[pct-l] Self Arrest - Instep Crampons

[Philippe Gouvet]

Le 11 mars 2011 à 09:14, Eric Lee a écrit :

> Shroomer wrote:
>> 
> Real steel cramps have two points that stick out in front and would have
> been great for climbing over the cornice on Mather.  The aluminum ones have
> the two points, but they point down and were not as good in that one
> instance.
>> 
> 
> Not having the front points is a good thing for most people.  They're useful
> for serious mountaineering work but they're also very hazardous.  If you
> don't know exactly what you're doing, it's easy to gash open your own calves
> with those things.
> 
> Eric

Hello friends,

First post in a long time... 2012 thru-hike wanabee. A ridiculous post at the time of that terrible earthquake... My sympathy to Yoshihiro.

Ned might give his opinion on this. To me, 12-point crampons are really great tools provided the snow conditions are correct (i.e. frozen). For sure, I don't know whether a lot of users "gash open their own calves", but they can tear out their gaiters, at the very least. 
But the real danger is if / when you happen to start falling downhill with your crampons on. Then, as you struggle to self-arrest with your ice-axe, you definitely want to avoid your crampons' touching the snow. If they do - and it is not that easy to avoid - your body will immediately rotate and you will carry on zooming down... head first.

Philippe