UKC

Hey people,
I'm interested to know what other people use and recommend. I need some good quality lightweight crampons to fit my T2 scarpa telemark boots and also what ski crampons are other people using for the tele set ups?

In reply to trystan:

I've been using Grivel 2F crampons for several years - they work well but not really lightweight & I've been sorely tempted by some of the lighter models.

Have used many different ski crampons over the years, including the Ski'Alp fixed and the ski crampons available for 7TM bindings, they all seem to work - what bindings are you using? may help answer your question.

In reply to trystan:

The best crampon fit I ever got on telemark boots were the old fashioned strap on type, and I never could get any thing with a clip on type to stay on the boot due to the flex in the sole.

Ski crampon I never got anything to fit when it got that slippy I just took the skis off and walked.

The last time I used this gear was 1997 though, so I'd hope someone has come up with some solutions by now.

In reply to trystan:

Unless you have NTN boots then crampons are destined to fit really badly on teleboots. I've come to the conclusion that you need the front points to protrude out from under the duckbill which puts them way too far in front of your toes to do any real climbing in them, but makes cramponing up hard snow acceptably ok if far from "good". I just use my G12s with newmatic bindings. The front posts happen to just be about the same width as my boots duckbill so hold the front of the crampon level with the front of the boot, with front points protruding properly. It looks really stupid but works ok.

I don't have any ski crampons I seem to be quite good at skinning - I think tele boots and at least my bindings (7tms) let me push down more and engage the skin on steeper ground than friends with AT gear seem too. So I don't seem to need ski crampons as they do (noticed the same seems true for other tele skiers when we've been in mixed AT-tele groups). And then when it gets to where I can't grip I just have to carry my skis and kick steps or put crampons on my boots.

You can just add these issues to all the others that make tele gear just generally less suited to ski mountaineering than AT kit. The fact that we keep doing it in the face of our own stupidity just shows we have more soul*.

*Actually, for me this is lie. I want AT gear now - I just can't afford it. So I'll have to just keep falling down Norwegian mountain sides in my late 1990s T2 and only slightly newer skis!

In reply to TobyA:

I have some black diamond aluminium crampons on my garmont Kenai boots. They seem to fit ok but not for climbing.

In reply to Saor Alba:

Where are the front points? I've fitted step ins ok on mine - they feel quite secure but the duckbill means the front points tend not to stick out at all.

In reply to trystan:

I'm still using an old pair of Salewa Everest strap-on crampons, with the posts suitably adjusted. They've done fine with floppy leather boots on Alpine PD terrain. Like TobyA and johnj, I've never felt a need for a ski crampon while skinning.

Rob F

In reply to trystan:

You'll love a strap on…

In reply to TobyA:
Yes, which is why you can easily chop off around 8 to 12mm from the duckbill rather quickly. I used a hacksaw and then a belt grinder to finish things off... stop when you hit the metal pin-plate.

Makes to telewankin' boots easier to walk, scramble and naturally climb. Only hindsight is that if you have problems flexing the boot properly without über active bindings, then you might get even more tippytoe feeling. Easy fix for this is to get rid of 75mm norm stuff and get NTNs...

As for AT-gear... well, I might be able to help you at least with cheap skis... I got a bunch in the cellar. You only need to ditch the arcane 75mm stuff and jump on the NTN bandwagon. If you're feeling skimp, then you don't even need to get dynafiddle/tech binder compatible NTN boots as the normal NTN stuff again will work (to some extent) on AT binders, like Duke/Baron or the normal Diamirs.

In reply to HeMa:

Telewanking, awesome, we walk everywhere up hill down dale, round corners and lift our heels.


Or then we wanna get sick, and go all darkside with your heels clipped in like a plastic fantastic storm trooper;_)

In reply to HeMa:

ps if you've got an old pair of skis which you'd let go for the postage, which I can fit cable bindings to, please do:+)

In reply to johnj:

I got bunch... too bad shipping from Finland might not be that cost effective, even if the skis them selves would be free...

In reply to HeMa:

Yeah, you're probably right eBay would be better cheers anyway

In reply to trystan:

Clip crampons work very well with tele boots, I have never used strap ons. I have climbed Gd2 in them so know they stay on.

Black Diamond toe bails are a good fit for 75mm, and the best for NTN.

Petzl do a 75mm specific toe bail if you can source them. I have a pair on my alloy crampons.

There should be no need to use the flexi steel strap from the toe. I've cut mine off: saves weight and hassle.

I have also made my own front fittings out of Riva tele bindings which I bolted to the crampons after cutting the binding down quite a bit, obviously this works perfectly as it is a ski binding!

TC

In reply to TobyA:


Made me spill my beer that did.

In reply to trystan:

Warning= I am an armchair telemarker these days.

I have come to the conclusion 2 seasons ago that if I wanted to tele and climb I had to switch to NTN (also boots/ bindings and skis all had seen better days and no longer performed as well).

So I did switch at some expense (for me!!! I am tight fisted bastard). I haven't really had the opportunity to test my set-up well in mountaineering context.

On an aside from original post: switch to NTN has been rather traumatic and knocked my confidence some. Is it solely due to my being a whimp, I wonder?

In reply to French Erick:



Yes...

NTN will Delivery much more performance downhill with less wright than old norm stuff. But if you needed tarinointi wheels from active binders, you might be hosed, though.

In reply to trystan:
Petzl do a specific wide shape wire bail which fits all their crampons with a wire bail front! Also most of their crampons the front bail can be in one of two holes so perfect positioning for duckbills can be achieved!

I have a set of T2 eco in green and no problems front pointing up a steep slope!

As for ski crampons get the ones for your bindings.........I have a 7TM power tour binding and their crampons..........the correct term is harscheisen

Was going to post a picture up of me ice climbing (grade 1 or 2) with these boots and crampons but this web site doesn't like it??? I even tried to include a linky to a shops website with the details but again this forum doesn't allow??!!!! This really is the stone ages compared to other forums I use!!!

In reply to HeMa:



mmmmmmm, not always the case, esp re weight.
I have x3 NTN set ups but have just got myself another 7tm 75mm duck bill set up after 3 seasons NTN. There are good reasons for this. NTN is darn good and I'm keeping it, but some features of 7tm are way better for touring, so I'm keeping that too!

In reply to top cat:

TX + Freedom is Lighter than T1 + 7TM Tour. And the former will give more control.

In reply to HeMa:

I said 'not always the case', and I am correct.

I really value the control of NTN but even the Freedom isn't so hot when touring. I use it and like it, but I'm not blind to its faults. Nor to the drawbacks of 7tm, Switchback and Freeride that I also use.

My TX Pro are even lighter following some mods

In reply to Snowdave:

I was going to get in contact with you reference this thread, as I remember the last time we toured I remember you having an awesome boot crampon set up. Fyi, ive got new boots!

My advice to you is mail dave here. His set up is pretty good. Hes not lieing about going up grade 1 in them either! Im sure hes talking of the last tour we did last season. Never the less though, its never going to be like a AT set up, id presume.