Only idiots buy Microspikes - discuss
Paul
It's been a fantastic weekend in the LD, cold, clear and sunny and not too
windy. There was, however, the little problem of ice all over the paths
above around 300m and significant patches of snow (now mostly neve). Really,
most of the snow is gone and it remains in significant quantities only on
the big tops.We were out on Pike O'Blisco today and we certainly experienced
mostly clear paths but some snow and a fair bit of ice where water run-off
has crossed them and frozen. This felt to me to be pretty typical - for 95%
of the walk, regular 3 season boots are fine. But what to do about the other
5%?
Read the blurb in the magazines and you will be told that you need
crampon-rated boots to take crampons - these are all winter boots. Me, I
don't want to spend north of �200 on a pair of boots suitable for conditions
I will find once or twice in a normal year. Obviously, what you do is search
out those products designed to work with 'normal' boots. There seem to be
two types - the short spike set designed to fit in the arch and held on by
proper straps (e.g.the Grivel Spider and various knock-offs) and the
scaled-down crampon held on with a stretchy rubber band (of which the
latest seems to be the Kahtoola Microspike).
I own some Spiders and I wore them up Fairfield on Boxing Day and Goats
Hause a couple of weeks ago. They worked pretty well. What about the other
kind? On my way over to Langdale, I called in at Ambleside and visited the
Climbers Shop (which until today was my preferred fell-walking related
emporium). I picked up a couple of pairs of the MicroSpikes' packs ( for me
and my wife) and wandered over to members of staff to ask about sizing. The
guy (regretably I don't have his name) responded by telling me that I
shouldn't be buying them, they were only suitable for walking on level
ground, they were no good for walking the hill paths and I shouldn't be
going out there except with the full crampon/ice axe/ helicopter pack (OK -
I made up the helicopter bit). He then went into a full mountain rescue rant
about having to dig four people out already (yada, yada, yada ... by this
point I wasn't really listening anyway). I pointed out that I had already
been out in the hills in significantly worse conditions and had no problem
at all, thank you very much. He told me I had just been lucky (I think the
word he was searching for here was 'careful').
So, now I'm extra confused. The Climbers Shop stock these things but
according to Mr Arrogant Condescending Bastard, you should only buy them for
negotiating the High Street. Well, I'm obviously going to to avoid the
Climbers Shop from now on - if implying this customer is an idiot is their
idea of customer service - but how to I negotiate the contradictory advice?
I spent about 20 minutes on the interweb checking out comments on the
MicroSpike by users. They were overwhelmingly favourable with a substantial
number describing their use in hill walking/hiking situations. The few
negative comments I encountered (mainly on the Live For the Outdoors forum)
were from people who said you shouldn't use them but gave no clue about
whether they actually had.
What do you think we can use as crampon or crampon-substitutes with 3-season
boots?
Paul
Roger Chapman
snip
> What do you think we can use as crampon or crampon-substitutes with
> 3-season boots?
I don't know anything about microspikes but but I used crampons with
ordinary boots for 20 years or more before I bought a pair of winter
boots after suffering from extremely cold feet on the ng winter
expedition to Snowdonia some years ago.
What you can't do is wear step-in crampons with bendy boots but there is
no problem with traditional crampons other than the possibility of tight
straps restricting circulation. Front pointing might be more difficult
or painful but that is hardly part of normal hill walking.
Incidentally on the cold feet weekend referred to above I don't think I
put on my crampons once. It was just the extreme cold and depth of snow
that did for my feet.
And no I still don't have a set of step-in crampons. Due to a mangled
foot one boot is too misshappen to take such equipment.
Nigel Cliffe
> Read the blurb in the magazines and you will be told that you need
> crampon-rated boots to take crampons - these are all winter boots.
