Jump to content

Recommended Posts

I'm looking at crampons for general ski-mountaineering to be used with a mountaineering axe

No ice-climbing yet

Just steep snow or narrow ridges

Right now I have CharletMoser strap on crampons but fiddling with the straps gets tiring

 

So far I've come up with 5

 

Here they are

 

Grivel G10

prod_43_1.jpg

 

Grivel G12

prod_47_2.jpg

 

Petzl Irvis

Produit_Image_493.jpg

 

Blackdiamond Sabertooth Pro

sabretooth_step.jpg

 

Blackdiamond Sabertooth Clip

400602_sabretooth_clip.jpg

 

Anybody have any experience with any of these crampons???

Link to post
Share on other sites
 Quote:
Originally posted by Fattwins:
post that at tgr mate
I already searched over there and that's where I got the list
It's pretty much this is what I have you should own it as well

Just wondering if anybody has any experience with these crampons
Serre
db
Sanno
Link to post
Share on other sites

I have inherited my sister`s old G12s. They are the strap ones, but they are pretty good and durable. I have not used them that much, but my sister did about 5 winter`s worth of climbing on them in Scotland, two summers in the Alps, and a reasoanble amount of mountaineering and ice climbing on them in New Zealand and they are still in good shape. They work for ski touring, mountaineering and ice climbing at a low to mid level.

When I got them I had to sharpen the points, but that is all. Clip on would be nice as straps are a bit of a pain if the weather is really bad / cold.

I am not a crampon expert but hope that helps!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Toque - I have used the Grivel G10 'base' extensively. However my crampons are not step-in and have a wide plastic toe loop to accommodate snowboard boots. But the lower spiked heel and toe pieces are exactly the same. I use them because they are the only ones that I know of that suit a snowboard boot (straps, wide toe). As I said in my Mont Blanc post, they worked really well on the way to the summit and also in previous trips this year and last year. For a snowboarder they are excellent, highly recommended. I wore mine for 10 hours on the go and didn't need to re-tighten the straps nor worry about my footing, although there were times when I could tell that a more steep ice orientated crampon would have helped out or compensated for my shitty front pointing technique. None the less, they are great for me. However, they feel quite heavy to me, one of the heaviest items in my pack. Perhaps a more 'pro' version from another brand would be lighter? Assuming that the G12 is made of the same metal I guess it would be a trade off between that extra side toe spike vs. the extra weight. The BD models look over-spiked. The more pointy bits the more likely they are to puncture something in your pack or catch on your clothing as you walk. Is the Petzl lighter than the G10? They have the same amount of spikes and if lighter but just as strong then go for the Petzl. I have seen a lot of AT dudes using them, but that is likely because they are a European brand and I am in the Alps. You don't see loads of BD gear here.

 

Like jamesybob said, I'm no crampon expert either.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Le Spud,

 

Any problems using crampons with snowboard boots? I have mainly used mine with winter hiking boots with stiff C2 soles and when I have had the board carried the board boots if the ground is hard. My board boots are relatively stiff but I still wonder if the crampons would break cos the boots flex too much at the ball of the foot. It is a pain carrying 2 pairs of boots so it would be good to know if the crampons can take it till I get rpund to getting plastic climbing boots, if ever.

 

The extra spiky bits on the hardcore crampons are for ice / mixed climbing and supposedly make a fair bit of difference for that. A crampon bag stops the crampons tearing up your stuff. Also inherited one of those and way better than the plugs you can get.

