Ice-Cleats - An improved Yaktrak

[MedicineMan]

well katoohla does make a pair light enough to section hike with....
and I dont have time to read this whole thread but never forget what
flying bryan used on his TC...hex head screws into the soul/tread of the boot
when he needed them; he carried the hex head screws along with a small bit drive..total weight maybe 2 ounces! he used to have a gear list up and their weights are listed.
Instep crampons are cheap and light and i used them for years, the problem for me was hitting a rock with just one spike, it torques the ankle in a bad way.

[Connie]

Suluk46 has a Titanium Walking Crampon R2 in development.

I know I am interested.

Meanwhile, I will try out the CMI Instep Crampons. Thanks.

[Surplusman]

Yaxtrax suck. I wound up buying a pair of Stabilicers and have never regretted it. I used to have to walk to work and back on a railtrail that was a sheet of ice in large sections in the winter (the W&OD railtrail between Cedar Lane and Vienna, VA). I would rather spend the kind of money I did on the Stabilicers than spend thousands on broken bones and hospital time.

[leaftye]

well katoohla does make a pair light enough to section hike with....

You talking about their aluminum crampons? I just bought a set on ebay. I hope to find out how suitable they are sometime this winter.

[mak52580]

Yaxtrax suck. I wound up buying a pair of Stabilicers and have never regretted it. I used to have to walk to work and back on a railtrail that was a sheet of ice in large sections in the winter (the W&OD railtrail between Cedar Lane and Vienna, VA). I would rather spend the kind of money I did on the Stabilicers than spend thousands on broken bones and hospital time.

Very nice! That's right next to where I live. I hop on the W&OD trail at Cedar Lane.

[LIhikers]

If you do a lot of hiking on trails coverred with packed snow or ice consider screwing some of the short screws into the bottom of a pair of old hiking boots or shoes. It's like having Stablicers on all the time. You can find them HERE

[leaftye]

Those screws may be worth taking in lieu of other traction aids. It'd be lightweight insurance for worse than expected conditions for the ultralight crowd. Of course I've had one of them tell me not to bring a multitool, so getting those screws installed could be an issue for people like that.

[LIhikers]

leaftye,

You don't want to be trying to be installing and removing those screws out on the trail. I have a pair of old hiking boots I put them into making something like a permanent Stabilicer. I use them on hikes where I know I'll be on packed snow or ice most of the time. I don't know how many times you could screw them in and out of soles that aren't really made for them.

[Tinker]

That's all I would need - another piece of gear to worry about batteries - What? Why, my cordless drill, of course!
Now I could bounce my charger ahead and charge it in town, but..............

[leaftye]

Installing those screws wouldn't exactly be a planned thing. Think of it like an emergency blanket. You hope you don't need it, but it's there if you really do.

[Grits]

I used the Kahtoola MICROspikes in a 12 mile day hike on the Blue Ridge Parkway after the Christmas Day ice storm and averaged 3 mph with no slips or missteps on a solid sheet of ice for the entire day hike. They are light easy to slip on and off. A great addition to your gear if you are out in these conditions.
http://www.rei.com/product/774966

Attachment 7731

[JAK]

What I have found to be particularly treacherous on the Fundy Footpath is downslopes, even when they are not all that steep. When they are both rocky and icy, and especially when they go on a long distance so its hard to be on your toes all the time. When there is a light dusting of snow on top its even harder to judge what you are up against. Metal cleats can be great on ice and hard snow, but can be very bad on rock. I think there is alot to be said for sticking with a very aggressive soft rubber, like a good trail runner or boot with a similar tread. Carrying less weight is important also. Some sort of crampon for real climbing or decent situations, but I don't have any experience in that department. Still, I might bring something like the yaktrax or stabilicers and give them a try. I've tried using machine screws, but they were way to slippery on rock.

[goedde2]

I've used the type that look like small springs hooked together, and lost one almost immediately. They do seem to work okay, but don't seem to stay on very well, at least not for me.

[Elder]

Try the www.icetrekkers.com Diamond Grips.
Walk normal on all ice/ snow and rock.
No points to teeter/ twist on. Just great traction.
Fit correctly, they stay on.
$39.95 weigh -6 oz. pair. (Large)

These are the best I have found short of needing serious crampons for ice climbing.
You can walk and run in these.

[Snowleopard]

Someone recently fell 1500' into King's Ravine while hiking with microspikes on the AT near Mt. Adams, NH (and was not seriously hurt). From trip reports from the same day, crampons and an ice axe were really needed there. There were also a couple of other 200' falls there that day by people not wearing crampons. http://www.viewsfromthetop.com/forum...68&postcount=1
http://www.viewsfromthetop.com/forum...ad.php?t=35360
http://www.courier-littletonnh.com/A...ng_Ravine.html

I've used Kahtoola Microspikes, Stabilicers, instep crampons, and real crampons. Snowshoes usually have some sort of built in claw and they are sometimes in places where the Microspikes, etc., don't cut it. Hiking a relatively flat icy trail, any of the less-than-crampon traction will keep you from falling on your behind.

When the terrain is steeper or a fall will hurt you badly, use real crampons, especially on hard ice. Don't carry an ice axe without training in how to use it.