Crampons?

[sp6x6]

My buddies where them too,have to or cant keep up

 

[Antonio m]

Caulk( cork) boots work pretty well . I have crampons and have not used them in 30 years. Loggers know.

 

[LongBomber]

Before I wore crampons for anything other than frozen steep terrain I would send my hiking boots in and have them caulked. That will achieve what you are looking for without the downsides of crampons.

 

[Xenophon]

Second the Hillsound microspikes.
You shouldn't really need actual crampons unless you are going over ice/glaciers/mountaineering.

 

[Skimbleshanks]

I wear crampons a quite bit when climbing mountains. Never hunting. Special boots are required. Yes even for the strap on kind, hunting or hiking boots heels are too wide. Wearing them in the woods eems like a good way to shred pants, kick a hole in your leg or stumble into a nasty fall.

 

[Wedgy]

The CAMP 490 is just over a pound and universal fit to any shoe or boot, I'm a size 13 and they fit fine. I covered a ~100 yard section of 50 degree ice going up Mt Whitney 2 years ago with these on tennis shoes, not the shoe of choice for ice or front pointing but is doable. They have horizontal front points for glacier/snow travel, as opposed to vertical points for hard ice, which generally crampons of this type will have both a heel and toe bail and special boots(mountaineering) are required. As stated you really should practice walking in them for a while or you are likely to shred your pants, gaiters, or stab yourself in the calf.

Results for “crampons” at REI | REI Co-op

www.rei.com

 

[brcfo_outdoors]

Hillsound trail crampons are also a good choice IMO. They have an extra strap that looks like it helps keep things more secure on the feet.

+1

I run the Trail Crampon Pro's for a more traditional crampon that works with regular boots as well.

 

[P7M13]

I presume you are talking about snow.
Rain, clay, wet leaves and frost are the hazards I encounter on steep slopes. Taking a misstep and rodeo'ing down a ravine >300' on your arse is a good wake-up call. Lesson I learned? If the terrain or traverse is that treacherous, find another way.
I've never considered crampons while hunting because it's impractical.
If you do go the route of using traditional ones, familiarize yourself with them. They are not a panacea of traction, superb on firm snow, better than nothing on ice, dangerous on rocks and I have found them potentially lethal on scree.
Traditional crampons can also be a serious liability when you fall if you accelerate down the slope. Catching a point during a fall is a great way to snap your ankle or leg.

 

[wpwarren]

Yaktraks are useless in anything that isn't completely flat. They stretch too much and just slide off your feet. They work great walking around town, running on a paved trail or walking on a frozen lake. Microspikes are a great option for most scenarios. They stop working in deep snow and are infuriating in wet snow. You will spend more time cleaning the wet snow that balls up off than walking. For steep untracked or loose packed snow crampons are the best. Don't discount a good pair of snow shoes if the snow is deeper than your knees or very heavy.

 

[wpwarren]

I use some black diamond strap on crampons in steep terrain and deep snow or a pair of good snowshoes. I also forgot to mention that crampons can be great in loose leaves and really soft loamy soil.

 

[Troutslayer2]

In all sincerity, if you are hunting solo in places where you need crampons more important than type is to find a hunting buddy.

I 100% agree with this. I'm not packing out 75# elk quarters solo in crampon country.

 

[M77Fan]

Mountaineering crampons are for extreme conditions, You would not go far in timber before you intentionally lost them. A buddy recommended microspikes. He is often on iced trails. They have worked great for us in winter conditions and are easily packable in a day pack. You want to get them the right size range for your boots so they hang on securely and don't slop. I have a pair for hiking weight and another for cold weather pacboots. Much better on really slick stuff than the airbobs I normally have as soles. They are easy enough on and off you will take then off when you don;t need them. The spikes are long enough without being dangerous like crampons. Don't fall for the cheap knockoffs - they look the same but are not as sturdy. Bending spikes is a non-starter.

 

[Len Backus]

I just bought some Yaktrax Ascent Heavy Duty Cleats.

Haven't tried them on steep slopes yet, but based on my experience with some inferior ones I tried, I believe these may work well for my uses. Primarily, serious, steep slopes in snowy, icy backpack conditions up at 10,000+ ft elevation.