CAMP Alpinist Pro vs Ascent Crampon choice question/dilemma

I first posted this in the mountaineering forum but maybe it’s better suited here…

I am just getting into mountaineering and alpine climbing and looking to buy my first set of crampons. I have an opportunity to get a a significant deal on some from C.A.M.P. and I’m not sure my my deal is clouding my judgement on which to get.

With maybe once a year ice climbing (and nothing really super steep or technical yet either - beginner stuff) and maybe twice or three times a year winter hiking in NH and the ADK, and notionally within the next 5 years a trip to the Tetons and Zermatt for a Matterhorn attempt; is the CAMP Alpinist Pro “too much” crampon? Would a more generalized mountaineering crampon like the Ascent be sufficient? I feel like I’m losing an ideal glacier crampon for more vertical ability. With a 1 year old baby I know that my frequency of anything will be so limited I won’t get out enough to need multiple pairs. So thinking of buy once cry once sort of investment. 

The alpinist pros are going to climb significantly better but will suck to walk in. Seems like for your needs you would be better off with a walking crampon

Pick up some used SMC hinged crampons for $40. That's all you need for NH/NY mountain hikes. Yeah, it sucks that they have straps and buckles, but as long as you put them on below treeline, that's not a deal breaker. Get tech crampons when you start serious ice climbing (you'll probably be upgrading boots then too).

Gunkiemike wrote:

Pick up some used SMC hinged crampons for $40. That's all you need for NH/NY mountain hikes. Yeah, it sucks that they have straps and buckles, but as long as you put them on below treeline, that's not a deal breaker. Get tech crampons when you start serious ice climbing (you'll probably be upgrading boots then too).

Thanks for the advice.  

I like my CAMP Alpinist Pro

Li Hu wrote:

I like my CAMP Alpinist Pro

Do you have any other pairs of crampons or do they mostly do it all for you?

Michael Romeo wrote:

Do you have any other pairs of crampons or do they mostly do it all for you?

I’ve got the CAMP Blade runner for my clip ins.

Also, ann old pair or some old Swiss brand from the 1970s

Another option to consider...If you can find it, I would consider getting this pair of the older discontinued black Cassin Alpinist Crampons. These can be hard to find now.

https://rockandresole.com/products/cassin-alpinist-autosemi-auto-crampons

Then get just the CAMP Alpinist Pro or Alpinist Tech FRONT PART when you want to go more vertical. All of these Alpinist crampons share the same back section, they are interchangeable front sections. It can be nice to have the right tool for the job.

Hope this helps!

I think the right answer is going to depend a lot on what boots you have and plan on getting. 

Unless they are rigid and have a toe and heel welt, they are not going to ice climb well. If you have a set of rigid boots, then you could consider getting a "do it all" pair that's skewed toward ice climbing and probably pair that with microspikes. However, given your use case, a pair of ascents and a cheap pair of consigned old vertical-frontpoint ice climbing crampons will serve you better.

If you don't have toe and heel welts on your boots, then you probably want to stick the ascent still and instead plan to rent boots / crampons when you ice climb once a year.