Four questions about crampons

[Fen]

I am looking for recommendations on which steel, 10-point crampons to get for winter peak-bagging while wearing my large, insulated (800g), non-plastic boots. The boots are about the size of Sorels, but stiffer in the sole and not double boots. They are women's size 8; I would discuss them in detail as they are warm and light, but Bean no longer has them on their website. I am 5'8" 130 lbs. before gear and generally lazy so I would like to minimize the amount of weight I carry on my feet.

I carry Stabilicers, so I'm omitting the Kahtoola from this round of gear purchases.

Therefore, my options include:

BD Contact Strap
Grivel G10
Petzl Irvis Flexlock​

My questions are:

1. When do you use the antibot/antibott/antisnow plates? Do you just leave them on all the time? Is one brand more effective?

2. The Petzls are the least expensive including antisnow plates, and the lightest. (One downside, not applicable in my case, is that they are too small for men's boots over 8.5, at least with the standard bar.) I haven't heard the Petzls mentioned on this board, or much elsewhere, though. Has anyone used the Petzls?

3. If I get the Grivels, do I need the wide?

4. Which pair should I get?

 

[Kevin Rooney]

BD Contact Strap
Grivel G10
Petzl Irvis Flexlock​

My questions are:

1. When do you use the antibot/antibott/antisnow plates? Do you just leave them on all the time? Is one brand more effective?

Antibots are used when the snow is sticky and clumps underfoot - this is usually in springtime. This is more of a problem in the West in late morning thru mid afternoon, where there are more likely to be broad, open snowfields. This is less of an issue in the East. I've not found one brand better than the other; and they're not particularly durable. I don't use them unless I expect conditions will really warrant them because they're not 100% effective in keeping snow from balling up.

2. The Petzls are the least expensive including antisnow plates, and the lightest. (One downside, not applicable in my case, is that they are too small for men's boots over 8.5, at least with the standard bar.) I haven't heard the Petzls mentioned on this board, or much elsewhere, though. Has anyone used the Petzls?

Both the Petzels and BD's are good crampons, but they're more aggressive than is needed in the east. The Grivels have blunter points, and as such you'll be less likely to rip gear (and flesh), but still work quite well in the mixed (.i.e. both rock & ice) conditions found in the East. Parts for them are readily available as well.

3. If I get the Grivels, do I need the wide?

Probably not, but always bring your boots to the store and have a knowledgeable person fit them.

4. Which pair should I get?

Grivels with New Classic binding.

 

[Lawn Sale]

I have a set of Petzl Ecrins I use for hiking, and with the standard bar they fit my size 11.5 men's 800g Danner boots.

I love them and have had nothing but great luck with them, and I'd buy another set if the price was right.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

(This is 100% hearsay -- no personal experience at all)

Every time this question comes up, the answer is "For peak bagging in the northeast, the Grivel G10 is your crampon".

See:

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14760&highlight=Grivel

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5546&highlight=Grivel

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=11142&highlight=Grivel

Tim

 

[TDawg]

I got the Grivel G10s last christmas as my first crampon and they were great, I'd go with those.

Not to hijack the thread, but do the Grivels need to be sharpened out of the box? My gut says no, and they seemed to work fine on the ice I encountered with the more blunt points as Kevin said. I am just concerned about encountering real hard ice where I might have wished I filed those suckers down to some sharp points.

 

[skidoc22]

I got the Grivel G10s last christmas as my first crampon and they were great, I'd go with those.
...do the Grivels need to be sharpened out of the box? ... I am just concerned about encountering real hard ice where I might have wished I filed those suckers down to some sharp points.

I agree that the strong point (not intended) of the G-10 is the lack of sharp points with which to perforate your achilles area. For the 99.8% of the time you will use them on NE hiking trails it will be of benefit. There is 0.2% or less of the time that it is not, ie., for front pointing a very icy steep ledge. All in all I personally would stick with the G-10 but you may need to sharpen them more frequently especially in seasons hich have a lot of exposed rock. Avoid a grinding wheel in favor of a hand file or you will overheat the points and this, in very technical engineering terms, is not good.

 

[UNFROZENCAVEMAN]

Another Option

You might consider the Kahtoola crampons as another option, I personally have never used them but Tim Seaver rates them pretty high...not that he's done much hiking

http://www.kahtoola.com/kts_steel.html#

 

[CaptCaper]

I got the Grivel G10s last christmas as my first crampon and they were great, I'd go with those.

