 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Our own Davidof has posted here about these on his own web site.
http://pistehors.com
My feelings about them are mixed. I really like having a pair of crampons with me, I always take some on the VB but could manage without. I have a light weight pair but they are limited in use as they don't like rocks and aren't that good on hard ice. My full weight ones seem huge and heavy in my bag and are often the final straw in switching to a big rucksack when touring, so when I saw these I was very interested. But, when I think about how and where I would use them they would also be limited in use, boot packing up a gully would be fine, but descending (vb arret) would require me to face in and front point, likewise traversing would also need to be done front pointing which would be tiring.
I think they are a fantastic concept and I might get some but think if I was going to much more than short pitches in accent then I would still pack normal crampons.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
OffPisteSkiing has ordered some and will post a review on his website in the season sometime. Watch out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
It looks very like the old camp 6 point light, which was a 6 point forefoot-only crampon that I've owned for about a decade, also weighing in at around 250g/pair. The camp 6 was a strap-on style rather than dynafit interface. I've put a few hundred miles of snow travel on these and they were absolutely excellent compared to the alternative (no crampon, instep crampon) and vastly lighter than full crampons. They also come into their own when descending moderate soft slopes where traditional crampons ball up like crazy and all you really want to do is heel plunge.
However, it's horses for courses - I wouldn't want to be trying to get up a frozen waterfall or steep ice route in them.
If the alternative is to carry nothing, I think forefoot crampons are a great option. If the alternative is full crampons, then I'd carry the full crampons. I try to keep risk homeostasis in my favour...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
I too would take the weight hit and bring a pair of standard crampons. You never know what you will come across, I remember having to cross a frozen spilled stream on a ridge descent, we ended up chopping footholds with ice axes which was a fairly time consuming process.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Martin Volken knows his stuff : so I have no doubt these are legit....
If you are front pointing on ski boots then you don't need a heel section.
Assuming you can use an ice axe properly then I am a "front point" only crampon would work well ? especially in soft snow ?
Often when touring in Scotland I have been out with people who have left crampons at home (due to weight) and later regretted it.
So for that reason alone I think these have merit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oh, I think that they are great. And lets face it, we tend to put on our skis for descents 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
|
Mine have arrived (awesome service from the guys at Pro Guiding). First impressions: very beefy (but very light). Currently sat in a hotel on a business trip though so nothing more to add just now...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Haggis_Trap wrote: |
Often when touring in Scotland I have been out with people who have left crampons at home (due to weight) and later regretted it.
So for that reason alone I think these have merit. |
This product design looks good, albeit only for kicking steps straight ahead, so it's not really a handy, always in your pack, ready-for-anything crampon. At $210 inc. shipping, it also seems quite expensive.
The G12's I got last season are bomber but they're not lightweight, so for the reason you mentioned, won't always be in my pack. Alloy 10 point crampons are a similar weight and price to these Tech front-points, but possibly more versatile and probably just as hard-wearing for the intended use ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
I use these, http://www.facewest.co.uk/Grivel-Haute-Route-Crampon.html steel at the front and alloy under the heel their 550g, my G12's are a kilo or there about's and my G10's are 800gish. The Haute route's fit ski touring and piste boots really well, better than the G10 & G12's. For walking down the Midi Arete they'd save all that bum sliding and messing about, you just clip them on and stomp down. Of course to do that you do need the heel bit, with the tech crampons you'd have to try and flat foot down which isn't easy in ski touring boots. Still their an interesting idea wouldn't mind trying a pair sometime.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
|
|
|
|
|
For that weight and stow size, these look very good. Just how often, if you're doing short lift-served tours, would you actually need heel points?
| spyderjon wrote: |
| [img]https://snowheads.com/the_zone/showphoto.php/data/500/medium/Tech_Crampon_250_-_pic_1.jpg[/image] |
Slightly off topic: what marker did you use to mark your toe pins on your boots? The one I used came off by the end of the day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| Zero_G wrote: |
| For that weight and stow size, these look very good. Just how often, if you're doing short lift-served tours, would you actually need heel points? |
That was my thought. I'm no mountaineer/climber & don't own regular boot crampons so the Tech 250's will be use for hiking on harder stuff or for kicking steps etc or simply as a 'get me out the shoite' solution because I made a poor route decision. So for me, their size/weight makes them to carry as an insurance item if nothing else.
| Zero_G wrote: |
| ....Slightly off topic: what marker did you use to mark your toe pins on your boots? The one I used came off by the end of the day. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| Zero_G wrote: |
| For that weight and stow size, these look very good. Just how often, if you're doing short lift-served tours, would you actually need heel points? |
any time you are going down a slope - the Aig du Midi arete for example
can't see them being much good for French technique either
http://www.climbing.com/skill/french-technique/
i'm coming at this as someone who has never convinced himself that getting lightweight alu crampons versus the steel ones i already have is a good idea. sometimes when you need them, you really need them
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
 I used a permanent marker but not the Sharpie brand. I'll give that a try, thanks!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Arno, French technique is the first technique I was taught, by a Chamonix guide. While I'm not disputing the need for full crampons, I'm thinking that since I'm only just starting out with this whole touring gig with the intention of doing short hikes only, the tech crampons would suit me fine. If I'm in a situation where the slope is so steep that front pointing becomes too tiring then I'm on a slope that is too steep for my skiing ability.
Of course, I don't really know what I'm talking about... so happy to take advice on this.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
@Zero_G, TBH you're pretty unlikely to need them very often at all. crampons aren't part of my every day touring kit. they get packed if I am going somewhere heavily glaciated (relevant for you in Chamonix obvs) or if I have a specific objective which is likely to require them - either a bootpack or a peak which requires some level of mountaineering to get to the top. i suppose the value of these is that they don't weigh much so you can pack them "just in case" but they seem a very specific tool - good for situations where you will be front pointing the whole time (NB this would be on steeper slopes than ones where you can use French technique, not the other way round) but questionable elsewhere IMV
i guess I'm pretty much echoing the comments in jbob's post above
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Yes, I didn't articulate that very well. Front pointing for steeps (and verticals, natch).
The sum total of my crampons experience was impromptu intro to ice(ish) climbing I did with heavy, steel rental crampons over horrible rental boots that gave me blisters, and with a walking axe.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Having used these a couple of times here are a few thoughts:
- set-up is easy, however, having got them set solidly today when I put them on one was wiggling slightly. This doesn't concern me unduly from a safety point of view but does from a wear and tear on boot inserts point of view, as the pins going in to the inserts are threaded screws so any movement is potentially going to scratch up the surface of the insert leading to more icing problems (potentially).
- very positive front points, feel rock solid even in water ice.
- limited possibilities (as per posts above) in terms of climbing technique - ie front pointing or nearly front pointing only... to pick up on zero-g's point above, it is far (massively so) more energy efficient in lots of situations to be able to use the whole side of the foot/crampon, even on 'mellow' slopes rather than 'front pointing'
- super-compact! I like to keep my pack as slim and trim as possible, and these definitely help keep the volume down (weight not such a big issue as plenty of decent hybrid crampons out there with reasonable front points that aren't much heavier...).
Will I use them more? They will most definitely have a place in my pack on certain select outings - today being a prime example with 200/300m of couloir which needed to be climbed but would almost certainly be skied going down - however any time there may be a more 'mountaineering element' (ie up/down/across travel on foot, climbing etc), or for longer climbs where energy efficiency is important I will most likely stick to a regular crampon.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
