I know that this is a few months early, but I've just picked up some bargain crampons which has reminded me to ask the question.

After two winter trips to the Cairngorms, my boots are being heavily worn where they rub against  the front crampon bindings.

Is there any way of reinforcing the boots or padding the crampons, or do I just have to put up with the wear and tear? The crampons are Grivel G12s and the damage is at the metal rivet where the front bindings are joined to the body of the crampon.

 Any ideas would be welcome.

It could be worth checking the rivets very closely for burring and if necessary taking a fine grade emery to them.

Try using a lubricant like silicone grease or even shoe polish betwixt rivet and boot.  Make sure any lube you do use isn't going to attack the rubber or any stitching nearby.

Do the rivets need to be in contact with the boot at all?  If not it may be possible to bend them out of the way slightly.

Hope this is of some use even if to re-enforce the fact that I know little about crampons. 

car inner tube

Excellent idea, strips could be glued in place and simply renewed when they wear out.  If you'd rather get a cobbler to do this, find a decent one who will listen to you and understand what you want.

Then lying in bed waiting to got to sleep last night I haad this idea.

Puncture repair kit patches! It was obvious all along; the edge are feathered, they come with their own full fitting kit and you can carry them easily if you anticipate running repairs being necessary.

Rough up the area you're sticking to first and away you go.  Email me your address if you like and I'll send you a bit of crepe if I can get some.  It will make cleaning excess glue off easier.

Car inner tube... puncture repair patches...

Two excellent ideas. Thanks for your help guys. I'll do some experimentation and look forward to next January. 

where is it rubbing on the boot? which boot

on leather or on a rand?

assuming its the rivets on the front holding plastic toe bail to front metal section

you could put on some epoxy resin in the area to stop damage, or even on the crampon to cover the rivet head

If it's rubbing on the rand, thats what the rand is for, if it's rubbing on the leather, then follow the fixit route and suggestions above.

Drew

Arrived back from Cairngorms last week. Lots of snow but not much ice. Better conditions for skiing than climbing.

Anyway, I tried the puncture repair kit route, but the patches only lasted a few hours before wearing through. The holes are on the rand of the boot, but I would still prefer to improve the longevity of the boots by some means or other. I may try something a bit more hard wearing next year.