Hillsound Trail Pro

[Maddy]

You do need an allen wrench to adjust the length. Thus far I have never had to use it on the trail, as I set the length tightly before heading out - but it is one more piece of auxiliary gear to keep track of..

I wore mine again yesterday and the bar on my left foot moved out a bit. I brought them back to Adventure Outfitters and the sales person was great about adjusting them and really tightening them up for me. He was big dude so I don't think this will happen again.
I don't think the woman or myself have enough arm strength to really set .He told me I could use "lock tight" if it keeps happening,(the permanent kind), but he doubts that it will.
Highly recommend carrying the allen wrench.
"Don't leave home without it!"
...but I still really love them!

 

[Maddy]

You do need an allen wrench to adjust the length. Thus far I have never had to use it on the trail, as I set the length tightly before heading out - but it is one more piece of auxiliary gear to keep track of..

I wore mine again yesterday and the bar on my left foot moved out a bit. I brought them back to Adventure Outfitters and the sales person was great about adjusting them and really tightening them up for me. He was big dude so I don't think this will happen again.
I don't think the woman or myself have enough arm strength to really set the screw. He told me I could use "lock tight" if it keeps happening,(the permanent kind), but he doubts that it will.
Highly recommend carrying the allen wrench.
"Don't leave home without it!"
...but I still really love them!

 

[una_dogger]

We had a similar issue the first two times I wore mine - as it turned out we were adjusting them incorrectly / but in both cases the bindings alone kept them snug.

 

[erugs]

We had a similar issue the first two times I wore mine - as it turned out we were adjusting them incorrectly / but in both cases the bindings alone kept them snug.

What were you doing wrong, and what should be done?

 

[MichaelJ]

We should have adjusted them at home inside, before we left.

What was happening was that as I would squeeze the crampon on her boot to the correct length, the tongue (the metal piece that connects the two halves) would slide a little. This meant that after tightening everything down, that tongue had some leeway and would slide back out, leaving the crampon loose again.

It's very important to make sure that the tongue is fully extended when adjusting the length of these (or any other) crampon.

 

[Maddy]

I noticed the the salesperson at Adv. Outfitters adjusted them differently that I did. I had them out a little too far but the screw really needed much more tightening. I just don't have that kind of "brute" strength!

 

[erugs]

I wonder if anyone has considered the need to carry an extra screw for the Hillsounds, just in case it comes out during a hike.

 

[Maddy]

I wonder if anyone has considered the need to carry an extra screw for the Hillsounds, just in case it comes out during a hike.

Never thought of doing that but it's a great idea!
Have been using mine daily! They have been holding steady since the big guys at AO tightened them up.

 

[DaveSunRa]

One of mine crampon pair was loose. So when I went to tighten the bolt snapped. I returned to EMS an opted instead for a pair of Camp crampons. Not as easy to put on. However, the fix to boot is much better and the attachment to the boot is boom proof.

 

[Peakbagr]

Maddy,

You can buy 3 types of Loctite. With different degrees of 'permancies'. From almost impossible to loosen to one that is easily tool adjustable.
Also, there are some locknuts with plastic inserts that are much less likely to creep.

 

[Maddy]

Maddy,

You can buy 3 types of Loctite. With different degrees of 'permancies'. From almost impossible to loosen to one that is easily tool adjustable.
Also, there are some locknuts with plastic inserts that are much less likely to creep.

Great info. Will look into this. Thanks.

 

[Lefty E]

I've used my pro crampons quite a few times this season and have not even bothered to tighten the nut..I've just put them on and the straps have kept them from slipping..guess this is similar to una dogger's post but so far it has worked for me...

 

[erugs]

My new Hillsound Pro crampons have broken. The break is on the right inside heel, just above the joint, for the part that goes around the back of my boot. I noticed it on Saturday morning, as we were starting up the Mt. Garfield Trail. While I was able to make a trailside repair that worked for the entire day, it made me think about what might have happened. I'm not sure which of the two major hikes I've done might have been when they broke (Moosilauke or Osceolas) but I do remember thinking that the right foot seemed "squirrely" byt they might have been broken then and I hadn't noticed.

The other issue I found was that I had cranked down on them to keep them on my boots, but perhaps cranked too much. The front part might have cut off some circulation in my toes, which could be why they felt/were so cold. (I was using my Cabellas.)

 

[erugs]

A picture showing the breaking point.

 

[ColdRiverRun]

My new Hillsound Pro crampons have broken. The break is on the right inside heel, just above the joint, for the part that goes around the back of my boot.

I just returned mine yesterday for the same break, except mine was the left inside heel. I did a lot of climbing post break and they stayed together with just the other strap above it holding it on. EMS took the return and gave me my cash back and said it was the first return on them they have had this season. I don't think that EMS (Albany) had originally purchased that many in the first place though. They also said they picked up that version after a bunch of breaks on the regular Hillsound crampon (microspike like).

 

[erugs]

I went to EMS after work tonight and the manager told me that in the three years they have been selling them they have not seen this problem. I am in there on a regular basis and trust what they tell me. I came home with a replacement (and a few other things).

 

[BobC]

Just ordered a pair of these at Kitterytradingpost.com. They're having a President's Day Sale until 2/24/12 (enter promotion code PREZ12 at checkout) with free shipping or the option to pick them up at the store. Total price after discount and with Maine state sales tax = $50.39.

 

[Mac]

Maddy,

You can buy 3 types of Loctite. With different degrees of 'permancies'. From almost impossible to loosen to one that is easily tool adjustable.
Also, there are some locknuts with plastic inserts that are much less likely to creep.

I used to use the "easily tool adjustable" type with my rugby boots, & it worked just fine.

 

[erugs]

I used to use the "easily tool adjustable" type with my rugby boots, & it worked just fine.

I've used the tool to tighten, and later to check that it remained tight. Both times the handy tool slipped and I cut my fingers on the sharp Hillsound crampons. But that's the cost of checking, right?

 

[Scotzman]

Only info I can relate is second hand and that is...the microspike version people like the more aggresive teeth; the light crampon version my roomate and his gf have, and on either the first or second time using (this past weekend in the dacks) the ratchet that tightens and holds the strap broke. That would be my biggest concern with them, is that the ratchet, while pretty handy, seems not as durable as the traditional 2 ring tightening system on full crampons.