UKC

hi i brought some b/d switchblade crampons on ebay and theyre missing the anti balling plates. any idea where i can get some from?
cheers
tim

In reply to tim123487:

try gaffa tape or old milk bottles

o...k i should probably say that ive never owned crampons before so i wouldnt know how to make them. could you give me any tips?

In reply to tim123487:

If the switchblades are the ones I'm thinking of then they don't come with balling plates per se, the chassis of the crampon (the flat alloy plate the frame and front points are bolted to) acts as the anti balling plate. Never had a pair but I heard they were the business.

hiya yeh that sounds like an apt discription. i heard they were good aswell which is great for me!
i was just wondering as there is nothing in the back half of the crampon to stop the snow balling up in there

In reply to tim123487:

Either wrap gaffa tape around them, forcing the points through or cut a piece of old milk bottle/inner tube to shape and fix using cable ties, fuse wire, gaffa tape or whatever. Cheap, effective, easily replaced. Someone will be along to tell you how far superior manufacturers versions are, they are just hurting in the wallet.

In reply to tim123487: I had Switchblades and never used anti balling plates- although I remember they did ball up quite badly. I would make your own, some kind of plastic bottle and then that green plastic coated gardening wire works fine.

I have to say I really didn't think too much of the Switchblades. Besides anything else, that big lump of metal sucks the heat out of the ball of your foot quite noticeably. I would consider trying to find some sort of thin foam or something to stick to the top of the aluminium. Also make sure they fit well. When I went from plastics to leather boots, they wouldn't fit any more.

thanks for all the advice guys, il find some random materials around the house and get cracking!
and im not too bothered if they dont perform great, theyre my first pair of crampons and were £40 so im not complaining

In reply to tim123487: I have switchblades and they are great but ball up a lot... I went for the gaffa tape solution...

E

In reply to tim123487: argh for some reason i cant get them to fit my boots? any tips on this?
thanks!

In reply to tim123487: There used to be 2 front bales available. One narrow and one wider. I have both for mine .....
I thought they were great, but that was when monopoints first came out. The ice has formed and melted many times since then!
Only ever used the mono points, the twin points remain unused.
Old bleach bottles and copper wire attachments make useful antiballing plates, though I never got round to making any!
Tim

ah mine were £40 off ebay so i only have the twin points. but i cant seem to get them to fit my boots very well for some reason.. i have asolo afs103 plastics

In reply to tim123487: Definitely need the wider bales for Asolos. I have a pair too!

ah awesome any idea where i can get them from and how much please