Crampons/foot chains for winter/mud hunting

[Baby Huey]

Looking for advice on some foot traction devices after an injury I sustained this past huting season - here is the background story:

This past October I hurt my knee I had surgery on in highschool and hurt again playing football in college. It had snowed a few inches and I had about a 30lb backpack on descending a mountain to a good spot we normally find elk. As I was going downhill, my right foot slipped out and I couldn\'t get my weight on my left leg and I crumpled strait down like an accordian. We were 2 miles packed in and I was in some pretty intense pain on my surgically repaired knee from over 20 years ago. After a while I was able to walk on it and finish the hunt - but it was a pretty unsettling feeling knowing that my buddy and I were that far in and I was wondering how I would get all of our gear and my injured butt out of there. Luckily I was able to finish the hunt and help pack out my buddies bull.

I definitely will get something for next year that will be lightweight and slip on over my boots when I need them. Do any of you use any that you like? I was looking at a few:

Kahtoola:
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Hillsound Trail:
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Hillsound Freestep:
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[mtnmutt]

Sorry to hear about your knee injury. I hope it healed ok.

On Sunday, I went up to a CO hut at 11,300 feet. We all brought in the car our snowshoes and micro spikes (Kahtoola MICROspikes). It is 370 feet elevation gain. 1 mile one way and steep in many places.

Because the trail did not have fresh snow and it\'s frequently packed down by day users, we left the snowshoes in the car, but packed our microspikes. Since I had poles, I did not wear my newly acquired Kahtoola MICROspikes. The trail was icy in spots and mostly steep. On the way up, one person wore their Kahtoola MICROspikes and had no issues at all. On the way down, the people without poles used their Kahtoola MICROspikes and never experienced any slippage. Everyone in the group preferred MICROspikes over other traction devices.

The Hillsound Trail Crampons look similar to the microspikes and may have an advantage over microspikes because of overstep strap, however,the links may have weaker connections. IMHO, Hillsound FreeSteps6 Crampons look inadequate for gripping.

Caking snow prevents gripping. Spraying with PAM may prevent caking snow. The more biting (spikes) the better. Stay away from YakTrak unless intended use is running. Look at the connecting links on the bottom.They are a potential points of failure. Dry the spikes before stowing to prevent rusting.

Because I did not wear my micro spikes, I did plunge steps (dig heel in first) going down to prevent slippage. It only failed me when the trail was too packed down to make an indentation with my heel.

For traversing snow without skis, snowshoes or other traction devices (spikes or crampons), I use a Plunge Step for descent and a Kick Step for ascent.

This is my first pair of traction devices. Even when I lived in the mountains, I never used spikes. I just got by using the Plunge and Kick steps. I bought the microspikes this year to do the Manitou Incline and Barr Trail (trail to Pike peak) in Winter. Both trails are extremely steep.

Good Luck with the knee.

 

[Baby Huey]

mtnmutt, thanks for the information and insight. I use the YakTrax coiled walkers for ice fishing, and also purchased their Extreme XTR version for more grip ice fishing when there is no snow. I was shying away from the Extreme model for hunting because of the large plate under the forefoot and heel. It seems like you lose the traction of your boot soles with this big plate when not on flat ground.

<!-- m --><a class=\"postlink\" href=\"http://www.rei.com/product/821790/yaktrax-xtr-extreme-outdoor-traction-devices/?cm_mmc=cse_PLA-_-pla-_-8217900001&mr:trackingCode=5B3DEA37-75FA-E011-9A77-001B21631C34&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=pla&mr:ad=64530463960&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:filter=86518537720&msid=IRBAhdzR_dc|pcrid|64530463960|\" onclick=\"window.open(this.href);return false;\">http://www.rei.com/product/821790/yaktr ... 530463960|</a><!-- m -->

I was looking at these Kahtoola K10\'s. Looks like they will be more secure on your foot with the straps, espectially on side hills.

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The knee rehab is going good - just doing things on my own in the gym, and it is getting stronger.

Thanks, Roman

 

[mtnmutt]

Roman,
I was in REI the other day and looked at both the microspikes and Hillsound Trail Crampons. The Crampons spikes are twice the size of the microspikes and would give a lot more gripping.

However, you made a very good point about sidehilling. On Sunday, we were only on established packed trails which are mostly up and down. We only had very short sections of sidehilling. We also had packs <20 lbs. I noted the wrong elevation gain to the hut. It was 800 feet gain in 1 mile.

The Yaktrax XTR Extreme design may cause snow to clump on the bottom.

The K10 Hiking Crampon look like a good design.

Bent Gate Mountaineering in Golden is the mountaineering store with the most expertise in the Denver area. Mountain Chalet in Colorado Springs is another good mountaineering store.The sales people are actual mountaineers. People who have climbed Denali.

If you haven\'t already invested in trekking poles, I suggest collapsible poles. I have a weak left knee. Poles have helped a lot for my hiking and snowshoeing. I do not use them while hunting unless I am doing a creek crossing or extreme terrain. They either stay at camp if my hunting is near camp or I attach them to my pack for further distance hunts. I started to look at new versions that collapse down to a smaller size than my current pair, but they sacrifice a larger range of length adjustment. Poles are my safety net since I often hunt solo. I once twisted an ankle while hunting 1.5 miles from my car. The poles made it a lot easier to trek back to my car.

Good hear about your progress on your knee. You\'ll be ready by next season.

 

[Baby Huey]

mtnmutt, Thanks for the mountaneering stores to look at.

Yeah, I always use trekking ploes when I am packing into and out of a backcountry camp. I also don\'t typically use them hunitng elk (we did use them on my buddies mountain goat hunt 2 years ago), but when we get an elk down, I always use them. They are knee savers for me going downhill!

Thanks, Roman

 

[OldMan]

I wear these almost all winter. I have one pair completely worn out.

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