UKC

In reply to JohnBson:
Sounds like you might need better fitting boots anyway but also:

Are your front points sharp?

Are you over compensating and lowering your heels too much? Bear in mind that on steeper ground only the front points will be in contact with the rock/ice. Secondary points don't need to engage unless it's natural to do so.

In reply to JohnBson:


On ice or mixed, the style of the secondary points has a big impact on this - see my little video at the bottom of this review http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=6227 but its not really necessary on mixed holds, just keep your foot still-ish! When I lived in Scotland in the 90s the fashion was for crampons for mixed not to have secondary points that protruded much because it was argued that they would push your front points of edges.


Can you not put your main crampons on your lighter boots? What crampons is it that you are having problems with? Like other have said, changing the fit of your boots (lacing tighter round the ankle, bigger foot beds, even thicker socks, might solve that issue - although I can't see how dropping your heels makes your front points come out...

In reply to JohnBson:

You could try adding an insert to the tongue of your boot:

http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/superfeet-tongue-depressors-b9224090?id_colo...

I found these helped my heel slip, it's just a foam insert so now I just cut them from an old sleeping mat each season instead of paying a fiver for them, I find the ones from the sleeping mat better as they are chunkier TBH.

This helps me as I've got stupid, big a$$ feet and skinny ankles.

In reply to TobyA:

Petzl lynx crampons. They have very long secondary points, long enough to make me wary of catching then when walking on ridges.

I think most of the problems are caused by an ill fitting boot. Going to look at the other suggestions here. Hopefully this will help.

I'll send an update

In reply to JohnBson:
It's very hard to front-point well unless your boots are really tight at the ankle. On mixed, a looser ankle is fine up to a point, though even then it's a comfort vs. technique trade-off--but on ice you have got to be really tight in there.
Looking at your posts, I think you're probably overdoing the dropping the heel bit. Basically you want to put your front-points into the ice with as little movement or jerkiness as possible; kick if you need to, but don't kick any harder than is necessary, and don't repeat-kick if you can get in with a single kick. Slide the points in as smoothly as you can, and already pointing upwards--don't go in and then make a second movement to drop your heels. That just roughs up the placement, makes it larger and looser. So no surprise if your boot then comes off.
Another point about ice--don't kick in at all if you can just place your foot on a hole that's already there, whether natural or someone else's bucket-step. Same with the axes: never smash them in if it's possible to just hook on a hole or a corner. Ice is a fragile medium. The less you whack it and smash it the better.