Splittie of the Week | Crampons for soft boots

Crampon types for soft boots

Now that the various soft boots for splitboarding have already been presented in another article, we will introduce you to the appropriate crampon types below and give you an insight into which crampon is best suited for which purpose.

Basket crampons (strap binding)

This type of crampon has cups at the front and back, making it compatible with almost all soft boots. As soft boots are wider than normal mountain and ski boots, it is advisable to choose a slightly wider version so that the boot fits well into the crampon at the front. The sole of the soft boot should also not be too soft, otherwise the crampons will bend too much when the front prongs are loaded and you run the risk of losing the crampons. A good fit to the snowboard boot is essential!

This type of crampon is well suited for steeper snow flanks and also offers a good safety reserve in spring when the terrain becomes too steep and hard for an ascent with ski-crampons. For really steep terrain in very hard snow and ice, basket crampons only offer limited stability, which is why semi-automatic crampons should be used for this area of application.

Recommendation for basket crampons: Grivel G10 Wide

Semi-automatic crampons

This type of crampon has cups at the front and a toggle lever at the heel. This type can therefore only be used with crampon-compatible soft boots that have a sturdy sole and a rocker lever holder (small edge) on the heel. Compared to basket crampons, the rocker lever at the back offers an additional degree of stability. It is important to try on the crampons with the boot in the shop. Not every crampon is suitable due to the width of the soft boots.

Depending on the intended use, you should also pay attention to the orientation of the spikes when choosing crampons. For firn and snow, a normal mountaineering crampon with horizontal front points is perfectly adequate. If you want to use your crampons on ice or mixed terrain, crampons with vertical front points are more suitable. With this type, the tips of the front points are usually more "aggressive" and pointed, and the alignment of the points is adapted to steep terrain. Pure ice climbing crampons (such as the Petzl Lynx) can also be adapted to soft boots with a little goodwill, but usually do not fit perfectly due to the more curved centre bar.

Recommendation for semi-automatic crampons in the snow: Petzl Vasak.

Recommended for more demanding conditions, ice, etc.: Petzl Sarken.

Fully automatic crampons

This type of crampon has a stirrup at the front and a rocker lever at the back. However, these crampons are not compatible with soft boots, which is why we only mention this type for the sake of completeness.

Semi-automatic crampons with toggle lever on the heel.

Fitting the crampons correctly

Fitting crampons correctly is essential for their use and your own safety. Otherwise there is a risk of the boot slipping out of the crampon (especially under lateral load!), which can quickly become uncomfortable or very dangerous. To ensure a good fit, the centre bar of the crampon must first be adjusted to the correct length. The front cradle encloses the toe cap of the boot as far as possible and the cradle or the rocker lever (depending on the type of crampon) is adjusted at the heel so that the boot is fixed as firmly as possible. If the toggle lever is set correctly, there is a clear "click" sound as direct feedback. It is essential to adjust the crampons at home in the warm before the tour and not have the boots on your feet. This makes the whole thing much more comfortable!

Stowing the crampons

The spikes of the crampons can be medium to very sharp, depending on the type (and motivation for sharpening). To ensure that sensitive items in your backpack (e.g. drinks cans or down jackets) do not suffer, we recommend storing them in a cut-resistant crampon bag. Place the crampons with the points facing each other and stow them in the backpack with the bag. If you want the crampons to be ready to hand quickly, we also recommend storing them on the outside of the backpack (e.g. in the side pocket).

Up to what terrain are soft boots with crampons suitable?

Properly fitted crampons with slightly more aggressive front points are actually also suitable for ice climbing. However, the difference to a mountaineering boot with a completely rigid sole is particularly noticeable on steeper ice, as even the crampon-compatible soft boots cannot match their rigidity. You can still climb in soft boots up to about WI 2-3. For ice climbing approaches with the splitboard, it is therefore not necessary to carry an additional pair of mountain boots. The unpleasant changing of boots in the snow can also be dispensed with :-)

It is also possible to ice-climb with soft boots and crampons if the wall is not too steep.

Tobias Leineweber

Biancograt

Malte Schulz

Conclusion

The decision as to which type of crampon to choose depends heavily on the boot you are using (crampon-compatible or not?) and the planned activities. For many, a pure basket crampon is probably sufficient. For a little more stability, we recommend choosing a semi-automatic crampon if the boot is compatible. In any case, you should visit your trusted sports retailer before buying to test whether the crampon fits well on the soft boot!