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Thread: Anyone ever use Military crampons?

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Anyone ever use Military crampons?

    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.


  2. #2
    Boolit Master





    SSGOldfart's Avatar
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    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
    I started out with nothing and I still have most of it left.
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    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.
    Steve,

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  4. #4
    Boolit Master



    MUSTANG's Avatar
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    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:



    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.
    Mustang

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  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy
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    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)

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    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.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy
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    https://www.rei.com/product/100202/p...ersal-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.

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
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    I bought some Yak Trax last year and they worked well on ice in Montana.

    https://www.murdochs.com/products/me...x-unisex-walk/

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by 36g View Post
    I bought some Yak Trax last year and they worked well on ice in Montana.

    https://www.murdochs.com/products/me...x-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.
    Mustang

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  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    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 ?

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
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    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!
    West of Beaver Dick's Ferry.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master fastdadio's Avatar
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    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-Li...dDbGljaz10cnVl
    Deplorable infidel

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy
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    Also used some of these https://www.duenorthproducts.com/pro...ge/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.

  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy
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    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.

  15. #15
    Boolit Mold
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    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.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ted Tompkins View Post
    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.

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    GregLaROCHE's Avatar
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    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.

  18. #18
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    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.
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  19. #19
    Boolit Master
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    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."

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by nicholst55 View Post
    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.
    Larry Gibson

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