Buyers' Guide - Crampons

Dohhh, without them you'll fall over on hard snow or ice, possibly to your death or at least an early appointment with A and E. A relationship with a pair of crampons opens up terrain and whole ranges you couldn't otherwise hope to canoodle with. They're surrounded by technical mystique and blather, but the reality is that they're fairly easy to use and a major safety investment.

When to put them on?

If it's easier and safer to walk with crampons than without is the short answer. Try not to wear them unnecessarily as cramponing is reckoned to be 10 per-cent less efficient than walking without them. If there's hard snow or ice underfoot, chances are that it's worth the effort. Snow doesn't automatically mean you need to crampon up, in softer conditions, it's quite feasible and more effective to simply kick steps with your boots.

When to take them off?

When you can walk easily and safely without them. Using crampons on rocky ground unnecessarily will blunt the points and be less stable. Stiff winter boot soles can kick into surprisingly firm snow. If in doubt though, we'd tend to leave them in place,

For an overview of the crampon/boot compatibility guidelines see here. Bear in mind that these guidelines, put together by guide Brian Hall are just that, guidelines, not gospel. Just because the boot and crampon grades match, it doesn't mean the two will definitely work together. Moreover, most boots will take a flexible trekking crampon for short periods of time if really necessary. That doesn't mean it's a good idea, but it can be done. For sustained use though, a boot designed to work with crampons will always be a better option.

Instep Crampons - Crampon Grade - v.crap

Mini crampons that fit on your instep are okay for ski station workers and lumberjacks, but a dead loss for mountain walking. Ignore these near useless wall flowers.

Walking Crampons - Crampon Grade C1
Attachment: usually straps or a combiantion of straps and nylon cradles.

Generally use a strip of steel running under the boot that will flex with the sole as you walk. Officially they will match up with any boot with a B1 grading or higher, but in reality, most 3-season boots will take a flexible crampon for short periods.

Some C1 crampons come without front points - the ones that stick out horizontally in front of the toe - but they're worth having for the extra security when kicking steps into slopes, even if you're not technically front-pointing like climbers on ice.

Articulated Crampons - Crampon Grade C2
Attachment: Either as C1 or a combination of straps or nylon toe cradle with a clip-on heel.

These are designed to work with stiffer boots - B2 and above - and are usually designed for more technical use than C1s. Most are 'articulated' which means they have a hinge-type joint, however it's not designed to flex with the sole, which will be close to rigid anyway, but to prevent the stress that would result if they were fully rigid.

Fully Rigid Climbing Crampons - Crampon Grade C3
Attachment: usually full clip-on front and rear with safety strap, which is non-structural

Fully rigid climbing crampons are designed, you guessed it, for climbing and can only be used with fully stiffened B3 boots - either plastic mountaineering ones or leather. The sole needs to have suitable 'recesses; front and rear to accommodate the bindings. Becoming more and more specialised and less useful for general mountaineering though there are some crossovers out there which can be used in rigid or articulated mode.

The nylon cradle-type fittings like Grivel's New Classic system are actually quicker to fit than step-in systems because you don't have to mess around cleaning snow out of grooves. We like them a lot. Because they don't need to locate in the groove at the toe end of the boot, they work better with well-worn soles and less likely to mislocate.

Step-ins are also excellent, again because you minimise the time spent messing around with freezing fingers, though be very, very careful that toe bails and heel clips are properly located with these. Scrape snow and ice out with an ice axe pick so the clips are properly seated.

If you're using strap-on crampons with soft-uppered boots, be aware that the straps can cut into your feet and impair circulation which is uncomfortable and potentially dangerous.

Finally, always make sure any buckles or loose ends are on the outside of your boot and tucked away where possible to minimise the dangers of snagging and tripping. You can shorten webbing straps by cutting but don't over do it and seal the ends with a hot blade.

Rigid crampons and particularly those with 'cookie cutter' frames, are prone to balling up when wet snow collects on the underside of the crampon and forms a big ball of solid snow that eventually stops your points biting into the snow. One answer is to regularly tap the undersdide of the crampon with your axe shaft however a neater answer is an anti-balling plate.

Some manufacturers now supply these as standard. Basically they're plates that sit between the points of the crampon and stop the snow collecting in the first place. They've very effective and well worth having particularly on glaciers when the snow melts in the sun.

Articulated and flexible crampons are less prone to balling because the flexing of the crampon tends to dislodge the snow unless things get very bad.

Get them adjusted to fit in the shop. Tool-less adjustment is a nice touch, but really only crucial if you move your crampon from boot to boot on a regular basis. If your crampon does use bolts, check them for tightness regularly and consider using Nylock nuts if they aren't already fitted as standard.

With some clip-ons, you may need to bend the bails or heel clip wire slightly for the best fit, you can also stagger location holes to tailor the crampon for a particular boot. If in doubt, get professional help.

Use a file, follow the manufacturer's instructions and remember that unless you are climbing hard ice, they don't need to be raisor sharp - the concentration of weight over small points is enough in most conditions and you'll just wear your points out prematurely. Never use power tools, the heat generated can

Carry a minimal crampon first aid kit. Some wire and zip-ties could be enough to hold a broken crampon together long enough to see you off the hill.

Walk like an ape with your legs apart to minimise the chances of catching a point in your trousers and tripping over your own feet.

Don't try to edge in crampons, the key is to keep your foot flat and maximise the number of points in contact with the snow.

Pure front-pointing will make you calves explode fast. Try front pointing with one foot and flat-footing with the other, much easier.

If you are front pointing on steep ice, drop your heel slightly so your second points come into contact with the ice, it's much less tiring and more stable, honest.

'Balling up' is a problem in soft, damp snow. Tap your boot with your axe to clear the balls of snow or get some anti-balling plates. Alterntively improvise with duck tape.

On mixed ground, with snow and rock, it often helps to look for rocky projections where you can place your instep so the points are either side of the rock. Try it.

Many packs come with 'crampon patches' on top of the lid. Our advice is not to bother, in blizzard conditions your crampons will clog with snow, which is bad and makes putting them on awkward. Instead stow them under the lid of the pack if your can get enough tension with the straps to hold them firm, or use a reinforced crampon bag and carry them either under the lid or in the main body of the pack. Sorted.

More Help and Advice

Hopefully this article will have given you some basic pointers. The good news is that there's a load more advice on OUTDOORSmagic:

• Ask on the gear forum about general issues or specific items.
  
• Check the member reviews section for user experiences of kit.
  
• See OM editorial reviews on the front of the site for our impressions.
  
• Ask Richard Gear if you have a specific question you need answering.