UKC

What do you think to making ice axe tips and crampon tips from a tough, durable rubber/ plastic which can withstand the abuse required of them without scarring rocks? I'm sure it can be done and that damage could be minimised to an acceptable level...

In reply to Albachoss:

I'm no expert on this sort of thing, but surely any material that is hard enough to withstand the demands of a crampon (walking on rock without degrading, piercing hard ice etc), will also be hard enough to damage rock?

Perhaps I'm wrong. No idea. Just doesn't sound viable in my head.

In reply to Albachoss:

In most crampon useage you end up touching rock a bit, and you need the crampon points to stay reasonably sharp. If the material isn't hard enough to scratch the rocks, then presumably the rocks are going to be scratching them. Which would lead to very quick bluntening to the point that they wouldn't work well at all in hard neve or ice.

I don't know much about materials science though - maybe it's possible to have something that will keep its edge when contacting rock but won't scratch the rocks?

In reply to Albachoss:

I always leave the rubber protectors on my axes & crampons when I'm climbing on grit

In reply to Albachoss:

We already have lightweight versions for Ski-mo racing which are usually made of Aluminium. These do not damage the rock as much as steel/stainless does. However the penetration on hard ice which even "walkers" can come across, is not as good as steel/stainless.