaru belt pouch on the side of my kifaru pack. I shorten each crampon by sliding the rear part on the link bar and then nest the pair with the spikes facing each other. Makes for a compact and safe carry. Never had a spike go through the bag.
 
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