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Reviews > Snow Gear > Crampons > Kahtoola Traction System - 2004 > Rebecca Sowards-Emmerd > Long Term Report
I am happy to report that my opinion
of the Kahtoola crampons has not changed one bit since the Field Report.
They are excellent at what they are designed to do, and I am very happy
with their performance, durability, and comfort. They make an excellent
traction device for anything but fluffy snow (where snowshoes or skis
would be more appropriate) and sheer ice. While not a technical
crampon, they give me enough grip and support that I feel comfortable in
them in almost any situation I would put myself in. Well, any
situation I would put myself in on purpose!
On the hike described above in the
Field Information section, I met my hiking companions the night before
hitting the trail and we car camped at the trailhead. It was Memorial Day
weekend, and at 6000 ft (1829 m) in the Sierra Nevada this can still mean
snow. There wasn't a lot of it around the campground, but we didn't know
what to expect once we headed down the trail. While packing up our packs
in the morning we went back and forth about carrying snowshoes. They are
so big and heavy, and such a pain to strap to a pack, that we didn't want
to carry them unless we knew for sure that we would need them. We ended up
leaving them in the cars and kept our fingers crossed that we wouldn't
encounter much snow.
Little did they know that I had
brought my own secret snow weapon. Rather than awkardly strapping
snowshoes to my pack, I had tossed the Kahtoolas inside. At about the same
size as a Nalgene bottle, these are super easy to toss in a pack and
forget about until needed. With the packed pair weighing about 20 oz (580
g), they are a lot lighter than snowshoes, skis, or even my technical
crampons. If I end up not needing them on the trail, I don't feel like I
have worn myself out hauling unnecessary gear.
The trail did indeed pass through some
snowy areas. Although traction devices were not really needed, the trail
was snow covered enough that I decided to quickly throw them on my feet.
Prior to this hike I had made sure that the Kahtoolas were adjusted for
the shoes I was wearing, making putting them on on the trail a quick and
easy task.
The early summer sun had warmed the
day up to a comfortable temperature, but the shaded snow still was deep in
places and very, very slushy. On top of this, it had been compressed into
a slippery and wet surface where people had followed the trail. I had two
options - walk next to the trail on the wet slush and get my feet wet, or
walk on the trail and run the risk of slipping and sliding down a hill
into the lake. With the Kahtoolas, I was able to walk on the trail with a
regular and confident stride, instead of planting my feet carefully and
deliberately each step to make sure ice and gravity wouldn't pull me down.
If I had been carrying my snowshoes or
technical (and much more complicated) crampons, I would have taken my
chances with wet feet or sliding down the hill. The Kahtoolas are easy
enough to put on that I find myself much more willing to use them.
Combined with my Field experiences, I
have found that the Kahtoola crampons are a perfect option for 99% of the
conditions I am likely to encounter in the mountains. The situations where
I would not use them are:
- Light fluffy snow: Crampons,
regardless of what type, do not allow floatation. For a light fresh
powder, skis or snowshoes are a much smarter option than the Kahtoolas.
- Sheer ice: The teeth are not sharp
enough to get a good grip on sheer ice. Of course, the best thing for this
would probably be ice skates!
- Very Steep Slopes: On some steep
slopes I prefer to have longer and sharper teeth that will dig deeper into
the ice/snow. Also, with the near-vertical teeth on the front of the
crampon, I cannot dig into steep slopes like I would with a technical
crampon. However, for gradual to moderate slopes the Kahtoola front teeth,
combined with their flexibility, provide excellent grip.
I have not taken any great care in
storing the Kahtoolas. In the first two months I had them I was careful to
dry them by airing them out before packing them away, and I never had any
tarnishing, rusting, or sticking problems. In the last couple of uses I
was less careful and generally tossed them in their storage sack and into
a closet. I have noticed no adverse effects from doing this. They store
well and do not appear to need any special treatment such as being left
out to dry before being stowed away for a while. The only wear and tear to
the Kahtoolas is on the metal itself, especially at the tips of the teeth.
The red paint has worn away leaving exposed metal, but this has not been a
problem. The tips are a little chewed up, but I have not felt the need to
file them yet. There are also several areas where the paint has scratched
away, but this is purely cosmetic and doesn't affect the performance of
the crampons. The straps and plastic elements still appear to be as good
as new.
Overall, testing the Kahtoola crampons
was a very positive experience. I am very happy to have these as part of
my gear collection and look forward to using them throughout the upcoming
snow season, as well as many more in the future.
Read more reviews of Kahtoola gear Read more gear reviews by Rebecca Sowards-Emmerd Reviews > Snow Gear > Crampons > Kahtoola Traction System - 2004 > Rebecca Sowards-Emmerd > Long Term Report | |||||||||||||||