[pct-l] Katoohla Microspikes vs instep crampons?

[Mike Cunningham]

I went on a group hike last winter over somewhat icy trails. There were about 6 of us. One guy wearing microspikes was walking normally while the rest of us were slipping & sliding with various "traction devices" like Yaktrax. I got a pair.
 
A couple of weeeks later I went on another group hike on a very icy trail. Many of the hikers wore full on crampons, I wore the microspikes & had no trouble. I also have a pair of instep crampons. I find the instep crampons tend to slide around my boot or shoe, no matter how much I tighten them. 
 
I ended up carrying the microspikes for the rest of my winter hikes & used them with several different pair of shoes & boots.
 
 
Mike

--- On Wed, 10/21/09, patti kulesz <peprmintpati88 at yahoo.com> wrote:


From: patti kulesz <peprmintpati88 at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Katoohla Microspikes vs instep crampons?
To: "Ralph Alcorn" <rbalcorn at gmail.com>, "CHUCK CHELIN" <steeleye at wildblue.net>
Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2009, 6:25 PM


I loved my Kahtoolas...they fit great on runners and boots and made me feel alot more confidant on those steep snowy mountains...I am seriously afraid of heights too!

patti

--- On Wed, 10/21/09, CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net> wrote:

From: CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net>
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Katoohla Microspikes vs instep crampons?
To: "Ralph Alcorn" <rbalcorn at gmail.com>
Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2009, 3:01 PM

Good afternoon, Ralph,


I hiked over snowpack in the San Jacintos this year with several people who
used the Katoohla Microspikes, and they liked them.   The Microspike points
are only about 3/8” long while my CMI instep crampon points are over 1”
long.  However, as you say, there are more Microspikes, and the engagement
of the chain pattern also adds traction across the bottom of the foot.  The
Microspikes are shown to weigh 12.5 oz. per pair while my CMIs weigh 8.9 oz.
I can’t address the durability of the Microspikes, particularly where the
chains attache to the elastic foot wrap, but I think they would be adequate
for a thru-hiker.  If I didn't already have several pairs of CMIs I would
consider the Microspikes.  There’s a photo of my CMIs installed at:
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=264768

Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT -- 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09

On Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 1:58 PM, Ralph Alcorn <rbalcorn at gmail.com> wrote:

> Saw a blog on the Katoohla
> Microspikes<http://sectionhiker.com/2009/10/21/katoohla-microspikes/
> >today,
> and wondered if they would be as good on trail runners as the instep
> crampons I have carried but never used. The spikes on the blog photo look
> almost as big as the instep ones, and there are more spikes. I realize they
> would be just as good if I never used them, but I'm wondering about
> actually
> crossing snow fields.
>
> --
> Ralph Alcorn
> http://www.backpack45.com/camino2.html
> http://timecheck00.blogspot.com
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-l mailing list
> Pct-l at backcountry.net
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>
_______________________________________________
Pct-l mailing list
Pct-l at backcountry.net
http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l



      
_______________________________________________
Pct-l mailing list
Pct-l at backcountry.net
http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l