Thread: Advice please: boot/crampon compatibility

Originally Posted by mopheadrob

I've been browsing AliExpress and there are a few lookalikes to the ones you suggest, @stug. Are crampons one of those items you don't want to risk your neck on cheap crappy gear, or would anything be better than nothing? Looking at these ones.

I wouldn't risk it personally, if a crampon fails when you're in a dicey spot...


Funny story sidetrack...

I was mountaineering once with a mate, climbing a steep snow face (where the top of Somnus Couloir opens out onto face for anyone who knows the North Routeburn... bound to be someone here who has been there).

We had left the rope and harnesses etc at the bottom to save weight because it was perfect snow conditions for kicking big easy steps... at the bottom.

By the time we got onto the face in question the snow was much more hard frozen icy. So we were soloing unroped on front-points of crampons and swinging ice axes on about a 55° slope, but not too concerned as we were climbing well within our abilities and could see the grade flatten off 100m or so above us.

I was was moving a bit faster and got maybe 40-50m above my buddy, and it was at that point that one of his crampons (Petzl ones with the unusual side-locking lever they used for a while, for anyone who cares) spontaneously detached itself from his boot and leave him standing on one foot unable to move, with the crampon hanging from the ankle strap. I hear a voice from below "um, do you think come back down and give me a hand?" ... uh oh

He was starting to get a bit shaky by the time I downclimbed, chipped a ledge to stand on and reattached his crampon to his boot so he could move again.

We called it a day and went back down the hill to eat bacon, but it could have ended quite badly.