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Crampons with 2/3 season boots

Crampons with 2/3 season boots


Postby onion_w » Fri Jan 30, 2015 5:22 pm

Hi, would appreciate some crampon advice. I have robust Berghaus Explorer Ridge GTX boots, which I went up Beinn Dubhchraig in two weeks ago, with a borrowed set of crampons, which I had no problems with, despite non-rigid boots.

I would like to get some of my own that work with my current boots for winter mountains (nothing too hard), but which will also work if I upgrade to B1 boots.

I've been looking at the following...

- Nuptse Classic 12 Point
- Kahtoola KTS Steels
- Grivel Monte Rosa New Classic
- North Ridge Snowline

...but am getting pretty baffled. I asked in Tiso, but they told me to get rigid boots, which isn't an option at the moment.

Any advice appreciated! Thanks.
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Re: Crampons with 2/3 season boots

Postby jmarkb » Fri Jan 30, 2015 7:45 pm

I'd go with the Kahtoolas - they are designed to work on flexible boots (or even running shoes).
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Re: Crampons with 2/3 season boots

Postby simon-b » Fri Jan 30, 2015 9:38 pm

jmarkb wrote:I'd go with the Kahtoolas - they are designed to work on flexible boots (or even running shoes).

I agree entirely. Full crampons are not suitable for 2/3 season boots, but you can use spikes such as Kahtoolas.
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Re: Crampons with 2/3 season boots

Postby tenohfive » Fri Jan 30, 2015 11:40 pm

simon-b wrote:
jmarkb wrote:I'd go with the Kahtoolas - they are designed to work on flexible boots (or even running shoes).

I agree entirely. Full crampons are not suitable for 2/3 season boots, but you can use spikes such as Kahtoolas.


They aren't microspikes - Kahtoola do a full on, flexible crampon.

Curious to hear of anyone with experience of the Kahtoola KTS Steel - they seem like a decent alternative to the G10's often suggested for B0 boots.
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Re: Crampons with 2/3 season boots

Postby onion_w » Sat Jan 31, 2015 1:17 am

Thanks for advice. And Kahtoola Steels would be enough for the sort of snow trudging I'd expect to be doing on these mountains? I'd back off before getting into any technical or more challenging conditions!
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Re: Crampons with 2/3 season boots

Postby jmarkb » Sat Jan 31, 2015 10:00 am

onion_w wrote:Thanks for advice. And Kahtoola Steels would be enough for the sort of snow trudging I'd expect to be doing on these mountains? I'd back off before getting into any technical or more challenging conditions!


Yes, they should be absolutely fine on low angle icy terrain. The limitations of bendy boots come into play on steeper ground, but that will also be true when the snow is too soft for crampons and you need to kick steps.
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Re: Crampons with 2/3 season boots

Postby simon-b » Sat Jan 31, 2015 10:20 am

tenohfive wrote:
simon-b wrote:
jmarkb wrote:I'd go with the Kahtoolas - they are designed to work on flexible boots (or even running shoes).

I agree entirely. Full crampons are not suitable for 2/3 season boots, but you can use spikes such as Kahtoolas.


They aren't microspikes - Kahtoola do a full on, flexible crampon.

Curious to hear of anyone with experience of the Kahtoola KTS Steel - they seem like a decent alternative to the G10's often suggested for B0 boots.


Thanks for that, tenohfive. It's true that Kahtoola do refer to them as crampons which can be used with flexible footwear.

Orion, jmarkb's advice sounds pretty spot on again.
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Re: Crampons with 2/3 season boots

Postby simon-b » Sat Jan 31, 2015 10:42 am

Orion, just one more point - the KTS on their own, like spikes, don't have anti-ball plates which stop snow building up on your soles and losing traction. But Kahtoola do sell separate KTS skins:

https://kahtoola.com/product/kts-snow-release-skins/

If you go for the KTS and you have any issue with snow-balling, you might like to consider adding these (if you don't already know about them!) Again, it would be interesting to hear from anyone who has used these.
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Re: Crampons with 2/3 season boots

Postby onion_w » Sat Jan 31, 2015 5:58 pm

Thanks very much for all your help, everyone! Another forum thread has comments from someone who's used them and they seem pretty good.

http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?t=30296

Off to the shops! Cheers again.
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Re: Crampons with 2/3 season boots

Postby simon-b » Sat Jan 31, 2015 6:41 pm

onion_w wrote:Thanks very much for all your help, everyone! Another forum thread has comments from someone who's used them and they seem pretty good.

http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?t=30296

Off to the shops! Cheers again.

Well spotted onion. There's even a comment from someone who has used the snow release skins, so plenty of useful information.
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Re: Crampons with 2/3 season boots

Postby weaselmaster » Mon Feb 02, 2015 12:26 am

I have a pair and was just checking to see how they fit on my Salomon XA Pro trail shoes. The ankle catch slips through the lining up the middle of the shoe making it an ideal fit (if wearing the KTS with other shoes the clip is quite difficult to keep in the right place)
I'd give them a thumbs up with trail shoes, provided you don't exceed the limitations of such a crampon.
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Re: Crampons with 2/3 season boots

Postby Eskimo » Mon Feb 02, 2015 6:56 pm

Monta Rosas hold well on Inov8 trail trainers, so I'm sure they would hold well on your boots.
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Re: Crampons with 2/3 season boots

Postby ptc* » Wed Feb 04, 2015 3:29 pm

I've been using steel and aluminium Kahtoolas for maybe ten years on everything from B£ boots to fell shows and the work well across everything.
The snow release skins are a must but they do wear though as they're just thin neoprene (or something similar. Both kinds are equally flexible due to the same centre bar so both work on lighter shoes.

The only issue, other than having to adapt standard crampon techniques to the different way Kahtoolas workwith flexible footwear, is that tightening the toes straps onto soft footwear can put pressure onto your toes and forefoot.
This is okay for short periods but afte a full day you're feet can get sore and the extra pressure compresses the shoe and sock and your toes can get colder than they would normally.

It's all good, but a little pre-trip fitting and trying out along with sock choice is a good idea if you're wearing the lightest of shoes.
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Re: Crampons with 2/3 season boots

Postby tenohfive » Thu Feb 05, 2015 5:22 pm

ptc, for a pair of Burma Pro's would you recommend the KTS or the often touted combo of G10?
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Re: Crampons with 2/3 season boots

Postby gman » Thu Feb 05, 2015 5:46 pm

tenohfive wrote:ptc, for a pair of Burma Pro's would you recommend the KTS or the often touted combo of G10?


I've had no problems with G10s on my Burma Pros, never tried KTS.
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