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Reviews > Snow Gear > Crampons > Kahtoola Steel KTS > Rick Dreher > Long Term Report
Kahtoola Steel Model KTS Footwear Traction Devices Long-Term Report Product Information
Tester Information
Backpacking Bio I learned camping and hiking in Boy Scouts, tramping the Washington Cascade foothills, and eventually took up backpacking as a singular pursuit and found a home away from home in the Cascades and Olympics. Now living in northern California, most of my hiking is in the Sierra Nevada, the trips ranging from overnight to weeklong excursions. Total pack weight for three-day summer trips, including food and water, is now roughly 25 pounds (12 kg), longer trips see pack weights ranging into the mid to upper 30s (17 kg). Product Information The steel Kahtoola Traction System (KTS) traction devices are strap-on spikes similar in appearance and function to climbers’ crampons, but made to fit most any shoe or boot to aid in walking on snow and ice. Compared to crampons, the Kahtoolas have fewer, shorter, less-aggressive points. As a result, they’re easier to walk in compared to technical crampons. Climbers might still find them useful in less challenging conditions; in fact, Kahtoola notes they’ve summited Everest. Also, a misstep or fall while wearing a pair of KTSs poses far less threat of a personal injury or shredded gear than while sporting an aggressive set of crampons! The KTSs fit a range of shoes and boots, from flexible low-top running shoes to full-on snow and hiking boots, in an array of sizes from men’s (US) 4 to 14. Long-Term Report Back in February when I filed my field report, I believed that I’d have ample Sierra springtime hiking in the KTSs in time for this long-term report. Little did I realize then that spring was limited to two really warm weeks in early February. Since then it’s snowed, followed by snow, then a dollop of rain topped with…snow. In fact, as I write this in mid-April there are chain controls on all the trans-Sierra highways. While this embarrassment of fluffy wealth makes my snowshoeing heart happy and ski resorts wealthy, it’s certainly not providing the compact snow and icy hiking lab I’d hoped for. Regardless, I’ve continued to use the KTSs when and wherever I’ve been able to find refrozen snow, glare ice(1), crust and crud. While this has given me a good sense of their abilities I still don’t have the feel of hours’ continuous walking in them. The good news: I’ll be using them at least into July! Reiterating from the field report, grip on flat, icy surfaces is very good and the KTS steels propel me in a controlled fashion where bare boots have me slipping, sliding and generally walking like a nervous duck. Pushing off is far more natural and my gait’s definitely longer than walking in shoes or boots alone. I still feel teetery walking on bare ice or frosty pavement, though. Climbing, descending and cross-slope bite is excellent and confidence inspiring. Slope checks using my crude compass inclinometer show 45-degree slopes are possible (once avalanche conditions have long passed). I regret I can’t report on front-pointing performance, however. Stream crossings on snowy downed logs or convenient boulders is performed with greater ease and confidence. In snowshoes, this task can be an absurd pursuit so having the Kahtoolas along “just in case” sometimes really pays off in greater safety and mobility, justifying the added pack weight. I’ve had the misfortune to snag the KTSs on one of my gaiters, ripping a few holes in it but fortunately not into my own self. This served as a reminder that the KTSs are serious traction aids that require respect, even though they’re not sharp in the manner of traditional crampons. I’ve continued wearing the KTSs with my Nike trail shoes and my Merrell boots, and I still prefer the Nikes because they’re lighter and less bulky. It’s worth pointing out that the KTSs with trail sneakers weigh less than many full-on winter boots alone and provide the option to wear Kahtoolas only when needed. Strap wear has appeared on the Nikes but only strap marks show on the leather boots, with no evident damage. The KTSs continued to occasionally ice up, and I’d be interested in trying Kahtoola’s ice guards to see how effective they might be in fending off this accumulation. I’m not very good at predicting when icing might occur, and it remains a puzzle to me. Probably because I don’t live in the snow! Design, Materials and Construction The KTS Steels are described in detail in my Initial Review: To summarize, each comprises two sets of spikes--forefoot and heel--connected by a flat, springy stainless-steel extender bar and fitted to shoes using a two-part binding system. The spikes--ten per side--average about an inch (25 mm) long--some longer, some shorter. There are six forefoot spikes and four heel spikes joined by a flexible extender bar (“LeafSpring Extender Bar” or E-Bar). The E-Bar’s heel end is drilled with a row of seven holes, used for tool-free length adjustment (about 2 in. [5 cm] range). Left and right KTSs are helpfully stamped “L” and “R,” it’s also easy to tell them apart based on shape, just by viewing them from above or below. The KTSs come fitted with long E-Bars and a second, short pair is included in the box for smaller feet. It’s a simple task to swap them out; the process takes about a minute. There’s a 2-inch (50 mm) length difference between the two sizes. Separate bindings attach the forefoot and heel plates. The rear binding comprises a folding metal heel support fitted with a plastic “Heel Grip” that, in turn, holds the polyester webbing ankle strap. The heel support assembly folds flat for