BackpackGearTest.org - Kahtoola Traction System

Reviews > Snow Gear > Crampons > Kahtoola Traction System - 2004 > Rebecca Sowards-Emmerd > Field Report

Tester Information

Name: Rebecca Sowards-Emmerd

Location: Los Altos, CA

Age/Sex: 26/Female

Height: 5'5" (1.65 m)

Weight: 150 lb (68 kg)

Email: rebecca@backpackgeartest.org

Website: http://www.calipidder.com

I began backpacking in the summer of 2000 after moving to California. It was something I had always wanted to do, but I had only car-camped with my family while growing up in Michigan. My husband (then fiance) and I picked up the hobby together, and the past three years have been a learning experience for us both. Originally, we picked up most of our gear without much knowledge about what was best for what we wanted. I am now in the process of re-evaluating my entire backpacking setup to lower my pack weight, make camp tasks more efficient, and be more comfortable in the outdoors.

In addition to backpacking, we've become avid day hikers, snowshoers, snow campers, and peak-baggers. I spend time outside during weekends year-round in the deserts and mountains of California. Our weekend hikes are often 'spur-of-the-moment', and usually occur in and around Yosemite National Park, Desolation Wilderness (near Lake Tahoe), and Sonora Pass in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and Lassen National Park and Mt. Shasta area in the Southern Cascades.

Product Information

Name: Kahtoola Traction System KTS

Manufacturer: Kahtoola

Manufacturer website: www.kahtoola.com

Year of Manufacture: 2004

Listed Weight: 19 oz (539 g) per pair

Measured weight: (size small)
Individual crampon: 8.9 oz (252 g)
Pair in stuff sack: 20.5 oz (581 g)

The Kahtoola KTS crampons are a lightweight flexible option for traction on icy surfaces. They are designed to be used with many types of footwear, from mountaineering boots to lightweight trail runners. They come in three sizes which adjust in length and fit using an extender bar and adjustable straps. The KTS crampons have ten points and are made of a strong aluminum alloy, making them durable and lightweight. Kahtoola advertises the KTS crampons as appropriate for any icy or snowy condition where grip is needed except for technical mountaineering needs.

For a more detailed description of the Kahtoolas please see my Initial Report.

Field Information

As a resident of the San Francisco Bay area, snow is not a part of my daily life. However, wonderful snow conditions are within a few hour drive and I try to get to it as much as possible. On weekends my husband and I hop in our truck and head to the mountains where we snowshoe and play around Mt. Shasta, Lassen National Park, the Lake Tahoe region, and Yosemite. Snow conditions can be extremely varied, although the snow in the mountains has the very apt nickname of "Sierra Cement". The dense wet snow can often lead to icy conditions making crampons a welcome addition to my pack. After the winter season, snow and ice still linger in the mountains well into summer. Any high country hiking during the first half of the summer runs the risk of ice covered trail.

Field Report

Snow conditions in California don't always cooperate with my plans. To be honest, the snow over the past two months has been quite enjoyable, but not necessarily good for crampon testing. That said, I have been able to use them for a few miles of hiking on snow and for a few hours around camp and have found them to be exactly what they are supposed to be - a lightweight crampon excellent for traction on icy snow, but not intended for technical climbing.

The first time I headed up into the mountains with the Kahtoolas there was some fresh powder. Enough of it that snowshoes were a much more logical choice for the conditions. For that weekend in Tahoe I chose to wear snowshoes and carry the Kahtoolas in case they were needed. As I expected I did not need them but since they are lightweight and pack down relatively small (compared to technical crampons), they fit nicely in my pack for a dayhike. In previous times, in these conditions I wouldn't have even thought about bringing my old crampons along because of the weight and awkwardness of stowing them in my pack. It is nice to be able to toss them in my pack without adding considerable weight or taking up a lot of space.

When back at the trailhead I decided not to let the trip go to waste and strapped on the Kahtoolas. This was my first 'in the field' attempt at putting the Kahtoolas on my feet and it went quickly and smoothly. The hardest part is pinching the heel cup to get it out of its folded position. Once it folds out it is very simple to slide my foot into the crampon. I stomped around for a few minutes in the powdery snow (sinking up to my knees) and determined that I wasn't getting any useful information about the crampons. The snow was too deep and the terrain too flat to test traction, and the snow was powdery enough that I couldn't tell if wet snow would ball up underneath the crampons. What this experience taught me was that the crampons are small and light enough to go along on any hike without having to weigh the eternal question of weight vs. usefulness. Should it go in my pack or not? The other thing I learned is that if they were that easy to put on on my first try, I wasn't concerned about future fitting in the field.

The next weekend my husband and I headed up to Lassen National Park for an overnight snowcamping trip. This time the sun was shining, temperatures were warm, and the snow was nice and slushy. I wore snowshoes to hike in to camp, but once in camp I strapped on the Kahtoolas. Because they fit so comfortably and are lightweight they are barely noticeable on my feet. I wore them for several hours around camp on stomped down compressed snow, never once worrying about traction and not once noticing them on my feet. They were comfortable and secure for many hours.

Finally, a few weeks ago I was able to really put the Kahtoolas to work on a three mile round trip hike near Carson Pass in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The snow had a thick icy crust with a light dusting of fresh powdery snow on top. My husband decided to try this on skis and ended up sliding all over the ice, while I decided it would be simpler to strap on the Kahtoolas and walk. The hike began in tree covered terrain and emerged onto the side of an open ridge with beautiful sweeping views. Unfortunately, on this particular day the wind nearly swept me off my feet and I wasn't able to enjoy the view as much as I would have liked.

The Kahtoolas performed marvelously on this hike. The beginning of the hike traverses some small but steep slopes and the points were long enough to keep me firmly secured to the trail. Not once did I feel to be in danger of sliding or falling. Once on flatter but open terrain the wind was blowing powerfully, but rather than being blown all over the place as I would have been on skis, I kept walking along, leaning against the wind with secure footing.

The trail crossed a small and shallow frozen solid stream. The ice was like a sheet of glass, so on my return route I decided to see how well the Kahtoolas gripped solid ice. My conclusion is that they don't! The points are not especially sharp and couldn't get a grip on the ice. I actually tried hopping up and down, as well as stomping my feet into the ice to see if they would grip. I didn't fall down, but I didn't get a grip on the ice either. I wouldn't use these crampons if I had to cross smooth-as-glass ice, but I can't imagine a situation where I would have to do this for any considerable amount of time. On the relatively solid crusty snow, however, they had fantastic purchase.

Back at the trailhead I sat down to inspect the Kahtoolas. Before removing them I looked at the bindings. They were as tight and secure as when I first put them on, and I didn't even have to adjust them once during the hike. My other crampons require tightening every 100 steps, it seems. I am very, very happy with the binding mechanism on the Kahtoolas.

Lastly, I looked at how hiking on crusty snow had worn the teeth. On the tips the paint had worn away exposing the silver aluminum. On my other crampons this is bad - wherever the metal is exposed they tend to rust. I left the Kahtoolas out to dry and no rusting was found. When I got home I rinsed the dirt off of them in my kitchen sink and again left them to dry. This was a couple of weeks ago and there is no rusting anywhere on the crampons, on any of the various metal components.

I have very much enjoyed having the Kahtoola Traction System crampons as part of my gear collection over the past two months. They fill a niche that I need - a traction device that isn't as heavy or bulky as skis, snowshoes, or technical crampons, while still providing a large degree of traction and security. I am looking forward to using them in spring snow conditions in the Sierra Nevada in the coming weeks!

Kahtoola

Rebecca Sowards-Emmerd