Link to post
Share on other sites
 Quote:
Originally posted by jamesybob:
Le Spud,

Any problems using crampons with snowboard boots?
Absolutely none at all. I have used mine countless times and most recently (which I have probably been talking about to much) I used them for 10 hours straight whilst ascending Mont Blanc in my snowboard boots. I am sure that there are better crampons for the job, but the Grivel G10 Wide model worked very well for me (and everyone in the team, including one guide who commented positively on them). The mountaineering that I have been doing (I feel stupid using that term to describe myself) has been graded AD, or 'assez difficile'. I think this is just a French grading scale? It means moderately difficult, like a 3 out of 6. I mostly crampon-travel on snow and rocks and a hard frozen mixture of the two, with some rock scrambling and ledge climbing. Ice is seldom steeper than 45-50 degrees and is most frequently what I call 'white ice' that was very recently snow. It is almost never water ice, except on quite flat glacier ice, which is of course as hard as a rock. At times I scrape or kick through the wind packed snow on a 40 degree ascent and find a smooth surface of glaciated ice 8 inches down. G10 points are naturally not sharp at all and I am very careful when I encounter that stuff. It is infrequent that more than a few steps are taken on such a hard surface.

Hopefully this description of conditions underfoot helps you judge whether the G10's are what you need. Probably any tougher/steeper ice for long stretches and I would want more dedicated crampons that clipped to a hard sole rather than strapped to a soft boot. If I take this snowboard mountaineering stunt any further (which I will, of course) then I will start wearing my AT boots and clip on crampons. There would be nothing worse than being denied a summit or a line after hours of work just because our snowboard ug boots couldn't cope ;\)

ps - Those extra spikes likely do make a huge difference and yep, I really need a crampon bag. Naked crampons and a gas canister in the same pack... I've been asking for trouble.

pps- I just read peakers post. To clarify for anyone reading, I am using Grivel G10 Wide strap-on crampons. They have the same spike base as the G10 that Toque pictured, but do not have the step-in attachment method (which do not work with snowboard boots).
Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Spud

 

I've looked at the G10. Heavy for what they cost. I've seen a pair of step in Camp ones that are just a bit heavier for half the price

 

I might go for some other Grivels that are half the weight of the G10 and just a little bit more expensive

 

I really want the step in system

Link to post
Share on other sites

My Grivel G10 wide crampons haven't been used in anger yet, partly because I am concerned about flex with SOFT snowboard boots or hiking boots.

 

The G10s have a flex bar.

 

Spud, how do the G10s perform with soft snowboard boots or flexible hiking boots?

 

I am thinking about traverses on Fuji san.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Picked these up on the weekend

Havn't used them yet but played with them a bit and am happy so far. So easy to put on.

 

prod_45_1.jpg

 

Air Tech

 

This hybrid design combines the benefits of 10 and 12-point models in one crampon. The points underfoot are short to reduce leverage when used with modern, lightweight footwear while the front and secondary points remain full-length to tackle technical terrain. Dual-orientation of quaternary points improves security on steep slopes, whether descending or traversing and the unique point configuration ensures complete sole coverage of wide boots. The toothed (serrated) points bite well on a wide variety of surfaces. The Air Tech Crampon features tool-free regulation of the center bar offers two length options to fit a variety of boot sizes

Link to post
Share on other sites
 Quote:
Originally posted by coyote:


Spud, how do the G10s perform with soft snowboard boots or flexible hiking boots?
check out my long post above. They performed really well when put to hard work. Stiff soles and climbing crampons would have been better, but we all did fine in snobo boots and strap G10's. I wouldn't hesitate taking them on Fuji in snobo boots at all (if it were my objective to ride down).

I have never used them with soft hiking boots though.
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...

toque it's been a month now, i assume you've used Ur givels by now...?

 

so that's not the G10 nor the G12 but a hybrid model? how are they? i'd be looking 4 ones to quit board boots like spud mentioned above. inquiring minds want to know

Link to post
Share on other sites

I've used them lots

 

I'm very happy with them. So easy to put on but you guys would have a different system with snowboard boots

 

My only beef is that I can't move the front bar forward. The holes arn't big enough to get the bar out. I'm losing a bit of spike on the front because of this. I'd only gain about 5mm if I moved the bar forward but 5mm is 5mm

I'll just have to take them into a shop when I get home to see if they know how to move the bar forward

 

The are much better than my old pair of charlet moser strap ons.

Link to post
Share on other sites
×
×
  • Create New...