Crampon recommendations for beginner with ambitious goals

Hi everyone, I've been scouring previous posts on this, but I'd like some honest advice/opinions on my first pair of crampons. I started ice climbing last season (only got out ~4 times) but this season I've been going out as much as possible - so far twice a week and ice, mixed, and dry tooling. My partner (who is much more experienced than me) has big goals to ultimately get me on multi-pitch alpine routes this year, so ideally I'd like whatever I buy to be really versatile. I assume that as a beginner, crampons are probably not my limiting factor in terms of progression at first, but I'm hoping to progress somewhat quickly over the next few seasons. 

Last season, I honestly can't remember what I used, but the last two weekends I've been using Bladerunners and have really liked them. Is it insane to spend that much money on my first pair? I'm willing to spend the money on them now if they're something I'd grow into and be able to use for a wide variety of conditions and terrain. Plus I'd hate to get something else and ultimately buy them anyway in a year or two. If I don't get them, I'm leaning towards the Lynx - interested in anyone who has strong opinions for one or the other. Or any others outside those two. Thanks!

Both are fine. Lynx points more durable if you're climbing mixed a lot, and the BR mono with the 2 little points are a bit suboptimal for rock. BRs are better ice crampons IMO particularly when it's cold and brittle. 

You probably don't want to hear this but you'll likely be buying new crampons in a couple of seasons anyway if you get out twice a week and they touch rock frequently. 

The 2020 BRs are $200 at Moosejaw if it makes it easier. 

Very good point - I honestly don't have a good gauge of how often I'll need to replace the whole crampon if I replace the front points when needed. And that price on moosejaw actually makes a huge difference! I hadn't checked for deals recently.

Do you say the blade runners are suboptimal on rock because the 2 smaller points interfere with monopoint placement? Or for some other reason?

Yeah, the monopoint placement in cracks, and the front points just aren't as durable. They are thin and penetrate ice well. They are relatively cheap at least.

Typically performance on rock and performance on ice are inversely related. A good tool for rock is light, does not flex, has an extreme pick angle, thick/durable pick. A good tool for ice is a bit heavier and less balanced (weight in the head), has a more gentle pick angle (more natural swing vs hook), and a thin pick. 

Some of those same things apply to crampons. Thinner point are less durable, secondaries that are good for ice stability are less good for rock climbing. Hard to have it all.

im probably going to have an unpopular opinion, but the reality is you can climb a ton of stuff in cheap, general use mountaineering crampons like these: https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/product/contact-crampon/

yes, there are better crampons for specific activities, but for $150 these will get you up a lot of alpine climbs (up to WI/AI 3 in my experience)

Blade runners are great pure ice climbing, but I wouldn’t recommend them for drytooling, mixed climbing, or alpine climbing.  The front points wear very quickly on rock and the performance is lost very quickly as the front point gets blunted and abraded.  The long and wide secondary points interferes with tight foot placements.  If you use them on rock, plan on replacing the front points frequently.  

If your main focus is on alpine mixed climbing, I would go with the Snaggletooth.  If your main focus is thin & delicate ice climbing go with the Blade Runner.  If you want one general purpose crampon for both cragging and alpine, go with the Lynx or Dart.  

I really appreciate everyone's input, especially on the blade runner's durability on rock. Leaning a bit more towards the Lynx now. 

@curt86iroc, I'm following on WI3-4+ now, so I was thinking a more technical crampon would be better. But maybe something like those could be good if I get the blade runners for ice cragging and those for alpine climbs? If I find anything used or on sale, I'm definitely willing to buy more than one pair. 

Just get the lynx. It's better all around and you can use the money saved on two pairs of crampons for a road trip to climb.

Get the dart and not the lynx. Better on ice (second points are substantially more forward), better for drytooling (third points are more flared and longer for hooking) and also lighter.

I’ll be that guy: Just get G12s

Just curious: would G20s make it into the recommendation list? They seem pretty great on paper.

Ryan Mac wrote:

Just curious: would G20s make it into the recommendation list? They seem pretty great on paper.

G20's are great for ice and mixed, I'd avoid them for alpine because they aren't great for walking around in due to the vertical orientation of the spreader bar.

Hard to beat Darts or Alpinist Techs if Camp is your flavor, light, fixed monopoints are pretty good all around.

DeLa Cruce wrote:

I’ll be that guy: Just get G12s

I’ll be the other guy: Sabretooth Pros have gotten me up a lot of shit. Like, a lot. Unless you’re drytooling primarily, they’ll be fine for absolutely everything. 

Ted Raven wrote:

I’ll be the other guy: Sabretooth Pros have gotten me up a lot of shit. Like, a lot. Unless you’re drytooling primarily, they’ll be fine for absolutely everything. 

It’s a great crampon, Sabretooths. 

I'll be the other guy; Snaggletooths. Remember precision is everything.

B S wrote:

…. me on multi-pitch alpine routes this year, so ideally I'd like whatever I buy to be really versatile…

this practically screams “Snaggletooth”

good news is you’d do perfectly fine with anything mentioned.  And everything mentioned in the above posts are correct.  Can’t argue with anyone’s post.  You can’t go wrong really (or at least really wrong) and It’s really splitting hairs, But the best answer from the info in your OP is really Snaggletooth.  

I disagree, horizontal points dinner plate all the cold brittle ice in my neighborhood. YMMV. My buddy thought Snaggletooths and mixed picks were cool in Montana, he got some Blade Runners and Pur'ice real quick when he moved to the Northeast. 

I'd get Petzl Lynx/Dart if I could only have one pair of crampons for everything. I've used em in the Northeast, Alaska, Cascades. They do everything well enough. I'd prefer BR's for hard ice though. 

Grivel are good, US distribution is just too much of a pain to deal with. The Petzls are comparable IMO. And if I have a Petzl or Cassin issue I contact the dedicated US headquarters and get what I need. 

jdejace wrote:

I disagree, horizontal points dinner plate all the cold brittle ice in my neighborhood. YMMV. My buddy thought Snaggletooths and mixed picks were cool in Montana, he got some Blade Runners and Pur'ice real quick when he moved to the Northeast. 

I'd get Petzl Lynx/Dart if I could only have one pair of crampons for everything. I've used em in the Northeast, Alaska, Cascades. They do everything well enough. I'd prefer BR's for hard ice though. 

Grivel are good, US distribution is just too much of a pain to deal with. The Petzls are comparable IMO. And if I have a Petzl or Cassin issue I contact the dedicated US headquarters and get what I need. 

I agree that “regionality” is a consideration.  For some reason, I thought OP was west, (maybe it was the multi-pitch alpine that put the idea in my head)  but now I have no idea where he’s based out of.  

Never really cared for Bladerunners myself.  The points -and to some extent the front geometry - gives me PTSD flashbacks of Footfangs. Yuk.  I know people love em, but I don’t get it personally.  I’d be willing to wager that if you set a pair of G20, Darts, and BR’s out for experienced climbers to “blind climb test” on cold hard ice, BRs would be third place.    My personal choice from that competition is the G20

D A R T S

There's nothing you can't get up in a pair of darts. As others have said, you'll probably end up buying another pair in a few seasons if you spend a lot of time mixed and dry tooling. 

Why anyone would even consider bd is a mystery to me. 

Any opinions of the G14's? Good for WI3-4? Good in the Alpine? 

Alex Headley wrote:

Any opinions of the G14's? Good for WI3-4? Good in the Alpine? 

A bit heavy but a good versatile waterfall ice crampon.  Make sure they fit your boots - they have a pronounced curve to them.