full crampon question

[Adk_dib]

last year I purchased a set of instep crampons (becouse I was to cheap to spend twice as much on full crampons). Using them I found out they were good for going downhill becouse your heals were dug in. Problem was on the way up I had no grip onmy toes. Want to purchase full crampons but I was told you need stiff or rigid boot souls for these. I was hoping to use my rubber souled hiking boots, the same ones I use in the summer. Can I use these or not?

 

[Mad Townie]

Depends on how stiff your boots are and whether you buy rigid or hinged crampons. The hinged ones are more forgiving, but they still won't stay on if your boots are pretty flexible. Heavy leather boots will take crampons pretty well. Some of the more recent ones will have a green dot in the Vibram sole telling you they'll take crampons.

BTW, really stiff soled boots will take either hinged or rigid, ladder frame crampons.

 

[Neil]

I worried about this exact same question last year and found that the full crampons (mine are Grivels) work fine on just about any boot you'd care to attach them to. What I found out though was that if you have a flexible sole (ie. no shank) your calves, ankles and feet will work very hard on steep uphills - just the type of terrain where you want the crampons most.
I have seen instep crampons in action (on Noonmark) and they were worse than useless for the people using them. Maybe they didn't know how to make them work - I don't know.

 

[prino]

Canadian Tire!!!!

I found a GREAT set of rubber pull-on Toe crampons from Canadian Tire ($15 can.)last winter. They are perfect for uphill and flat but care needed going down.
I used them on the Carters at the winter gathering weekend and they worked very well for the conditions that existed that day.

Unfortunately I gave them to my brother-in law as a gift and when I went back to the store they had sold out.....I'll be back looking for another pair this fall.

I would hasten to add that they would not be the perfect tool in all conditions. A full set of 10 or 12 pointers is the only way when steep sheer ice is encountered.

-Phil

 

[linehant]

>> I was hoping to use my rubber souled hiking boots, the same ones I use in the summer. Can I use these or not? <<

Yes, there are crampons that will work with "regular" hiking boots.

You're looking for "full strap" crampons - something like this:

http://www.rei.com/online/store/Pro...72&parent_category_rn=4500684&vcat=REI_SEARCH

or this:

http://www.rei.com/online/store/Pro...59&parent_category_rn=4500684&vcat=REI_SEARCH


"Step-in" or "crampomatic" / "newmatic" crampons, which require certain structures on the boot sole to work correctly, will NOT work on "regular" hiking boots. Products similar to this:

http://www.rei.com/online/store/Pro...79&parent_category_rn=4500684&vcat=REI_SEARCH.

will NOT work. You need straps at both the toe and the heel (no wire bail in the front; no lever-thingie at the heel).

The above examples aren't meant to promote or discourage any particular mfgr/model of crampon; they're just examples.

Take your boots with you when you go shopping for crampons and have the salesgal attach the product to your boot to make SURE the fit is okay.

In theory, a crampon should fit securely to the boot sole; the straps hold the thing in place. The reality is that there is almost always some "play" in the fit. As long as you will NOT be doing any serious climbing, a wee bit of looseness is acceptable.

 

[DougPaul]

Instep crampons are intended as a light-weight just-in-case tool, not a substitute for full crampons.

To get the best traction from an instep crampon, one must walk flat-footed on the ice. Not conducive to breaking speed records.

Doug

 

[RGF1]

Instep crampons are intended as a light-weight just-in-case tool, not a substitute for full crampons.

To get the best traction from an instep crampon, one must walk flat-footed on the ice. Not conducive to breaking speed records.

Doug

Doug Paul is right. A set of either 12 or 10 point crampons are really the best thing to have for winter travel . You will need a stiff soled boot to use them .Using Crampons with a more flexible sole some call it" soft " can cause the crampon to break.
Most plastic double boots accept "step in " they are not the only work with boots ment for then meaning they have to be made for them with a toe and ankle bail . Also you have to be able to clamp the Ankle bail and hinge to the boot . .
I have both plastic double boots and somewhat lighter weight leather boots that accept them I also have added staps to my Crampons as I do not fully trust the "step in" crampons. the bindings can and do "pop" off/. Ithis has cause the death of mopre than one cliber in the Himalaya.
Unless you are doing some serious Ice climbing you really do not need more than a 12 piont crampon.
One thing that might not have been mentioned is that many ice climbing crampons often ball up with snow in midler temps and in the spring this can be dangerous as you no lnger have any traction. you can fall and become seriously injured. or worse depending on where you are. A pair of mountaineering crampons is what you are looking for. Grivel . Black Diamond and Charlet Moser make some very good crampons there are also other s Those are just the brands I am familair with.

 

[Chip]

You won't be able to use "step-in" type bindings on your crampon, they require the little lip thingies on the toe and heel. but there are bindings and crampon styles that will work with regular boots, even soft ones.
The Grivel G10 is billed as "the snowboarders crampon" which I guess refers to it's ability to be attached to snow boarding type boots. So there may be a full semi-rigid crampon that is appropriate.

 

[BrentD22]

G10's

I love my G-10's and I figure they would fit and feel good on almost any rubber soled summer boot (leather). I used my G-10's on a pair of Merrel Winteras.

Good luck with your shopping!

 

[TCD]

I have a pair of hinged crampons by Camp (I think I got them from Campmor. They are flexible, and attach with straps. I wear them with totally sof tboots (Sorel Pac Boots), and they stay on with no problem. Insteps really aren't worth carrying, as they are practially useless, and for a few extra ounces you can carry real crampons.

 

[Chip]

there's a pair of G10's on ebay this morning, auction ends this afternoon, that might sell at a reasonable price.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Never-Been-Used...236843281QQcategoryZ21232QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

they aren't mine, I have no interests here, I'm looking for g12's

 

[Oldsmores]

My BD Contacts work great on my regular boots.

 

[John S]

There’s some useful info on flexible vs. rigid crampons here and here. Also, I agree that bringing your boots is a very good idea when shopping for crampons.

 

[crazymama]

I have Grivel G10 New Classics which I use with my plain old leather hiking boots. I LOVE them. People get tired of hearing me say that I love my crampons. They work perfectly with regular hiking boots.

I was on that Noonmark hike with Neil last winter and lent my G10s to one of the less experienced hikers, while I tried to make do with the insteps. The insteps were useless in that particular situation (walking up steep glare ice). Neil and his wife very graciously lent us their full crampons while they continued on with their awesome MSR snowshoes.

I too had bought the insteps a few years ago, trying to save some money. However, now that I have used both, I would advise anyone to go ahead and get the full crampons. The ease of use, and effectiveness make them well worth the money. Plus they might save your life.

 

[Neil]

I too had bought the insteps a few years ago, trying to save some money. However, now that I have used both, I would advise anyone to go ahead and get the full crampons. The ease of use, and effectiveness make them well worth the money. Plus they might save your life.

You know what they say, "Buy nice or buy twice"!

 

[Periwinkle]

I used Grivel G10's on my "regular" hiking boots (Lowa Scouts, a full leather Vibram soled boot). The only issue was the initial fit: a rivet had to be removed and replaced to get them to fit my women's size 6 boots. Other than that, they've worked very well.

I do keep instep crampons in my pack in the shoulder seasons, just in case.

 

[Suebiscuit]

Grivel also makes an optional "flex bar" (around $15) which, well, is a flexible metal bar that can be swapped with the rigid bar. I find walking for a period of time on crampons with a rigid bar is very tiring (may cause rubbing at the back of the boot, too) even in stiff soled boots, since you don't "rock" as you should...

Sue