Looking for one type of crampon good for multiple uses (is it possible?)

I'm looking save some $ by buying one set of crampons that I could use in a variety of settings. From trekking up Rainier and practicing crevasse rescues to technical climbing in Chamonix. Opinions? Specifically, what type of frontpoint and binding should I look for? Fixed horizontal or modular vertical?

I would check out something like Grivel's G14. It's great on steep ice with one front point, and you can switch back to two front points for the slog routes. Another obvious choice would be CAMP's Blade Runner, which can literally be set up for any type of climbing.

Recently I was told by someone who climbs ice and mixed really hard that their crampon of choice for ALL activities is the BD Sabretooth. They said they are great for glacier travel, awesome for mixed climbing, and if you sharpen them up and excellent for ice. I'm skeptical, but a number of people have sworn up and down by them since I heard this and have been asking around. When I'm in the market (or have some spare cash) I'm going to buy a set and give them a go based on the recommendations.

Right now I climb on Petzl Lynx and really like them, but don't have a lot of experience with other types. It wouldn't save you as much money as a single set, but almost all of Petzl's crampons have modular front pieces now, so instead of buying a whole separate pair of crampons you just buy a pair of fronts pieces and swap them out.

Couple options for ya.

Crampons are like rock shoes, you can do pretty-much anything in any rock shoe but its not ideal. If youre mostly mountaineering and doing easy alpine routes get a 12 point horizontal frontpoint crampon like the Vasak. These will work well on up to WI4. WI5 starts to get hard with horizontal frontpoints, mostly because of the different angle. Requires a more "toes up" kick than vertical front points.

If youre gonna climb more ice and want to spend time on terrain harder than WI4 then go with vertical frontpoints. If youre heavier than 175 get a solid frame, non modular crampon like the petzl sarken. Modular will break if youre big. Get the Cassin C14 or BD cyborg, unless youre heavier than 175.

Grivel G20 is a great option if you climb mixed enough to need a monopoint

Another option if youre doing mixed alpine routes is the BD snaggletooth. Theyre the weird mono-point horizontals. They seem to be pretty okay for everything but not especially great for any of it,. Problem with those is if youre getting after it they wont last because the metal is a bit soft. Ive worn mine down quite a bit after about half a season, they have maybe one big trip left in them.

Nate K wrote:Another option if youre doing mixed alpine routes is the BD snaggletooth. Theyre the weird mono-point horizontals. They seem to be pretty okay for everything but not especially great for any of it,. Problem with those is if youre getting after it they wont last because the metal is a bit soft. Ive worn mine down quite a bit after about half a season, they have maybe one big trip left in them.

Hey Nate what's the go with the Snaggletooths? What have you previously been using and how do they stack up against them?

Nate K wrote: If youre gonna climb more ice and want to spend time on terrain harder than WI4 then go with horizontal frontpoints.

+1 for the Cassin Bladerunners, except they cost almost as much as two pair of less versatile crampons.

And I REALLY disagree with the rec. above to go with horizontal frontpoints for water ice. Ice tends to fracture in horizontal planes, and kicking a couple horizontal blades into a vertical icicle is just about the best way I know to make it break. VERTICAL frontpoints - preferably only one on each foot - is the way to go for pure technical water ice IME. It also just happens to be the best setup for drytooling too.

What Nate said..

You wouldn't wear TC Pros at Rifle (steep limestone caves) but they would work..
Same goes for crampons. It's probably best to have a few pairs, if possible, and you are psyched to get out on a bunch of different mediums.

Horizontal front points are best for snow first, ice second, rock last.
Mono points do best for mixed/rock. You can wiggle them around and they stay put. A dual horizontal crampon will likely push one point off the wall if you are not careful on rock small holds.
When it comes to steep untouched, or thin ice it can be nice to track your feet in your tool holes. That doesn't work with dual horizontal.

For me I have Monos for most all. Aluminum dual horizontal for snow. And if I want to lighten up my steel monos I switch the back half steel off and put aluminum there..

Hope that helps you, but will probably make you geek out even worse on it. :D

Cor

Check out the Petzl Sarken-

petzl.com/US/en/Sport/Cramp…

Good all around, do almost anything crampon.

I like my Petzl Sarkens. Their T points can be hard to penetrate hard water ice with, but they are great is most cases.

Regarding technical stuff in Chamonix, there is a huge variation. Most of the steep snow, ice face, or mixed routes are totally doable with dual horizontal front points. The popular mixed routes I have been on have crux moves that are actually easier to pull off with standard crampons because the rocks have been permanently indented by other peoples' crampons.

(Not my photos)

chrisccc wrote:I like my Petzl Sarkens. Their T points can be hard to penetrate hard water ice with, but they are great is most cases. Regarding technical stuff in Chamonix, there is a huge variation. Most of the steep snow, ice face, or mixed routes are totally doable with dual horizontal front points. The popular mixed routes I have been on have crux moves that are actually easier to pull off with standard crampons because the rocks have been permanently indented by other peoples' crampons. (Not my photos)

Yikes-- those holes look like they were made with a drill, not via crampons...

mpech wrote: Yikes-- those holes look like they were made with a drill, not via crampons...

