Anyone ever use Military crampons?

[Tripplebeards]

I was out blood trailing a red fox yesterday on the side of my ridge. Looked for a few hours but the blood trial quit and the fox crossed so many tracks that I lost the trail. Luckily the snow melted a few weeks ago so it got hard and crusty providing good traction. I luckily never fell or slipped. The hill is really steep on both sides. To the point I almost feel like I’m climbing straight up in places. I used to have a couple pairs of rubber cleats that slipped on over my boots but they are long gone. I think the rubber rotted and broke. They always seem to come off when I walked up the hill. I googled and found these in boy they sure look cool!!! I’m sure they would do the trick but it looks like they are long gone and out of stock. I would think maybe a surplus store might have them? Anyone ever uses and how do they work for traction in snow? I have some pretty slippery slopes I climb up when I hunt and figured they sure look like they would bite in the ground! I think I need to find me a pair. I have a size 11 and 10 1/2 boots I’d use them on.

https://i.imgur.com/qO5o6PF.png

[SSGOldfart]

I didn't care for them, but my son and D-I-L have them,
(10th Mnt.Div. US ARMY) still issues them for cold weather training.You might look at Army/Navy surplus stores

[Minerat]

You might also find them at REI or a climbing specialty store. We used them for Ice fishing and they worked for that. Eventually bought a set of slip on cleats that were less aggressive. Never used them for hiking in snow.

[MUSTANG]

Used them at the USMC Mountain Warfare Training Center. The drawback I found was the "Sharp Pointed Spike". In woodlands, traversing snow/ice/logs - the sharp spikes can penetrate logs when stepped on; I was always concerned about rotating the ankle should the spike be somewhat stuck in the log.

For walking on Ice I prefer:

https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/933fba2c-aa50-4034-8cc2-6eac9cac07fa_1.9b5688c53211a7d679a768037d418dc9.jp eg

These would be problematic traversing through woods because they are held on with rubber tension between the Toe and heel through the rubber; and they could come off.

[kerplode]

In my experience, military surplus gear like that is always disappointing. Ill fitting, uncomfortable, generally iffy quality.

You'll be better off with real commercial gear designed to be used by people who like to do outdoor stuff and use their own money for gear. Not some old lowest-bidder junk Uncle Sugar forced recruits to use.

TBH, though, crampons sound like gross overkill for what you're describing. I'd look at something like Yak Trax instead. Easy on, easy off, fits nicely in a pack, comfortable to wear. I love mine!

(and please do everyone a favor and stop buying **** from Sportsman's Guide)

[Tripplebeards]

I have had the cheap rubber pull overs back in the late 80's. Bought from Shopko. They would always come off walking up a steep hill...where I need them to get up my ridge when hunting and trapping. Any other suggestions with a ratcheting style that won't slip or come off when walking steep hill sides? The ones I had back in the day look like the ones on the she boots above. Great fo walking on flat ice but will come right off when climbing up hills or banks.

[kerplode]

https://www.rei.com/product/100202/petzl-sarken-leverlock-universal-crampons

This universal toe-loop style can still work loose, though. Nothing much you can do about that but keep an eye on them...Or buy real mountaineering crampons with a toe bar and a pair of $700 boots to go along with them.

[36g]

I bought some Yak Trax last year and they worked well on ice in Montana.

https://www.murdochs.com/products/mens/accessories/footwear-accessories/ice-cleats/yaktrax-unisex-walk/

[MUSTANG]

I bought some Yak Trax last year and they worked well on ice in Montana.

https://www.murdochs.com/products/mens/accessories/footwear-accessories/ice-cleats/yaktrax-unisex-walk/

Original posting indicates that he is traveling up hill and down hill in ungroomed snow. The problem with these and the ones I cited in post #4 above are that in a wet snow they fill the gripping areas with snow and reduce/loose ability to grab ice. I have not found this as a problem on Frozen lakes, drives and walkways if due caution and shorter steps are taken, but if trying to navigate path uphill or downhill it becomes more problematic. Even 1/2 to 1 inch of new snow on ice with wet snow can cause this problem.

[BLAHUT]

Yes have used them. Too aggressive for just in snow.
Go to a mountain climbing equipment shop, cross country equipment shop, for travel in snow / woods ?

[trebor44]

The crampons pictured are akin to the Salewa brand and front points are more useful in ice climbing. Instep crampons work well in many situations and you can still find the 10-point style verus the 12 pointers. For walking you should get the "hinged" style versus the "platform" style. In a pinch the front pointers can be "removed". Snow balling up on crampons is annoying but can be mitigated! Check out the "used" Sports stores. REI and Eastern Mtn Sports are a source also.

A google search "crampons for hiking" will take you down the rabbit hole!

[fastdadio]

I bought a set of snow shoes a few years back and I love them. They're not the big heavy cumbersome things from our youth. Light weight, easy to get through the thick brush, and they have a pretty aggressive crampon type tread at the bottom of the boot. I've put quite a few miles on them and they seem to be holding up quite well.
These;
https://www.amazon.com/WOLF-ARMOR-Lightweight-Snowshoes-Adjustable/dp/B0B58VNZ7R/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?keywords=MTN+Snowshoes&qid=1673301844&sr=8-3-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExTUNESjQ5V1pKRUJQJ mVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTg3MDAzNkRQQ0pETzZHMDVXJmVuY3J 5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA2OTgzNjlQWloxVVdXU1o1NlAmd2lkZ2V0T mFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3R Mb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

[36g]

Also used some of these https://www.duenorthproducts.com/product-page/all-purpose and they worked well on ice. In snow you are going to sink in anyway, so that's where your traction will be.