> Me, I don't want to spend north of �200 on a pair of boots suitable
> for conditions I will find once or twice in a normal year. Obviously,
> what you do is search out those products designed to work with
> pairs of the MicroSpikes' packs ( for me and my wife) and wandered
> over to members of staff to ask about sizing. The guy (regretably I
> don't have his name) responded by telling me that I shouldn't be
> buying them, they were only suitable for walking on level ground,
> they were no good for walking the hill paths and I shouldn't be going
> out there except with the full crampon/ice axe/ helicopter pack (OK -
> I made up the helicopter bit).
This topic came up within TGO magazine last year. Some of the TGO regular
contributors are "light weight" enthusiasts, and will use normal "flexible"
crampons on light weight footwear. I don't recall the term "MicroSpikes"
coming up.
One or two contributors have, I think, used flexible crampons on boots which
are closer to trainers than traditional boots. Certainly used them on normal
three-season boots. They will argue that such use, if done with care, is
fine, offers the protection against sliding the wearer needs. And, on the
assumption that the user is being sensible, they are not going to try
ice-climbing with them !
They are complained at by the makers as taking suicidal risks and
endangering the public by printing such comments.
The TGO website may have some information, or possibly Chris Townsend's
blog.
My experience ? None, on crampons. Suffolk isn't suited to any of the
required testing, and my winter expeditions tend to be on skis to snowy
lands. In the spring, I will climb over snow on UK mountains in normal
boots, I just have to pick routes where I am not at serious exposure risk.
- Nigel
--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/
Peter Clinch
> I picked up a couple of pairs of the
> MicroSpikes' packs ( for me and my wife) and wandered over to members of
> staff to ask about sizing. The guy (regretably I don't have his name)
> responded by telling me that I shouldn't be buying them, they were only
> suitable for walking on level ground, they were no good for walking the
> hill paths and I shouldn't be going out there except with the full
> crampon/ice axe/ helicopter pack (OK - I made up the helicopter bit). He
> then went into a full mountain rescue rant about having to dig four
> people out already (yada, yada, yada ... by this point I wasn't really
> listening anyway).
It has ever been thus that some folk are, shall we say, rather more
"serious equipment-centric" than others. I have been such an idiot in
the past, and the thing that cured me was taking part in a mountain
marathon (a KIMM in the late 80s) when there were lots of people
tackling Serious Terrain in Serious Conditions in glorified trainers and
a bare minimum of stuff (a lot of which they only had as the rules
insisted). And not only getting away with it, but managing that in
serious style much better than lots of "properly equipped" folk could
manage.
KIMMs have often taken place in the snow, and you can rest assured that
crampons aren't getting carted around. And of course, a couple of years
ago the OMM (what used to be the KIMM) made all sorts of national news
programs with numpties (including /some/ MRT types) castigating
irresponsibility for their attitude when a bit of hindsight revealed
nothing had gone wrong that the planning didn't deal perfectly
adequately with.
> I pointed out that I had already been out in the
> hills in significantly worse conditions and had no problem at all, thank
> you very much. He told me I had just been lucky (I think the word he was
> searching for here was 'careful').
I think you've put your finger on it with that. Experience and
appropriate care means you shouldn't get into a situation you can't get
out of, because you'll be aware of the limits of you and your equipment.
> So, now I'm extra confused. The Climbers Shop stock these things but
> according to Mr Arrogant Condescending Bastard, you should only buy them
> for negotiating the High Street. Well, I'm obviously going to to avoid
> the Climbers Shop from now on - if implying this customer is an idiot is
> their idea of customer service - but how to I negotiate the
> contradictory advice? I spent about 20 minutes on the interweb checking
> out comments on the MicroSpike by users. They were overwhelmingly
> favourable with a substantial number describing their use in hill
> walking/hiking situations. The few negative comments I encountered
> (mainly on the Live For the Outdoors forum) were from people who said
> you shouldn't use them but gave no clue about whether they actually had.
>
> What do you think we can use as crampon or crampon-substitutes with
> 3-season boots?
