Office Pest said:As I don't do a lot of winter walking, is there a cheap occasional use
crampon that would be ideal for going over my Berghaus Explorer GTX
boots? (without notches heel & toe for keeping crampons in the right
place)
Conventional wisdom says that boots have to be fairly sturdy to
take crampons, both in the sole and the upper. The sole needs to
be fairly stiff to avoid it moving independently of the crampon
itself, while if the upper is too soft & flexible then the straps
can end up cutting off circulation to your toes by the time you
have them tight enough.
But conventional wisdom can be over cautious at times, and I'd
imagine that for the odd occasion when you need to cross a big
sheet of ice then you'd manage fine if you were careful and made
sure of your placement in each step. I wouldn't recommend this
arrangement for much more than this kind of occasional use though.
As for a cheap crampon, however, you're really looking at the used
market. Adrian suggested instep crampons and I, like him, have
never used them, but I've never heard a good word said about them.
The problem I'd expect with instep crampons is that they provide
a pivot point rather than a platform - on solid ice you're trying
to balance on a 3" square, rather than having support over the
whole foot. The thought of it makes me squirm.
Instead, I suggest you're looking for 10- or 12-point articulated
crampons (as opposed to step-in crampons), with a metal bar
connecting front to back to accomodate the flexbility of your
boots. You can probably pick up a used set on Ebay without
breaking the bank.
Alternatively speak to a local walking club or outdoor shop to see
if you can borrow / hire some just in case.
Usual caveat applies: winter equipment without training can be
more dangerous than no winter equipment at all.
Colin
