Crampons for soft boots

*If you plan on walking mostly on snow, save weight and go aluminum.
*If you know you’re going to walk on rocks (or mixed conditions: ice, snow, & rock) go steel.
*Some people get away with using Alu on mixed conditions by sharpening them after every use.
*Givel makes a wide crampon which works great with snowboard boots; it’s become sort of the standard to which others are compared.
*Camp USA’s Stalkers don’t need an aftermarket long bar to fit on big boots (snowboard boots 11+) and they come with a bag.
In my experience, BD makes good stuff too. However. . .
*There is talk on this forum (and other places) about cold forged stainless—from which BD makes certain ‘pons—not being so good. After it’s cooled, then bent. . . something about stresses crossing structural lines causing micro fissures. . . I don’t really understand but I have seen pics of broken tools that make my butt pucker b/c they failed pretty far off the deck. Anyway, stainless ‘pons are fine if they have no flaws (or if you don’t use them really hard), but you have to know what to look for when you inspect each, single crampon—or avoid stainless altogether and go for ChroMo or something else.

Personally, I went with Camp Stalkers and have been pretty well pleased. They are a bit heavy but it beats not having ‘pons and I walk over thin snowpacks with exposed rock & scree. I have never wished for wider ‘pons BTW. And this time of year, you can find them for less than $100.

Stubai Ultralight Universal.

I would not go steel unless I were climbing technical ice. Cost, weight, and hazard not worth it.

If you have a heel bail and want one crampon that is more all terrain check the Petzl Sarkens.

Does anyone know which of the options discussed above in this thread have more flexible center bars? Looking at either changing the center bars in my older BD Contacts or possibly the entire crampon (with something that has a higher engagement point on the heel strap as discussed above).

Schralp, Grivel has spring steel bars that I double up to get an ideal fit with my G14s on the Spantiks for ice climbing (needed due to the rockered sole, not that I can do that for awhile though). They would work with any of the Grivel crampon lineup. Let me know if you want some pics.

Anyone here tested the Petzl Irvis Hybrid? Steel in the front and alu in the rear, connected with Dyneema cords. Weighs in only at 550g, and was used by Ueli Stöck at his “82 summits in 62 days”. (Now he was probably a bit more balanced in his steps than most of us are….).

Thanks for your answer! Didnt realize I got a reply until now. I bought them myself for use on my Burton Imperial softboots (no heel welt so had to buy the heel baskets). I think they work OK on snow and hard snow at shorter segments, but on mix they flex too much around in my opinion. I ended up buying a pair of Petzl Sarken in addition for trips I know there will be longer segments of very compact snow /ice or mix.
Another point for having hard boots haha