Snowshoe Crampon Protectors

[likeitsteep]

has anyone devised a way to protect their backpack from snowshoe crampons? I recently bought some industrial strength outdoor vinyl and was thinking of a way to create a cover of sorts for the crampons. i know some might suggest flipping the snowshoes around so that the shoes are facing (crampon side) out from the pack, but i have tubbs altitudes and the binding is too bulky to do this. the shoes would not be flush against the pack by any means. i can't seem to find any company that makes anything like this. any suggestions would be much appreciated. thanks.

 

[Oldmanwinter]

Personally I don't use any protection but I saw a guy on the trail this past weekend who was using an old blue ground pad cut to size, one for each shoe. He was using them on MSR's, might be a little more difficult on your Tubbs (the crampons are so much larger).
OMW

 

[jessbee]

There are snowshoe bags on the market but I don't know how obnoxious one of those would be to strap on to your pack. I have Tubbs Altitudes also, and mine fit very well on my pack with crampons facing out. The bindings look bulky but fold open easily. I have the Bear Claw bindings though, not sure what yours are.

 

[likeitsteep]

yeah. i have the bear claw bindings as well. do you mount them on the sides with the binding at the top? or do you mount them on the back somehow?

 

[Trout]

I just use an old towel and wrap it around the points.

 

[MadRiver]

I also have the Tubbs Altitudes and here is what I do. My overnight pack, which I generally use in the winter, is a Kelty Redcloud. I can fit the heel strap of the Tubbs under the side pockets with the rest of the binding remaining open on each side of the pack. That way the cleats of the shoes are pointing outward. The tail of the shoes fit nicely within the mesh pockets that are below the side pockets. I then take the cinch straps and thread them through the toe opening of the shoes, which secures them to the pack. I then fasten my crampons, which are tied together with the cleats pointing inward, to the top of my pack.

 

[jessbee]

yeah. i have the bear claw bindings as well. do you mount them on the sides with the binding at the top? or do you mount them on the back somehow?

On the back, one stacked on top of the other. My pack is well designed, I think. This is the best picture I could find, courtesy of Dr Wu's webshots page. I have a mesh-like cover thing that I slip the bottom of the shoes behind and I tuck the tops of the shoes underneath the top compartment (if that makes sense). I figured it out at home before I had to fumble around in the cold, on the trail.

 

[Tom Rankin]

On the back, one stacked on top of the other. My pack is well designed, I think. This is the best picture I could find, courtesy of Dr Wu's webshots page. I have a mesh-like cover thing that I slip the bottom of the shoes behind and I tuck the tops of the shoes underneath the top compartment (if that makes sense). I figured it out at home before I had to fumble around in the cold, on the trail.

There are at least 4 ways I've seen to carry shoes:

- Both facing out
- Both facing in
- Facing each other - this 'hides' the crampons the best
- Strapped to the sides

I'm sure there are others...

 

[John H Swanson]

I put mine on the back of my pack with the claws facing out. The pack is designed for the shoes to be carried this way. The pack has double material along the back with the outer material being abrasion resistant for this reason.

 

[Jay H]

I actually face my snowshoes crampon sides in and then on my Dakine Guide pack, use the snowboard carrier straps on the shoes. The bindings on my Sherpas face outward then. The only drawback here is that the tips face out too, so if you're bushwacking, the tops may catch on trees. However, chances, are if you are bushwacking, you may be wearing the snowshoes and the point is moot.

If you're looking for material to use to protect them, you can probably rig up something quite good out of old MTB tires, just cut up the old tires and rig a way to cover the crampons on them.

Jay

 

[Kevin]

You can run down to the hardware store, and get some heavy duty vinyl tubing pretty cheap, usually sold by the foot;you will only really need about a foot. Take it home, cut the tube in half, then slice the tube on one side. That way you can then slide the now cut tube over the teeth. You can then poke a hole through the tubing so you can use a piece of cording to string both of the covers together so you don't lose them.

Then you can use any means to attach your shoes to your bag, I use velco straps on the daisy chains on most of my bags. The other way I can attach them is under the floating lid; which is more awkward. The best thing is to face the cleats togther, at least from my experience.

I know the local store has a great selection, I have modified a bunch of aid climbing gear over the years by using the tubing to protect gear or stiffen webbing for aiders and gear slings.

Catch you later...
Kevin

 

[dvbl]

Personally I don't use any protection but I saw a guy on the trail this past weekend who was using an old blue ground pad cut to size, one for each shoe. He was using them on MSR's, might be a little more difficult on your Tubbs (the crampons are so much larger).
OMW

Hi OMW. If you were on Pierce/Eisenhower Saturday, that might've been me that you saw. I use the same blue foam pad for my crampons, then bungee them together (points facing each other) so they can go safely in my pack. I think I got about a 5-foot roll of it at Benny's for about $5. It doubles as an insulated seat during snack breaks and summit breaks.

 

[Remix]

Atlas makes a strap set joined with large flexible plastic patch. Its not to protect the crampons, its to protect whatever the crampons would have been rubbing against.

It comes standard on the 12 series. Maybe you can buy it as a spare part.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I made my own protection which not only keeps my Tubbs Viprer crampons safer but also holds the crampons snugly together. Take a 12"x12" piece of Cordura 1000d cloth, sew 12" nylon webbing (either 1/2" or 3/4") on each corner, and put clips on the ends. Secure this around the snowshoes and stuff them in your pack (beavertail, whatever).

The full bags that Tubbs sells might be OK for storage, but they're too heavy for trail use. They'd also promote rust/mold/corrosion if the the snowshoes aren't completely dry when placed in the bag.

 

[whcobbs]

snowshoe crampon protection -- duct tape

has anyone devised a way to protect their backpack from snowshoe crampons? .

Recently I traveled by Greyhound to a winter AT hike in MA. I didn't want to be bothered with a snowshoe bag, so I just duct taped the crampons on my snowshoes as they were lashed to the back of my pack. When I started the snowshoe portion of the hike, the duct tape wouldn't peel off (single digits F), so I just 'shoed with the tape on and the teeth soon bit through, providing good traction over icy rocks covered with snow, e.g., the Ledges N of Great Barrington. This is a simple, cheap, and light solution.
Walt

 

[HighHorse]

anybody have a pack with an integrated crampon compartment?

not trying to thread-jack, but it's related...
there are quite a few of them out there.

 

[DougPaul]

anybody have a pack with an integrated crampon compartment?

There are crampon bags/pockets. eg
http://www.rei.com/online/store/Sea...gId=-1&storeId=8000&query=crampon+bag&x=0&y=0
might be more versitile.

As for snowshoe crampons, I just carry my snowshoes bottom-to-bottom or crampon out.

Doug