Not to hijack the thread, but do the Grivels need to be sharpened out of the box? My gut says no, and they seemed to work fine on the ice I encountered with the more blunt points as Kevin said. I am just concerned about encountering real hard ice where I might have wished I filed those suckers down to some sharp points.

I've used G10s for years and never slipped with them. I usually "chip a grip" so to speak when on steep blue ice. I use poles too so they help.

I have G12's now and find they have a sharper point but the extra points get more in the way..

They have Wide ones too for large feet,boots...

 

[Peaks]

You might consider the Kahtoola crampons as another option, I personally have never used them but Tim Seaver rates them pretty high...not that he's done much hiking

http://www.kahtoola.com/kts_steel.html#

I haven't done much winter peak bagging, but I did by the Kahtolla crampons last year and thought they worked very well. (They made me feel like spiderman) But I don't have anything to compare them with.

 

[Lawn Sale]

For hiking you do not want them too sharp. They'll shred gaiters and leather Gore-Tex 800 gm Thinsulate Danner boots faster than you can imagine. Go ahead, ask...

And no, crampons do not need to be sharpened right out of the box.

 

[Mike P.]

I'd go with G-10s (I have 12's but have plastic boots & got them at a considerable savings) Bring your boots to the store to make sure they fit.

If people are buying boots, bring your crampons to make sure they fit your new boots

 

[MichaelJ]

I'm trying out a pair of the Grivel Air Tech Lite crampons this weekend and will report back on how well they perform. They are *light* wow.

I have them primarily because I suffered a crampon failure last weekend, needed a pair for this weekend, and they only had these or G12's available; no G10's. If they are inadequate to the task, I can return them. If they work well, then, they are *light* wow.

 

[sleeping bear]

I'm trying out a pair of the Grivel Air Tech Lite crampons this weekend and will report back on how well they perform. They are *light* wow.

I have them primarily because I suffered a crampon failure last weekend, needed a pair for this weekend, and they only had these or G12's available; no G10's. If they are inadequate to the task, I can return them. If they work well, then, they are *light* wow.

I've seen a pair of those get dull with not much use. The user was having a hard time on some ice near a summit (as in slipping ). I'd say they're potentially dangerous if not sharpened regularly. They're alluminum and the rest are steel.

 

[MichaelJ]

Thanks for the info! I figure that taking them up Fishin' Jimmy this weekend will be as good a test as any given the icy conditions, and I'll take a close look at them afterward to see how they did. If I'm not happy, I'm all about exchanging them for G10's.

Grivel doesn't overstate the Air Tech's - they do "rank" them under the G10 for classical or technical alpinism, and I wouldn't use them for anything super-serious (like, say, Abol Slide). For that I still have my Black Diamond Sabre Tooths.

I also get to try my new Stabilicers this weekend, but that's not what this thread is about.

 

[DougPaul]

Thanks for the info! I figure that taking them up Fishin' Jimmy this weekend will be as good a test as any given the icy conditions, and I'll take a close look at them afterward to see how they did. If I'm not happy, I'm all about exchanging them for G10's.

Mixed rock and ice, such as you are likely to find on Fishin Jimmy, is likely to destroy aluminum crampons.

Aluminum crampons are at their best on big snowfields with no rocks or ice.

Doug

 

[Bob Kittredge]

Beware that some crampons don't fit some boots. Your best bet is to take your winter boots to the store and have a knowledgible clerk show you how to fit the 'pons to your boots and actually put then on. These things are not always obvious, and some 'pons come with virtually no instructions.

 

[Double Bow]

I use the BD Contact and love 'em!

I used them right out of the box "Fall" '05 and they got a lot of use last winter. In fact, I am currently sharpening them with a bastard mill file as I slid on steep glaze ice late last winter!

That said, they grip well, are easy to put on and take off and I've not damaged my gaitors with them.

As far as antibots, I don't use 'em. The only time I had issue when they might have been useful was after getting them a little wet doing a crossing and then walking on snow. Easily remedied and not a reason to buy these things.

 

[Fen]

Locally, REI and EMS carry only the BD and Hilton's carries the Petzls. I have fit the BDs to my boots and they fit properly, but based on the accumulated wisdom of this board I'm going with the Grivels. Does anyone stock them in the Boston area?