Mid-weight hiking boots with crampon compatibility?
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Anyone know of any mid weight/mid height boots that also let you slap on some automatic crampons? And it would be nice if they weren't $400... |
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I should note that I'm hoping to replace some Vasque hiking boots and would love it if the new ones could take crampons. It would be great to not have to do summer hikes in my insulated mountaineering boots when there's some snow fields to play around on... |
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most won't have a solid shank sole so any automatic crampons will just pop off when you flex the boot. they also wont have a heel/toe welt for the bails. |
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Performance on steep, icy terrain is going to be a function of how stiff the boot is. If you need only to negotiate iced-up hiking trails, most any solid boot will work with strap-on (don't laugh, they've been bombproof for decades) crampons. If you get into spots requiring frontpoints, then a very stiff (not necessarily rigid) boot will be best, and you can consider a hybrid binding - straps on the toe, lever in the back. As mentioned above, a fully auto crampon really needs a rigid boot, and that's why you'll find the requisite toe ledge (for the wire bail to sit on) only on serious technical boots. Yes, the $400 kind. If you find the right fit, these can hike just fine on soft surfaces (snow), but probably will be a pain on rocky surfaces. |
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I own a pair of Scarpa Charmoz "summer mountaineering" boots, light as hell, rear crampon welt that allows newmatic crampons. |
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Scarpa charmoz are a great option. Can take s semi auto crampon. |
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Thanks. I own a pair of strap on crampons as well but was hoping to loan them out when taking some friends out this summer. So, I figured I may as well try and find some new boots that can take my crampons (capable of going to a strap in the front). |
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I have Vasque us the trail pro crampons from hillsound all the time they work !!great!Have even done some easy ice gullies with them (I am A climber) |
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I use my Asolo tps boots with strap-on crampons for most easy snowy/icy uphill ventures, including mountaineers route on Whitney, disappointment clever on rainier, the sisters in Oregon, most mellow things in the sierras, and most winter trails/gullies in the Adirondacks. They work great and are stiff enough to give me some confidence. Cold can be an issue when camping, but I always try to keep them near/in my bag. I do switch to "real boots when doing anything more serious however. |
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Matthew E wrote:i was also looking at these: backcountry.com/salewa-rapa…I was in the same market earlier this year, tried every boot in the category and ended up with Rapace. I really like it for summer alpine climbing with a decent amount of glacier travel. Great boot. |
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just about any boot can be crampon compatible just use the right crampons ;) |
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Has anyone tried dropping a rigid insole into a trail shoe? Something like this: |
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Brian Abram wrote:Has anyone tried dropping a rigid insole into a trail shoe? Something like this: myfootshop.com/carbon-graph… I'm curious about dropping something like this in under the insole of something like the Sportiva Crossover for warm approaches with easy ice.I really doubt they'd make a shoe rigid enough for an auto crampon. Flat carbon fiber structures can still bend. |
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Sounds like you're looking for a Scarpa Rebel Carbon GTX. Not overly warm, but very light, reasonably stiff, and takes a semi-auto crampon (lever at the heel, straps at the toe). |
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Sorry, I meant with a strap on crampon. Sorry for thread drift |
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Matthew E wrote:Anyone know of any mid weight/mid height boots that also let you slap on some automatic crampons? And it would be nice if they weren't $400...You aren't going to find what you're looking for. Pick 2 out of the 3 metrcis and you can get there though. Takes an auto crampon Mid weight/height hiking boot <$400 The Scarpa Rebel Pro satisfies the first 2 but it's over $400 unless you find a great deal. Scarpa Charmoz satisfies the weight and price metrics but they only take a semi-auto crampon or a full strap-on. You can find Scarpa Mont Blancs or La Sportiva Nepal Evos on Amazon for much less than $400 and they'll take step in crampons and meet your price target but I wouldn't consider them to be a mid weight/height hiking boot. You'll have to go used or adjust your targets. Or buy another set of crampons to fit the boots that you'll be using when you loan your other pair out. Everyone needs a quiver of crampons. |
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Matthew E wrote:Anyone know of any mid weight/mid height boots that also let you slap on some automatic crampons? And it would be nice if they weren't $400...You aren't going to find what you're looking for. Pick 2 out of the 3 metrcis and you can get there though. Takes an auto crampon Mid weight/height hiking boot <$400 The Scarpa Rebel Pro satisfies the first 2 but it's over $400 unless you find a great deal. Scarpa Charmoz satisfies the weight and price metrics but they only take a semi-auto crampon or a full strap-on. You can find Scarpa Mont Blancs or La Sportiva Nepal Evos on Amazon for much less than $400 and they'll take step in crampons and meet your price target but I wouldn't consider them to be a mid weight/height hiking boot. You'll have to go used or adjust your targets. Or buy another set of crampons to fit the boots that you'll be using when you loan your other pair out. Everyone needs a quiver of crampons. |
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Thanks for the replies. I ended up going with these: |
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Glad you found something that suits. I was going to suggest the La Sportiva Trango. They hike and climb very well for me and take a "semi auto" Crampon quite well. Probably the most comfortable pair of boots I've ever owned. |