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What kind of crampons do(es) everyone (riding softboots) use?

I'm looking for some...live on the W. Coast, ride everywhere from S. OR/Mt. Shasta to the south eastern sierras, am thinking of the Grivel air-tech lights or some other UL aluminum....not planning on any heavy duty front pointing, just want some that will hold up on the occasional Shasta ascent (mostly Non-Glacier travel)/springtime earlyday icy slopes...etc...

i use the bd contact strap 10 point crampon.

they work really well with my soft boots, hard boots, and mountaineering boots. great for walking and steep ascents, but dont climb vertcial ice very well (10 point afterall).

petzl vasak and grivel airtech more recently, 12 points (both of them).

the grivels are much lighter, but aluminium, so not as durable on rock etc.

Thanks for your replies fellas...anyone else? Include the weight/material of your crampons if you know it...that'd be great.

Whatever you get, make sure that YOU'RE softboots fit in them, since not all strap-crampons fit wide Softboots. I personally use Grivel G10 wide, since they are especially made for wide shoes. I don't know what other models are out there (obvisously Camginas BD fit his softboots) I love the grivels, had em for years. I wouldn't go with aluminium.
I don't know the weight and I honestly don't care. But I know that they don't break whatever I step on!

the aluminium ones are about half the weight

i wouldn't worry about breaking them, aluminium very strong, but just not as hard as steel so it wears down faster if you walk on rocks etc.

good point about the wide stuff: i would just take the boots to the shop and test it out. Also, some crampons have a flexible post in the middle that is supposed to be safer for use with soft boots (not for technical climbing of course).

Personally I would avoid aluminum at all cost, even with the weight savings.

If you opt for a Grivel crampon (G10 wide?) you can purchase flexible bars from Grivel if your boots do not have a very stiff shank.

Not sure how technical your ascents typically are, but I would only use a 10 point crampon for low angle snowfields, and would take a 12 point crampon for any glacier travel or more technical objectives. My $0.02

a 10 point crampon will walk far better than a 12 point. the two extra points are called secondary points are are designed to give another point of contact on vertical ice(helps rest your calfs and give a bit more balance). 10 point crampons will front point fine but your calfs will tire faster.

and remember if your really looking for technical performance you shouldnt be wearing soft boots

Indeed, "technical" ascents I'm generally route-planning around. I was thinking more of the non-technical, but don't want to fall on my ass routes.

I appreciate the "warning about getting crampons that fit my boots, but most of my snowboarding boots have been similar in width, My Rides, Burtons ans K2s are all similar. Does anyone have the Grivel Air-tech lights and use them with these boots?

Thanks again for all your help gang. It's taken me 3 years to try and complete my gear set (why do I get the feeling I'll ALWAYS be trying to complete my gear set? ) and I don't want to be spending extra money buying the wrong thing.

Cheers

I have been using the Black diamonds and have had no problems at all. They fit my 32 brand boots very well.I do not remember what model they are but they are a high volume boot.

That is a very normal sympton of a gearhead! And you are lucky that you are only in the best part of it! (3 years is nothing!) You are still getting good stuff! Wait until it becomes really hard to find something new that you REALLY need!

BD (Contacts?) fit my Malamutes pretty well, I've had them for years and they fit eveything I've tried them with.

I'll 2nd the BD contact's on Malamutes. If it's just for non-technical go with Aluminum, half teh weight add's up in your pack, especially for overnighting.

You'd really have to hammer em to break aluminum, mine are almost 7 years old and still kick ass. I use plastic boots and BD sabretooths(steel) for technical ascents on steep icy terrain.

JL