Who wants to talk Crampons? 2015

Tom - looks like I'm a day late to suggest a somewhat different approach to cost-effective crampon upgrade: buy used. I have Darts with the long bar that would fit your big feet. They don't hit all your criteria but you save $100 or so and get a high end, light crampon. Moot points now I suppose.

The other thing is that if you've been on Koflachs and Saberteeths, ANY modern boot/poon combo is going to be a HUGE HUGE improvement. Plastics and Saberteeths is like 20 years ago tech. You couldn't pay me to climb water ice in that.

clint helander wrote:Just another option: Petzl Sarkens...

Tom, I was going to mention these aswell. They really are a cool crampon.

Tom,

My two cents. You probably can't go wrong with any of your choices. I've been a BD pon person for the last 20 years or so with a couple year stint on M10's in the early 2000's.

Now it's Stingers for the most part with Cyborgs when ice is late season.

Hell, I climbed M5 back in the early 90's with Footfangs that had been converted to momo's. If you've ever seen what that mono looked like you'd laugh your ass off!

Don't overthink it. Get a pon that fits your boot well. Climb and enjoy!

Mark

FWIW - I brought Ashley's crampons, Sarkens, out with me yesterday. I didn't size them at home stupidly, but thankfully brought my crampons as well.

Seems they don't fit a UK11/US12 Koflach too well. Second from the last hole on the bar I fit good between the front and back tabs, but couldn't get the heel piece 'around' to get onto the heel welt. Then when I got into the last hole (boy does the last hole on the bar feel like a slop connection) on the bar, my front would pop over the front tabs and I could just blow the whole thing open. So I should have tried to size these up at home and I still will, but anyone reading this thread and thinking Petzl, should think about factoring long bars into their total cost. (If you have size 11 foot in double-plastics or 12 in leathers)

So anyway my double-plastics have a lot of volume in the front, and I am thinking once I receive my size large BD toe bails, I am going to rip the front tabs and rubber cup of the Sarken's (and attach 'pro' front toe bails). I'm quite sure this will move my foot 1/4-1/2" forward on the 'pons and may make the fitment work.

Also the guy I climbed with yesterday was in Dartwins, got me thinking. While I can see the advantages of a 'dedicated ice' crampon, I think I am a more all-around crampon type of guy. Maybe I'm just talking myself into the 'pons I just bought though.

If anyone cares I'll report back with pre/post mod pictures of US12 Koflach in Sarkens.

Tom - plan on getting long bars for the Sarkens. Petzl says the stock bars are for up to size 44.

And - IMPORTANT - they specify that the last THREE holes are not to be used.

Well update, I can get them to fit in the second to last hole (tried boot in hand), and this doesn't seem to feel so bad (connection-wise, the last hole is bad). The front is rocking out a little bit, not significantly, would be interested to see how this works in action. But again I am expecting better fitment once I rip off the front tabs and cup.

But why the hell does Petzl put holes there if it's a no-no? I hope you're not about to tell me I'm not supposed to be in the 2nd to last hole, like I've always been in my Sabretooths...

I don't know BD's advice re. using the end holes, but Petzl is very clear in their brochure not to use the last 3 holes. I'm not saying you can't do it, only spewing the manufacturer's line.

Aren't you getting new (as in designed after the Carter administration ) boots? They will almost surely be a trimmer profile than your Koflachs. I hate to see you semi-destroy the Sarkens' toes to accommodate your plastic dinosaurs when the proper solution is just around the corner. If I'm over-assuming re. the boots, then continue trying to put lipstick on the pig (said in good humor).

my gf is in the same koflachs, and the pons don't fit her boots right either, so the mod is for both her and my boots. Then I'll be able to convert for fully automatic between my koflachs or new sportiva's if they every come in.

Tom Sherman wrote: While I can see the advantages of a 'dedicated ice' crampon, I think I am a more all-around crampon type of guy. Maybe I'm just talking myself into the 'pons I just bought though.

If you only climb on weekends, you're probably going to be fine having one pair. Just make sure to have dedicated front points. If you exclusively climb with monopoints, save the extras, wear out the first pair and then retire them into "rock only" duty.

P.S. and what Mike said - you both need new boots!

One upside to the Cyborgs is that the last forefoot point is perpendicular to the boot which helps when traveling downhill.