I've just bought some Microspikes. Not used them up a hill as yet, but
IMHO they'll be better than my previous option with light footwear,
which was no crampons at all but just rather more care than usual,
occasionally having to resort to some very tedious hacking of steps.
That previous option worked okay. It's also worked okay for a lot of
people I've been up hills with over the years who being poor students
when crampons were effectively much pricier than they are now and
student loans didn't exist, simply couldn't afford them.
This is before we get into other issues like the ability of a walker to
maim themselves with Microspikes is probably much lower than that with
crampons: less chance to ball up badly and with shorter spikes less
chance of tripping, especially negotiating rocks, and having tripped
then sticking a long spike into their legs. I'd think if there's a
clear fault to Microspikes it's they're too easy to use, and may thus
engender false confidence. Used with appropriate care and attention to
the safety of run-outs on tricky bits, I think they'll be excellent.
Last time I took crampons with me on a mountain walk I only used them on
a section of path that was covered in frozen puddles (i.e., level ice).
The 'Spikes would've done a better job, been easier to put on and off,
and easier to carry.
Be aware that they're not the same as full crampons, use your brain when
assuming what they'll stick to, and they should be fine. Lack of
turning brain on, as opposed to not wearing crampons, probably causes
the more MRT work.
Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net p.j.c...@dundee.ac.uk http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
Bill Grey
"Paul" <paul....@curee.co.uk> wrote in message
news:hk59bd$mbv$1...@speranza.aioe.org...
Shop assistants have to toe the line I suppose when giving advice, they are
there to sell stuff doncha know :-)
I would like to know does any one here use Grivel G 10 on B0 boots?
prettywell all the shops say Oh no no no you NEED B1 boots.
Are the G 10's suitable for just hill walking, ice work not being on the
agenda?
BTW I see that Kahtoola have fexible crampons which I beleive would suit,
but at some considerable orice.
Bill
Michael
"Paul" <paul....@curee.co.uk> wrote in message
news:hk59bd$mbv$1...@speranza.aioe.org...
> Hi folks
>
>
> What do you think we can use as crampon or crampon-substitutes with
> 3-season boots?
>
> Paul
>
My normal snow and ice combination is Scapa SL boots and Grivel G 10
crampons - "real" crampons which can be used on any boot. However the one
time I used them with my Brasher Hillwalkwers I felt insecure and I won't be
doing that again - but it was certainly possible.
I expect that microspikes will work in many situations - but not all. Last
winter I walked up the scree path which runs alongside Bristly Ridge (i.e.
from Blwch Tryfan to Glyder Fach). It was steep and very icy - I had no
problems but I passed someone using a microspike type product and he was
struggling to make any progress at all. He didn't look very safe. (His
companions with no spikes at all looked even less safe!)
Michael
"Michael" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:7sonv3...@mid.individual.net...
P.S. I was up in the Carneddau on Saturday (superb day - lots of good
quality snow) and most people were wearing "real" crampons.
Judith
wrote:
>I picked up a couple of pairs of the MicroSpikes' packs ( for me
>and my wife) and wandered over to members of staff to ask about sizing. The
>guy (regretably I don't have his name) responded by telling me that I
>shouldn't be buying them, they were only suitable for walking on level
>ground, they were no good for walking the hill paths and I shouldn't be
>going out there except with the full crampon/ice axe/ helicopter pack (OK -
>I made up the helicopter bit).
So far, I have only used my Kahtoola Microspikes for walking across
sheet ice on a couple of carparks and for walking to/from work during
the recent Ice Age. I am very impressed with them. I have worn them
on Inov-8 Roclite 319 (shoes) and 390 (boots), so very lightweight
footwear which is what I wear no matter how deep the snow is.
I am confident that the Microspikes give me the grip I need if, for
example, a path is frozen. I'd be happy walking up fairly steep paths
or walking up a crisp snow-covered hill if I thought there was a
chance of slipping.
