Hi Has anyone tried c2 crampons with the scarpa cristallo boot I know the boot is B1 and C1 crampon rated but been given some grovel C2 12 point crampons wondered if they would be ok
They are as stiff as any traditional boot. That means you can bung on any crampon that fits.
Simple.
However... like any boots fit can be fussy. You can't use anything with a bail or clip so its straps. The amount of padding under the laces isn't as deep as some boots. That has the potential for the straps, if pulled tight, to reduce blood flow I suppose. Not an issue for me and my feet only need the mention of snow on the telly to freeze, so a theory only a. Also Cristallo's are narrow so your crampon needs to acomodate this.
Last winter I used Stubai 10 point flexi crampons with one long strap. Fine. I also used 1980 vintage Salewa Everests with two straps. Also fine.
Biggest limitation of the boots. Yeti gaiters don't fit well as the intep area of the boot is arrow and that leaves a gp.
Or, y'know, appreciate the fact that it is there for your benefit. From a marketing point of view, the boot manufacturer is going to put the highest rating they feel they can get away with on their products; if it doesn't say C2 there's probably enough flex in the sole that using C2 crampons may be inadvisable.
It won't spell instant death by any means, but it will reduce the lifespan of the crampons... having them fail at an inopportune moment would suck. Also, in the sort of places where having a beefier crampon is going to benefit you, the slight flex in the sole may well prove a bit uncomfortable.
The very fact that my Cristallos are as rigid as my plastics shows that it doesn't apply 100%. And any grading that doesn't work 100% is flaws and therefore untrustworthy and therefore of limited worth.
How about asking your friendly local climbing shop owner instead.
I think the most important word used above is marketing. Fair enough, we all need to make a buck but that doesn't mean marketing is always right.
Please note I said fit. If the profile isn't correct problems occur, if the width is wrong things move.
Matching your boot with a selection of crampons and seeing if the fit is fine will sort this.
