So, I've also been working on something sorta similar! I have the BGT plates, and while I like them, they're overkill for most of what I do. So I put together my own version, made out of Jbond (a 3mm thick aluminum/polyethylene laminate). I took them for a spin Saturday and they worked really well.
I used the strap-on version Saturday, and I'd say they do 85% of what the BGT plates do. The other 15% is due to the lack of crampons. They weight about 200g (way lighter than the others) and pack flat.
They won't be as durable as the BGT plates, which is fine by me, I'm planning on only using them in soft snow, but Sunday I ended up front pointing about 50 vertical feet of rock/mud under facets in them, and while they got dinged up, they still work great.
I make a bunch of art prints on Jbond anyway, so I'm gonna make a run or two of these and sell them for around $30, if anybody wants a pair!
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