UKC

Just sorting some new crampons for the oncoming winter. Having looked at the different sets from different companies, one thing seems to be common. As standard the crampons only fit boots upto size 11, if you have larger feet you have to spend around £20 more for longer bars.
Why can't crampon manufacturers simply have one set of centre bars that fit all sized boots as standard. Surely that would be better for the consumer and for them, as they wouldn't need to make 2 different bar lengths saving them money.

Why why why?

In reply to BikeClimbWalk:

Because then everybody who doesn't use the extra bar length (i.e. most people) has bars that are pointlessly long/heavy?

In reply to BikeClimbWalk: Because on the shorter boot lengths the remainder onf the bar sticks out of the back of the crampon, and requires cutting. Simple.

In reply to rj_townsend:


Surely they should be penalised for having inadequately sized feet. Besides which its cheaper to cut some off than buying new bars.

In reply to link:

Well I think it's because taller people usually do better in business, therefore they decided they could afford the extra £20.

In reply to BikeClimbWalk:

Couldn't agree more. Your logic is spot on.

By the same reasoning people with larger bodies should pay more for their clothes/boots as more materials are used. Makes it much fairer on small people who's' kit requires a smaller volume of material.

Alternatively we could shrug our shoulders and consider that paying £20 for extension bars is small price to pay for having a great view at gigs and getting served quickly at the bar.

In reply to BikeClimbWalk:

The standard Grivel bars fit my 47 Scarpas...which I guess makes it an even bigger con seeing as I'd already bought the longer bars

In reply to TMM:

... people with larger bodies should pay more for their clothes/boots as more materials are used. Makes it much fairer on small people who's' kit requires a smaller volume of material.

As a small man... yes please! Although the sales generally cover that.

But back to the bar length point, as someone with small feet, why should I have to purchase a saw to shorten some over long bars?

In reply to BikeClimbWalk:
I understand that longer bars would be too long when used on midget boot, but that can be solved in 5 minutes with a hacksaw and a file.
It just seem ridiculous that after paying upto £200 for a set of crampons, people with feet larger than UK11 have to pay an excess just to make them fit your boots. Then to be left with a set of standard bars that are of no use.

I suppose I could use the hacksaw and file on my toes.... but then I'd have to buy new boots. Argh.

In reply to ianstevens:
Why should anyone have to pay extra just to make a piece of equipment work?

In reply to BikeClimbWalk:

But they do work for most people! if you contact grivel with your question you may have more luck finding a solution.

In reply to TMM:

I'm more concerned about the midget clowns -

They can't see at gigs, but still have to pay for the extra bar length.

In reply to BikeClimbWalk:

In a 'whoosh over my head kind of way' I'm wondering if you're just getting annoyed at the limitations of the physical world?

In reply to gethin_allen:

Kind of my point I guess. Especially if you take Women (generally daintier in the foot department) into account as well.

Now if Grivel et al. opted to offer you the bar length of your choice when you purchased crampons, that would be ideal. Surely wouldn't cost them any more either? They could carry on manufacturing as they do now, I somehow doubt they are making millions by selling extra length bars.

Not that anyone actually does anything as old-fashioned as going to a shop any more, but if you were to go and buy crampons from a quality outdoors shop, would they sell you a pair and then insist you also buy the extender bar?

In my utopian world, they would have arranged with the suppliers to have a range of different length bars to suit the customers.

In reply to ianstevens:
If extender bars weren't included with the crampons and you bought the ones you needed when you buy the crampons that would be ideal. But I'd bet you'd have plenty of people moaning that this was some sort of devious scam.

In reply to BikeClimbWalk: Because 10 point crampons with shorter bars aren't really that safe for larger feet; you should really have 12 perhaps?