Crampons...

02-12-2009 10:34am #1

Posted this on another thread but it might deserve one of its own.

When does one start thinking of using crampons? How deep should snow be? Think I might have to invest - was on the Eastern Reeks last Sunday and it was tiring.

When I took my first walk over a hill last year I never thought I would get to the stage when I would plan on using crampons. How much are they and is there anything I must consider when buying them?

Mickeroo · 02-12-2009 3:47pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Posted this on another thread but it might deserve one of its own.

When does one start thinking of using crampons? How deep should snow be? Think I might have to invest - was on the Eastern Reeks last Sunday and it was tiring.

When I took my first walk over a hill last year I never thought I would get to the stage when I would plan on using crampons. How much are they and is there anything I must consider when buying them?

My experience with them is limited, just a little bit of mountaineering in scotland last year. But they're pretty much useless in deep snow, more for ice and steep snowy/icey rock. You really dont need them on irish mountains 99% of the time as the snow rarely stays long enough. I suppose the reeks would hold the snow better than the other irish hills though. If the snow is deep then snow shoes would be better. I think they generally cost over €100.

Alun · 02-12-2009 4:07pm

Mickeroo wrote: »

My experience with them is limited, just a little bit of mountaineering in scotland last year. But they're pretty much useless in deep snow, more for ice and steep snowy/icey rock. You really dont need them on irish mountains 99% of the time as the snow rarely stays long enough. I suppose the reeks would hold the snow better than the other irish hills though. If the snow is deep then snow shoes would be better. I think they generally cost over €100.

I agree, although I admit my experience is more on boggy Irish hills than anything that could be considered real mountains. Plus you'll need boots that can take crampons which many, if not most, boots typically used for hillwalking won't. The ones that will will generally be the more rigid 4 season mountaineering boots.

Mickeroo · 02-12-2009 4:46pm

Alun wrote: »

I agree, although I admit my experience is more on boggy Irish hills than anything that could be considered real mountains. Plus you'll need boots that can take crampons which many, if not most, boots typically used for hillwalking won't. The ones that will will generally be the more rigid 4 season mountaineering boots.

Yea,you could get a pair of leather boots with rigid soles that can take them. My boots can take crampons but i regret buying them now, even though they keep water out in the wettest conditions they are absolute torture by the end of a long day on the hills, lately i've been using my old boots which are full of holes, i've been choosing wet socks over painful feet!

Alun · 02-12-2009 5:32pm

Yeah, that's the disadvantage .. boots that take crampons pretty much have to have fairly stiff soles, and these just aren't suitable for plodding across relatively flat(tish) countryside. You need a certain amount of flexibility in the soles in that case.

Down South · 02-12-2009 11:59pm

Alun wrote: »

Yeah, that's the disadvantage .. boots that take crampons pretty much have to have fairly stiff soles, and these just aren't suitable for plodding across relatively flat(tish) countryside. You need a certain amount of flexibility in the soles in that case.

Boots come in 4 degrees of rigidity
Bo - flexible
B1 - B3 increasing degree of rigidity
These are then matched with crampons which go from c1-c3 in increasing rigidity.
Therefore B1 boot with C1 crampon, B2 boot with C1 or C2, B3 boot with C1,2 or 3

I wear Meindl makalu which are B1 and have used them with crampons in the alps. I dont find them uncomfortable for genreal hillwalking and the little bit of rigidity is great for rocky terrain and scrambling

My C1 crampons (Grivel G10) cost around €100

Carawaystick · 03-12-2009 12:45am

crampons and leather bots == leaky boots. You'll have a suede toe at best and water'll leak in in the wet.

The time for crampons is on frozen snow when you're sliping cos you can't get a grip.
Or on ice obviously.

Tells · 03-12-2009 9:03am

I'd never wear them on general hill walks. Usually on ridge or gully climbs or when walking across icy rock and frozen snow.

Here's a link for more than you'll ever need to know about crampons:
http://www.andy-kirkpatrick.com/site/main_articles/getting_the_right_crampon/

Hope this helps.

03-12-2009 10:04am

Thanks for all the pointers.

Have Meindl Island Pros. But from the foregoing I'm thinking that crampons wouldn't be used as often as I expected. It's only the last couple of hundred metres up the Reeks that'll be affected for some of the year, and not sure the snow would be heavy or regular enough.

Tells · 03-12-2009 6:04pm

You can wear crampons with normal hill walking boots so long as you're not climbing anything technical. I'd say buy them and wear them, you can decide for yourself afterwards whether you'll wear them again or not. You'll have no trouble selling them on afterwards.

Mickeroo · 03-12-2009 9:06pm

It wouldnt be a bad thing to have a pair anyway, i'm sure its only a matter of time before you start thinking about a holiday in scotland, or the alps

Sev · 04-12-2009 11:59pm

You'll know when you need crampons... the snow slope will be frozen and hard enough and the incline steep enough that you won't be able to climb it without cutting steps with an axe.