Ski Crampons-tis the season

[Trackhead]

APD and I just picked up a pair of ski crampons from these guys.

Pretty cheap at $60. They fit right into the ski crampon groove on Dynafit bindings, or come with a mounting point. Haven't used them yet, but they look like a good product.

They come in 100mm width, which is hard to find. And a skinny width.

Shipping is almost instant.

Email him, paypal him, get crampons in two days.

[Dirk Diggler]

He'll actually make whatever size you want. I've got a pair of 135mm's he made for my splitboard with dynafit toes. Awesome product.

[shirk]

Good to know that there are wide ski crampons available for Dynafits.

Can't wait to have a nice light set up next season.

[AltaPowderDaze]

setup process for the dynafit model took a flat head screw driver, a file and a total of 3 minutes. i took my time. to file off the nub (listed in directions on the site) was easy and took 10 seconds per crampon. i then attached the crampon to the bindind and clamped the boot into the toe. that lets me know which hole set i'd like to attach the pressure spacer in. i chose the back 2.

so far, they look awesome and have great craftmanship. the design seems to work but i'll put that to the test likely tomorrow.

[upallnight]

Never used ski crampons before....curious to hear how you like them. Usually, if it's that firm, I'm in my boots & crampons.

Do you use this mostly for security when side-hilling, or for just taking a steeper line on firm terrain?

I've sometimes found walking up steep terrain with skis on my back is as (or more) efficient than skinning similar terraing...but like I said, maybe it's because I had to take a less steep skin line due to not using ski crampons.

[LeeLau]

uan - they're great for sidehilling icy traverses. If I like the dynafits as much as I think I will I'll sell you my Large Fritschi ski crampons.

[Trackhead]

Never used ski crampons before....curious to hear how you like them. Usually, if it's that firm, I'm in my boots & crampons.

Do you use this mostly for security when side-hilling, or for just taking a steeper line on firm terrain?

I've sometimes found walking up steep terrain with skis on my back is as (or more) efficient than skinning similar terraing...but like I said, maybe it's because I had to take a less steep skin line due to not using ski crampons.

These can be put on without coming out of your skis. So they are quick, light, cheap.

I've never used them. But watching APD on his last year, he was flying up the stuff.

For breakable crust, they are invaluable. If you boot, you break through. If you skin, you slide. If you crampon/skin, you stay on top, and haul ass.

[PNWbrit]

Should be essential equipment.

They're like putting chains on a 2wd car.

It also saves a huge amount of energy on the climb not having to catch your balance/skin grip with each step.

[cj001f]

They can make life nice.

Anyone tried the Axiom crampon for Fritschis?

[upallnight]

uan - they're great for sidehilling icy traverses. If I like the dynafits as much as I think I will I'll sell you my Large Fritschi ski crampons.

Thanks, Lee. I own Dynafit ski crampons, I've just never bothered to use them.

Also, the Fritschis I ride tend not to be for any serious mountaineering or BC trips...mostly lift-served & lift-served BC.

Thanks, though!

A buddy told me the Fritschi crampons didn't work so well for him, but when he saw the Dynafit crampons he thought they would solve some of the issues. (I think his main problem was that the Fritschis are so high off the snow that he didn't get good (=any) bite when using one of the steeper settings. I think the Dynafit solves that...but again, I never used 'em.

There's something maddeningly frustrating but somehow enjoyable to me about finding the delicate balance to take a steep skin line w/o slipping, even on firm snow....but I think that's just because some mentally ill partners who didn't believe in switchbacks really beat that into me...I hated them for doing it, but when they were gone I found I missed it. Hm.

Really should do a before/after with the ski crampons, though, based on what is being said here. If they allow me to haul, I'm all for it.

[PNWbrit]

heel lift + crampons not necessarily a good mix but once you try them you won't go back.

On a tour this past Sunday I kept on going rather than stopping for a few seconds to remove my pack and put them on. Eventually I slipped out of the track and ended up in a heap.

It always worries me that a fall off a steep track or side hill could get nasty very quickly - difficult to get your skis under you and easy to rip a toe piece of a ski.

The Only downside is they're a pain in the ass to pack althogh not particulary heavy they really are an awkward shape.

[ski_rick]

Definitely invaluable for icy sidehilling, especially when there are consequences if you slide down the hill (cliffs or other terrain traps). As mentioned above, they're really great when booting=postholing but skinning=slipping. They're awesome for firm spring mornings.

You do typically have to forgo the riser however, as they won't "bite" into the snow enough, so it's always a trade off. I've heard of ski crampons that are fixed to the ski, don't come up and down with the foot movement, but I've never seen them and it seems to me they would prevent some of the glide advantage you get skinning.

[LeeLau]

I did try them. They're clunky and heavy and arkward. My biggest gripe about Fritschi crampons was finding a place to store them in the pack. These make it worse. Then again, I am using Fritschis so wdik

I thought the standard fritschi crampon setup worked just fine otherwise.