compact storage and an ankle strap lace hook keeps it from riding up the wearer’s instep. The strap has a quick release buckle and rubbery strap keepers to secure flapping strap ends. The front binding is a crisscrossed webbing strap with a plastic Strap Guide where they cross. The strap attaches to the toe plate on either side via a D-ring and is long enough to accommodate large and bulky boots. The KTSs collapse into a tidy bundle. The heel supports fold flat against the heel plate and the toe plate, in turn, slides forward on the E-Bar until it touches the heel plate. Stacked one on the other, the KTSs slip easily into the (optional) tote sack — a rugged nylon bag that can be strapped to the outside of a backpack for quick access. Fitting to Boots and Shoes As discussed in the Initial Report, fitting the KTSs to a pair of boots requires a few extra steps but once fitted they go on pretty quickly thereafter. After a few minutes of walking I usually find I need to snug a strap or two, but once done they can be generally ignored the rest of the way. After sliding the shoe toe into the toe binding, center the Strap Guide by sliding it along the straps. Once centered, tighten the straps and the tuck away and secure the strap ends under the strap keepers. Adjust the ankle strap length and center the lace hook, if needed. I wear the KTSs on Nike Air Tallacs (mid-height Goretex trail sneakers) and leather Merrell hiking boots—size U.S. 11.5. The Merrells are the wider of the two, with the soles are rather wider than the KTSs themselves. This extra width requires bending the D-ring strap tabs to fit the boots. Kahtoola assures the tabs will take this sort of abuse, noting, “In fact Kahtoola Inc. has not had a single report of any broken component ever.” I certainly haven’t harmed them. Wear and Tear The wear pattern I noted in the field report continued, with more paint lost, lots of new gouges underneath and some rounding of the points. The points can be dressed with a file, but I’m not sure I can tell any difference after doing so. There’s still no rust and the bindings look still look good. I’ve oiled the extender bars with some thick bicycle oil, just for the heck of it. The length adjusters still work fine. Transporting I carried the KTSs outside of my pack, either in the tote sack or by themselves. To prevent loss when not in the sack, I first clip the KTS bindings to one another then run the pack strap through the metal plates. I’ve tried stowing them point-to-point and point sides out, both work well. The first goal, of course, is to keep the pointy bits from poking holes in the pack but in case of a bad fall I also don’t want them poking me. Another benefit of carrying them outside is that when they’re balled up with ice, it can’t melt and soak pack contents. Conclusions I heartily recommend the Kahtoola KTS steels. They’re very effective and easy to use. They succeed . While this isn’t a comparison report, I find they grip more aggressively than the KTS Aluminums but are less comfortable for walking the icy flats. They fit an array of footwear from sneakers to stiff and heavy boots. They’re nicely built and I can’t find any shortcomings in the design or materials. Initially fit can be tricky, but once adjusted they go on quickly with little extra fuss. Questions and Answers I began this test with a series of questions, which are answered as follows: * They fit both boots and trail sneakers. They’re somewhat lost beneath big, wide-soled boots but the length and binding adjustments handle my footwear collection well. * So long as I’ve prefitted them at home, they’re easy to put on and take off on the trail, even with cold hands. I have to take off mittens or heavy gloves to put them on, and at least the mittens to remove them. Still, I don’t hesitate to put them on for relatively short stretches. * I generally find I have to snug the straps after wearing them awhile but they stay in place once I’ve done so. For long-term comfort I need to mind strap tension when wearing trail sneakers, but can cinch them tightly to boots with no discomfort. * They’re relatively easy to walk in across ice, and quite comfortable across snow. My gait remains fairly natural due to the rocker curve. They will ice up sometimes and ice or no, I do notice the extra weight on my feet. * They’re wonderfully confidence-building on relatively steep slopes, and I find I’m expending far less energy because I’m not step-kicking or tensing myself against slipping. * They’re relatively easy to stow and retrieve on the go, and this is more pack-dependent than related to the Kahtoolas themselves. Their collapsibility assures they take up a relatively small space. The optional stow sack is very helpful, and can even be kept at hand so I can put them on or stow them without taking off my pack. * They require only minor maintenance, which is easily performed at home. I’ve not needed to make any field repairs. Suggestions Speaking as a member of the Bigfoot brigade, I’d like the forefoot plates to be wider. This would increase lateral stability on ice, but would likely require Kahtoola to make the KTSs in different sizes and leave their universal-fit approach behind. My sincere thanks to Kahtoola and BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to participate in this test! Rick Dreher (1) Extremely smooth ice with high reflectivity; can have serious effects on visibility while driving; very difficult to walk on because it is so slippery. Read more reviews of Kahtoola gear Read more gear reviews by Rick Dreher Reviews > Snow Gear > Crampons > Kahtoola Steel KTS > Rick Dreher > Long Term Report | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||