UKC

Ive got a pair of grivel G12's (the old type with the black anti balling plate, which are now on their last legs) had a check and they're around £25 to replace!!!

Im off to scotland next week, and im not willing to part with £25 for some black rubber (for some poons that im only expcting to last me for one more season before upgrading), any thing I can use thats not going to fall off and become an annoyance every few mins ?

Pete.

In reply to Petarghh:

Duck tape. Lots of it, wrapped round and round. Works a treat if you get decent tape

In reply to Caralynr: one of them is currently wraped in electrical tape, that has lasted barely one day on the hill, I just stick a roll of duct tape in my sack and get on with it.

just seeing if anyone knew of some miracle blue peter-esque fix

In reply to Petarghh: Question is do you want to really spend all day knocking snow off your poons, risk having a wee slide over something a tad high or spend £25 on something that will make the day far more relaxed and safe. If your buying poons next year, buy them now if you can.
Have tried everything from bodge tape (duck tape) to strips of rubber mat. The proper plates are so so so so much better, the new yellow ones spring and release soft snow build up and seem to have lasted realy well...about 150 hill/climbing days at least, the g12's are getting to the point of needing replaced before the anti balling plates! Some times it is better to just pay, and this is definatly one of them... my opion only mind. Tim

In reply to Petarghh: I find duct tape works fine - not quite as good as proper plates but almost.

In reply to Petarghh: I've got the old G14s with the black rubber anti balling plates, they were in complete bits and I repaired them 2 seasons ago with black dog. It worked a treat, I always carry some black dog wrapped around my trek poles.

In reply to Petarghh:

Bleach bottle plastic and some bits of coathanger wire or cable ties.

Cheap bleach (white bottles) is less than 30p a bottle, but the plastic is bombproof. Yellow or blue costs a little more

You'll need two bottles.

Cut the flat piece of the bottle out with scissors after cleaning your loo to within an inch of its life.

Cut to fit with scissors. A slightly iffy fit is OK - slightly oversize is actually better as the bulge compresses under weight and then pops the snow off when you lift your foot up.

Punch smooth and even holes for the ties with a standard paper punch. Make some little clips of wire to hold them on. Cable ties are OK, but they can get brittle - better to put a little more effort in and use wire.

I've never bothered with the heels personally.


My current pair has survived about 40 days on the hill so far and there's no reason to change them yet.

In reply to nniff: oh hell yes, thats my evening sorted ! lol

In reply to Petarghh:

Have fun - if you've got some old anti-balling plates you can use those as a template

In reply to nniff:

fabric softner bottles are good as well

In reply to nniff:
Are you Valerie Singleton?

In reply to John Workman:

Here's one I prepared earlier, Shep.

In reply to nniff:





Don't mention Shep FFS, or KTT will have him destroyed.

In reply to Petarghh: There is a empty washing up bottle in my kitchen that you can have. Every little helps..

In reply to cavemanjack: Somehow... having "Fairy" on the bottom of my crampons isnt going to improove my image

In reply to Petarghh:
Snap, I just bit the bullet and ordered some. The old G12's are going to become my mixed footwear and I'm going to upgrade to either the new G14's or Cyborgs for mainly snow/ice routes.

Still a bloody swindle for a couple of bits of rubber though....

Thought about the tape and plastic bottle methods, but the original anti-ball plates have lasted 6/7 years and I expect the same again from the new ones so kinda makes it worthwhile in my eyes.

In reply to nniff:

This reminds me of an episode of the A-team

In reply to Chris Lambert:


'Looks like we're going to crash.'
'No, what's 'really' going to happen?'
'Looks like we're going to crash and die.'

In reply to Petarghh:

In true Blue Peter Style you should cover up the name to prevent product endorsement

Last year I spent five days in the Alps with plastic bags stuffed between my boots and my crampons and they worked fine! Got to get good plastic bags though.....
But yes, with JOhn Lewis on the bottom of your feet does not do much for your climbing image!