They might have their use when you want to skin up with them and then have to deploy them halfway on a sketchy traverse where its tough to otherwise use the standard crampons.

They can make life nice.

Anyone tried the Axiom crampon for Fritschis?

[Ireallyliketoski2]

I liked the Fritchi crampons I had when I used them, but just didn't use them all that often. Does the dynafity binding just pivot out of the way so it doesn't drag along when not gripping, i.e., it's only attached to the ski and that is all?

[cj001f]

I've heard of ski crampons that are fixed to the ski, don't come up and down with the foot movement, but I've never seen them and it seems to me they would prevent some of the glide advantage you get skinning.

The Sk'alp ski crampon does that - it affixes to a half moon on the ski, and is permanently down. A little less glide, but maybe a bit better 'bite'. They don't come wider than 75mm, so not much use for most people now. Marmot Mtn & the backcountry used to carry them.

Lee- thanks for the feedback.

[Trackhead]

The crampon I posted about does come up when striding. It also has a little heel piece to pressure it into the snow when in an elevated binding mode.

Again, I haven't used them yet. I will tomorrow.

I will post a review on them here, next week.

[phattypowpow]

I got 110mm BnD crampons for the 179 Bros/Dynafits and my 180 Big Stix 106 tele setup. I haven't used them on the teles yet but they work great on the Bros for all the reasons mentioned:

- light
- cheap
- SUPER easy to install
- can be easily attached to skis without taking boot out of binding. I've done this while on a moderate slope without problems.
- customizable heights so you can make the crampon get more or less bite based on your preference
- you can buy additional mounts for under $20 so you can use the crampons with other skis

Note: I haven't used them yet on any *serious* terrain but I'm fairly confident that they'll shine.

[skinnyskier]

I never used ski crampons in the Wasatch or the Cascades, but no way could I have done without them last week in the Bernese Oberland. Skinning hard frozen snow >35 degrees above seracs and such in the dark makes you really, really not want to slip out of the skin track.

Our guide Al Powell had a few observations:
-the new Fritschi ski crampons break
-roll the ankle a little so the ski crampon is flat to the snow
-don't go above the middle heel elevator setting with the ski crampons on
-if you store your skins folded in their bag, the ski crampons nest around the outside of the bag. They can be rubberbanded in place.

[Trackhead]

Took them out today on aerated, breakable crust.

I'm a dumb ass, and broke my plastic retainer on the Dynafit right outta the gate, as I walked across a wood bridge without removing them. Don't do that.

So I skinned with one up high. Certainly was nice. They don't really help you go steeper, just more secure. As the snow today was aerated, they would sheer when walking straight up. But for sidehilling, they are tits on a hog.

I am going to remount my Dynafits with my parts bin, and continue to use them. But I'll take the little bastards off when walking over unpenetratable surfaces.

On stiff corn, they should work excellent.

[Hicks]

I did try them. They're clunky and heavy and arkward. My biggest gripe about Fritschi crampons was finding a place to store them in the pack. These make it worse. Then again, I am using Fritschis so wdik

I thought the standard fritschi crampon setup worked just fine otherwise.

They might have their use when you want to skin up with them and then have to deploy them halfway on a sketchy traverse where its tough to otherwise use the standard crampons.

That's exactly why I chose to go with the regular Fritschi crampons, thanks for confirming Lee.

[upallnight]

I am going to remount my Dynafits with my parts bin, and continue to use them. But I'll take the little bastards off when walking over unpenetratable surfaces.

Damn, that sucks.

Think they would have broken on ice with minimal penetration?

[Trackhead]

Damn, that sucks.

Think they would have broken on ice with minimal penetration?

Hmmmmm, not sure. But those conditions don't happen too often. I would think even in the stiffest snowpack, the crampon would slice into it. They are pretty sharp.

[Idris]

Hmmmmm, not sure. But those conditions don't happen too often. I would think even in the stiffest snowpack, the crampon would slice into it. They are pretty sharp.

Here if I need ski crampons it's going to be very hard snow to concrete hard ice. The Fritschi wide crampon bends a bit when slammed into hard ice, or snow with rocks in it but dosen't give way. In these conditions you have to know the crampon is going to take your full weight and the force of being stamped home to avoid falling off the mountain. On Mont Blanc du Tacul ski crampon faliure would result in a potential 5000ft fall. The Axiom crampon as wel as having durability issues only comes in one size so won't fit explosives or Bros . Haven't seen any Dynafit crampon durability issues on the hill.

[upallnight]

Hmmmmm, not sure. But those conditions don't happen too often. I would think even in the stiffest snowpack, the crampon would slice into it. They are pretty sharp.

Cool. Guess it could be an issue with a rock just under the surface?

[cj001f]

Haven't seen any Dynafit crampon durability issues on the hill.

There've been previous reports of Comfort crampon issues On Couloir's BB I think next years front baseplates come with a metal reinforced crampon slot.