Crampons for Hiking

Crampons for hiking are sometimes referred to as traction devices especially when they don't look anything like normal crampons used by climbers. They can really make a difference between slipping and falling on an icy trail and covering many miles on the trail with a sure footing.

Technical rigid Crampons with stiff frames aren’t good for hiking. Walking in them are just too awkward and they tire you easily. You need a pair that will flex with your boot sole and encourages a natural gait. Hiking crampons have less aggressive points and less number of points.

There are three ways that crampons meant for hiking are attached to your footwear. You can either strap it on, slide it on or a combination of both. Hiking crampons don't usually require you to wear special boots.

Strap-on crampons have 2 rubber or neoprene straps on each. One of the straps hold the forefoot the the other wraps around the ankle.

Slide-on crampons are easier to put on or take off but most of them are meant for less aggressive terrain. This type of crampon usually does not have a rigid frame which makes them a lot lighter and a lot more compact.

Crampons for hiking usually have 10 points but there some with 8 or even 4 points and some don't even have points at all, e.g. the Yaktrax.

Kahtoola MicroSpikes Traction System and Yaktrax are two of the most popular crampons for hiking for their price and simplicity. These are instep crampons that are lightweight and small enough to fit your pocket.

The following crampons are some of the most popular for hiking in snow and ice. All of them are flexible and lightweight.

This strap-on crampon is one of the best you can find. You don't need special boots with grooves to use strap-ons like these. What I really like about them is that they're easy to adjust to different boot sizes without the need to worry about nuts and bolts like most other crampons.

Like most hiking crampons, the KTS Steel has a bar that connects the heel and toe parts with holes for size adjustments which can be made by pulling on the pin and sliding it towards the right hole. The spring mounted pins snaps into place so fittings and adjustments are extremely easy. Sizes range from men’s (US) 4 to 14.

The ten short points make it easier to walk on ice than climbing crampons. The forefoot plate is curved to facilitate natural walking movement. The extension bar flexes with the foot which also makes walking in it easier.

You can tell that the Kahtoola KTS Steel is one high quality gear with great attention to detail. The spike plates have a nice gray powder-coat finish and are cleanly cut. Each crampon is helpfully labeled "L" or "R". The heel support can be folded flat which makes it very compact for storage.

The Yaktrax Pro is more for flat icy surfaces around town and for light hiking than for rough use in the outdoors because of durability issues. They're made with rubber webbing covered with metal coils. The "X" patterns formed by the rubber webbings at the bottom of your boots when you wear the crampons gives you 360 degrees of traction, giving you the ability to walk on ice and snow as if you're walking on a dry surface.

Putting on the Yaktrax Pro is very easy. All you need to do is push the toe end of your shoe into the toe end of the Yaktrax Pro and stretch the other end to the heel end of the shoe. Once you've positioned the crampon properly, you can tighten the velcro strap on top of the shoe. It is easier to put on the crampon when you're wearing the shoe. Taking them off with cold hands and wet shoes is not as easy but not a problem if you're wearing gloves. Putting them back on while wearing gloves may prove to be difficult.

If you like to run in winter on icy streets, the Yaktrax Pro will serve you well. You'll be running as if you really are running on dry surface when the ground is solid enough for the crampons to bite on. On muddy surfaces, the Yaktrax Pro does slip a bit. Try to avoid using the Yaktrax Pro on pavement, concrete and the likes.

An excellent traction device at an affordable price.

Microspikes are much more durable than Yaktrax and better suited for rough use on the trail. The spikes are held in place by tough steel chains while Yaktrax uses rubber which tend to break easily if you use in rough terrain.

Putting on the Microspikes is very easy. All you need to do is slide the toe end of your boot underneath the part labelled as 'front' and stretch the other side to your heel. No instructions are really necessary.

Of all the ultralight crampons, Microspikes are probably the best option. There are no screws to worry and they are quite tough. This crampon is very effective on icy, snowy, rocky and grassy steep slopes.As good as these mini-crampons or traction devices are, full-fledged crampons like the Kahtoola KTS Steel still have a better grip on icy surfaces. However, traction devices are much more comfortable to wear.

Microspikes are twice the price of Yaktrax Pro but they're much more reliable and provides a better grip on ice.

Stabilicers are quite popular on icy streets though not so much on icy trails. They're favored by people who work outdoors like postmen, police officers, etc.

The grip from Stabilicers is not as good as that of Microspikes but many will agree that Microspikes are overkill when used on the streets. However, Stabilicers are still good enough to be used on the trail especially when there's not enough ice for full crampons and boots won't give you enough traction.

They also have a self-cleaning sole which helps prevent snow buildup and balling. Balling may render any traction device useless.

Like all the other lightweight crampons here, these are easy to put on and work on a variety of footwear. They're also very comfortable to use.

All the points on a crampon should be kept as sharp as when you first bought them. Use the built-in file of your pocket tool for touch ups but never use a grinder because it messes the metal's strength.

Since your feet are going to be sharp, you need to be wary of where you step on. You can hurt yourself if you’re not careful. You can use your crampons to anchor tent pegs by weighing them with rocks but if you are camping on a steep terrain it’s better to keep on your boots and close to you in case anything happens.