No, I wouldn't/couldn't use them for climbing up a wall of ice - but
that's not the sort of walking I do.
One of my work colleagues has just bought these:
http://www.betterware.co.uk/productdetails.aspx?pid=057460&cid=144&language=en-GB
which are perfectly adequate for walking from the office to the car.
The Kahtoolas are in a different league; they have spikes over the
whole sole, they should stay on the shoe/boot and they give me
complete confidence when walking on frozen paths - which is what I
bought them for.
I reckon your friendly shop assistant was having a touch of risk
aversion, or litigation awareness, and was going a bit over the top.
Judith
Paul
"Judith" <no.spam.for....@aol.com> wrote in message
news:0saem5l9pvvsm8o5s...@4ax.com...
Yes probably. To cut the shop assistant a little slack, there is a problem
for people in the emergency services generally (here I'm assuming he's
actually in an MRT) in that they usually only encounter the exceptional
(idiots on mountains, the crooked villianous elements of society, the sick
and dying etc) . They don't see the other 98% who are quite
competent/honest/well. Thus you get the sampling bias that goes something
like "100% of the people I dig out of the snow are not carrying an ice axe -
therefore absence of ice-axe = dead idiot".
I introduce the ice axe example here deliberately. I don't have one and I'm
doubtful that one would be any help to me because I don't know how to use
it. I do know how to use trekking poles so a) I use them and b) I don't go
into conditions where an ice axe is necessary. On Sunday, on Pike O'Blisco,
as my party was picking its way carefully and slowly down or beside iced-up
paths, three young men walked past each using an ice axe as a kind of
walking stick (though they are a bit short to function well as one). They
were not following the path but were instead walking down the hill across
frozen turf some of which had a very light scattering of snow. I wondered
why they were using axes and assumed that the conditions above must be much
more severe - but they weren't. There was a bit more snow cover but most of
it avoidable and all of it negotiable without poles or axes.
My own surmise (for which I no evidence) was that they'd got these macho
toys and they were damn well going to use them. Am I missing something here?
Paul
PS - so far in this thread, I think I read only a cautious approval of the
MicroSpike. Views are less clear about the viability of 'proper' crampons
with 3-season boots though a couple of people have used them
Roger Chapman
> I introduce the ice axe example here deliberately. I don't have one and
> I'm doubtful that one would be any help to me because I don't know how
> to use it. I do know how to use trekking poles so a) I use them and b) I
> don't go into conditions where an ice axe is necessary. On Sunday, on
> Pike O'Blisco, as my party was picking its way carefully and slowly down
> or beside iced-up paths, three young men walked past each using an ice
> axe as a kind of walking stick (though they are a bit short to function
> well as one). They were not following the path but were instead walking
> down the hill across frozen turf some of which had a very light
> scattering of snow. I wondered why they were using axes and assumed that
> the conditions above must be much more severe - but they weren't. There
> was a bit more snow cover but most of it avoidable and all of it
> negotiable without poles or axes.
>
> My own surmise (for which I no evidence) was that they'd got these macho
> toys and they were damn well going to use them. Am I missing something
> here?
Possibly (but probably not). You carry an ice axe in your hand for self
arrest (it is no use attached to your rucksack if you slip) but if you
aren't going to slide any distance if you fall over then it does seem a
bit pointless but people often do pointless things. On the winter
expedition I reffered to earlier we followed crampon tracks in
circumstances where there was absolutely no point in wearing them. (IIRC
on Moel Hebog on the Saturday and possibly on Yr Aran on the Sunday as
well).
FWIW I had an ice axe (�2 second hand in 1966) something like 10 years
before I bought a pair of crampons and 35 years before I bought a pair
of 4 season boots.
Martin Richardson
>
> FWIW I had an ice axe (£2 second hand in 1966) something like 10 years
> before I bought a pair of crampons and 35 years before I bought a pair
> of 4 season boots.