[gunther]

If you have heavy rubber soles on your boots, a box of 1/4 inch hex drive screws and a cordless drill will make you a set of cleats that will do very well on ice.

[Ted Tompkins]

I agree with gunther. number 6 sheetmetal screws put in to the lugs on your boots. They never come out like Yaktraxs and some of the other slip on things. Nothing gets you to the ground faster than when they fall off and you didn't know it. They were about $6.00 for 100 at most any hardware store. Put them in in the fall and take them out in the spring if you want to. You can run on ice and never slip.

[waksupi]

I agree with gunther. number 6 sheetmetal screws put in to the lugs on your boots. They never come out like Yaktraxs and some of the other slip on things. Nothing gets you to the ground faster than when they fall off and you didn't know it. They were about $6.00 for 100 at most any hardware store. Put them in in the fall and take them out in the spring if you want to. You can run on ice and never slip.

Hey Ted, good to see you here! I was thinking about you at last weekend's shoot.

I use the sheet metal screws too, work great.

Ric Carter

[GregLaROCHE]

I used to have a pair very similar to those. I used them for walking on glaciers. Of course they work great. However, they can give your ankles a real workout, if you’re not in top shape. It’s easy to tear up your gators or pants, if you’re not careful.

[nicholst55]

Seems like I had a pair of them back at Fort Greely, AK - back when the U.S. Army Cold Regions Test Center, and Northern Warfare Training Centers were there. Useful on glaciers, but less so anywhere else.

[Thin Man]

At age 28 I got my first really good job, the kind that I hoped to stay at for a long time. Our boss was a WWII veteran of the Army Air Corps and had several stacks of vintage surplus materials he had brought home when the war ended. Among those materials was a cluster of about 30 pair of ice creepers that could be mounted on the user's footwear. They were dusty, stiff to open/close on footwear, but appeared useable. Never did see anyone at the building wear a pair of them, no one had the interest. We also get very little snow or ice in an average year. I looked at them but took too long to ask about taking a pair of them home with me before he retired and all of his relics were pushed out the door of the building. I still regret being an example of the slogan "If you snooze, you lose."

[Larry Gibson]

Seems like I had a pair of them back at Fort Greely, AK - back when the U.S. Army Cold Regions Test Center, and Northern Warfare Training Centers were there. Useful on glaciers, but less so anywhere else.

Up north in Alaska at Fort Greely is where I learned to use them also. We were instructed to use them only on glaciers and really icy terrain.

[Tripplebeards]

Well it sounds like the consensus is they’ll be too aggressive and I appreciate all the feedback. Where I really have an issue is about 50 yards straight up a hill. This time of year especially. The ground gets covered with snow warms up melts and then freezes. Or the real issue is when it melts but there is a slippery layer of mud and frozen ground underneath. I literally can’t climb up on it on my hands and knees without sliding down sometimes when it gets really bad! The rubber pull overs always come off going up the hill but they do bite really good. Those were the ones back in the late 80s I buy to pull over my ice kings. I need to find a good pair of slip ons that will ratchet down on top of my boots so they won’t slip off going up a hill. It be something that I would take off before I get to my tree stand obviously. I would think something was probably an inch or close to an inch of a spike or even something that looks like a cat claw from a snowmobile back in the 80s. I still consider myself to be young enough buck and in good shape now that I’m slimmed down again. But I can say even when I was a kid I would fall on my rear end trying to walk up that hill slipping and sliding on the way back down. I have scratched and banged up many guns doing so. I even bent The bell on a rifle scope hitting me in the forehead when I slipped down the hill back in 90’s dragging out an 8 pointer in the snow. I forgot I did an Ariel somersault pulling my nine pointer out during gun season this year in a different spot. My ridge is almost straight down in spots that I obviously try to avoid them unless there is a deer dead laying in that area. Luckily I had on 6 inches or thicker of my Cabela’s extreme berber and I didn’t feel anything when I got back up! Felt like it landed on a pillow. I was waiting to get up in agony in pain and I giggled laying there on the ground thank God because I felt like I fell on a pile of pillows. I had on so many layers I felt like the kid from the Christmas story that couldn’t put his arms down. Lol. The only part that sucks is when you try and put your gun up to your shoulder in your eye is nowhere near your optic because you have a half a foot or more of layers on. Also trying to move in it isn’t the greatest. But to me I’d rather be able to sit there all day and not get cold and I worry about moving if and when I see something I’d consider a shooter.

[MUSTANG]

Triple Beards - consider the following for your needs:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGJHNC27/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?pd_rd_i=B0BGJHNC27&pd_rd_w=HrGZn&content-id=amzn1.sym.98eae024-ddf8-4aae-a3d1-746298cd5013&pf_rd_p=98eae024-ddf8-4aae-a3d1-746298cd5013&pf_rd_r=EH195B3HFJ570NWZ7D5Y&pd_rd_wg=eiOOZ&pd_rd_r=46eb93a9-7f38-41ed-a3b5-7e3dbefdbc8a&s=sporting-goods&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfdGhlbWF0aWM&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFYMzBZTDNMVENRU0omZ W5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAzNjgxODEzQk05QTNITFRDUDhHJmVuY3J 5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAyNDIyMTU1TDJYRklBVVgyMEcmd2lkZ2V0T mFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfdGhlbWF0aWMmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmV kaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&th=1&psc=1

https://www.gearx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/traction.jpg

They are designed as a combination snowshoe and crampon. My wife bought a used set of these at a garage sale several years ago and uses them from time to time when we go out ice fishing (from/to the vehicle; even on the ice.).