Yeah, now that you mention it. I was not paying too much attention as I moved past them (like an idiot I was not wearing crampons so they were no use to me.) The Cosmiques Arete is super commercial, so it wouldn't surprise me if they drilled them out to reduce bottlenecking. Aside from the cool crux photo-op and seeing tourists' eyes nearly explode as you climb over the fence of the viewing platform, it's not super classic.

Some of the other less popular climbs (still extremely popular by our standards) did have much more "organic" front point holes in the rocks.

Seth Kane wrote: I've been climbing just about everything in mine. Hard untouched ice in -20 in AK. WI6 in hyalite. M-as hard as I can climb in anything. Used em on a few routes in Patagonia. On rock I think they climb mixed worse on edges, better for crack climbing (lots of options for sizes) then normal monos. Ice and snow well enough that I don't notice them holding me back. We'll see if they suffer from the durability problems of other BD horizontals or if they have to be replaced from wear first. Wouldn't be my first choice for a pure ice or cragging crampon, but as a quiver of one they do pretty well. (I only brought snaggletooths and aluminums to Patagonia..)

Thanks for that. Seems like they could be my Lynx replacements.

mpech wrote: Yikes-- those holes look like they were made with a drill, not via crampons...

Remember, this is France we're talking about. ;-)

I'd vote for a pair of Lynx and a set of Irvis forefoot. Gives you a glacier setup, dual point vertical ice/mixed and mono for vertical ice/mixed and the front points of the Lynx are replaceable as separate pieces. Full coverage for a pretty good value.

petzl.com/US/en/Sport/Cramp…

and

petzl.com/US/en/Sport/Cramp…

I quite like the petzl lynx as a "does everything" crampon. Comes with strap and step-in front bail, can be configured as dual or mono front point. As another poster said, you could also swap the front half with other petzl crampons if you wanted. I find the vertical front points are just fine for snow slogs, and great for vertical ice.

If you can have just one, Grivel G12 or Blackdiamond Sabertooth will get the job done.

I disagree with the 175 lb comment. I climbed grade 5 in horizontal point crampons(grivel 2fs) at 195-200 and they were just fine. Never broke a crampon. The only time I have heard of on breaking was because of a defect. 175-280 - makes no difference.

+1 for BD Snaggletooths for the one 'pon to rule them all. I think people who have not tried them can armchair QB where they will and won't work, but I love them for everything from WI5 to mixed. I actually prefer them on mixed over mono vertical front points - that big horizontal front point seems more secure on most edges and cracks. They work awesome for neve, glacial ice, etc. obviously. I know some great climbers who used to use Sabertooths for everything and I didn't allow myself to believe that dual horizontal front points were good for water ice but now that I have the Snaggletooths, I have changed my opinion. Horizontals make newer, chandliery ice seem easier than verticals.

I think it will take a few years, but the Snaggletooths may soon have a big fan club.

I have only two days on the Cassin Bladerunners. The Bladerunners made prove to be better on steep, brittle, hard WI6-ish stuff compared to the Snaggletooths(which is why I bought them) but too early to tell. I tried them both for pure dry tooling on the same route and preferred the Snaggletooths. With that said, the Bladerunners win if you are a huge gearhead and want what feels like the best designed and built crampon - they really put a lot of thought into them. I don't know why all 'pons don't have the huge secondary points like the Bladerunners.

On paper the Petzl Lynx seems to fit the "do-it-all" category but I never liked them (used them for about three seasons). The front points were weird - too straight ahead maybe (like, not enough downward angle so they didn't penetrate the best) and the secondary points are too small and far back. Even where the strap came off the heel throw seemed a little off (i.e., too low on the heel throw).

Based on what the OP is looking for, I vote Snaggletooths.

Gunkiemike wrote: And I REALLY disagree with the rec. above to go with horizontal frontpoints for water ice. Ice tends to fracture in horizontal planes, and kicking a couple horizontal blades into a vertical icicle is just about the best way I know to make it break. VERTICAL frontpoints - preferably only one on each foot - is the way to go for pure technical water ice IME. It also just happens to be the best setup for drytooling too.

Gunkie MIke youre 100% right. Im a bit dyslexic and tend to mix up words. What i meant to say was in Fact Vertical and not horizontal

For just one, Petzl Lynx

ORRRRRR

Petzl Dart or Datwin

+

Petzl Vasak or Irvis front (since petzl now sells fronts separate)

Doug Hutchinson wrote: Even where the strap came off the heel throw seemed a little off (i.e., too low on the heel throw).

Looks like Petzl fixed that complaint in this year's pons:
petzl.com/US/en/Sport/Cramp…

The most important thing is that the crampons actually fit your boots. First nail down the boot that fits your foot and your needs, then worry about the crampons. There are lots of crampon and boot combos that just simply don't fit well together.

Read this:
coldthistle.blogspot.com/20…

Also a point Dane doesn't go into there, can you get the secondary points the right length for you use? For general mountaineering you want the secondary points back from the front of your boot to have a more normal stride. For steeper ice you want them closer to even with the front of your boot:
willgadd.com/a-simple-fix-f…

Here is an example of the difference. New Grivel G20s on top with the stock bail set all the way back on rebel pros. Just gets the secondaries even with the front of the boot.
On the bottom are 12pt petzl vasaks with BD small bails (from stingers) set in the back hole. I tried to make the vasaks work for waterfall ice, but as you can see the secondary points can't be brought even with the front of the boot.