On the tourist path up Ben Ledi at the weekend there was almost
continuous ice for a long distance. It was possible to avoid it by
slogging through deeper snow elsewhere. However, wearing crampons made
it a joy to be able to keep to the path. Descending by a more
unorthodox route over the other side there was ample opportunity to
make the hole in the seat of my pants even bigger by bumsliding and
practicing ice axe arrests. So, yeah maybe, I could have done the
whole walk without the equipment. For that matter, as the sun was
shining for much of the day I could have done the whole walk naked too
- maybe not the bit through the pine forest lower down.
Roger Chapman
snip
>> My own surmise (for which I no evidence) was that they'd got these
>> macho toys and they were damn well going to use them. Am I missing
>> something here?
>
> Possibly (but probably not). You carry an ice axe in your hand for self
> arrest (it is no use attached to your rucksack if you slip) but if you
> aren't going to slide any distance if you fall over then it does seem a
> bit pointless but people often do pointless things. On the winter
> expedition I reffered to earlier we followed crampon tracks in
> circumstances where there was absolutely no point in wearing them. (IIRC
> on Moel Hebog on the Saturday and possibly on Yr Aran on the Sunday as
> well).
Had another thought as I went to bed last night. What to do if you have
either no rucksack or not ice axe loops on your rucksack.
No rucksack and you just have to have it in your hand.
No loops and there is only limited scope for storing an axe. Some of my
more experienced friends park their axes by sticking the shaft over a
shoulder and down between the rucksack and their back but I have never
been comfortable with that.
Getting up this morning and yet another thought. Almost all the walkers
you will see out on the hills with poles do no more than wave their
poles ineffectually in the wind. Perhaps these axe wielders are pole
users most of the year.
PeterC
> I wondered
> why they were using axes and assumed that the conditions above must be much
> more severe - but they weren't. There was a bit more snow cover but most of
> it avoidable and all of it negotiable without poles or axes.
Simple - in an emergency in freezing weather, an ice axe is the only way of
breaking up Kendal Mint Cake!
--
Peter.
2x4 - thick plank; 4x4 - two of 'em.
Peter Clinch
> I would like to know does any one here use Grivel G 10 on B0 boots?
> prettywell all the shops say Oh no no no you NEED B1 boots.
> Are the G 10's suitable for just hill walking, ice work not being on the
> agenda?
I use G10s on my telemark boots. Tele boots don't get a 'B' rating, but
since they /have/ to be bendy under the forefoot (or else you can't do
telemarks...) I would guess they're effectively B0.
And they're very nice crampons. The plastic cradles make them easy on
and off without turning your fingers into frozen puddings and you can do
fabbo cool stuff like walk up icy slopes without falling over.
Peter Clinch
> No loops and there is only limited scope for storing an axe. Some of my
> more experienced friends park their axes by sticking the shaft over a
> shoulder and down between the rucksack and their back but I have never
> been comfortable with that.
I (and others I know) use that for temporary storage: say a few minutes
scrambling over boulders where hands are wanted and axes aren't. Much
more than that and IME it's not usually comfy, as you suggest.
For other storage options, if you compression straps rather than pockets
then use those, if there are slots behind the pockets use those,
otherwise a 10 minute sewing job (assuming you're as an incompetent as I
am with needle and thread) with a bit of tape and you're sorted.
Yo$$1960
> So, now I'm extra confused. The Climbers Shop stock these things but
> according to Mr Arrogant Condescending Bastard, you should only buy them
> for negotiating the High Street. Well, I'm obviously going to to avoid the
> Climbers Shop from now on
I've recently become the owner of a pair of Microspikes. Admittedly, use
has been minimal due to lack of snow. When I did use them, they seemed
fine. However, the hills I walked weren't particularly steep (think
Exmoor, not Lake District).
I'll only be using the spikes on walks within my normal routine. That is,
I'll use them to stop my slipping in ice and snow, not to go
mountaineering, or ice climbing, as they're clearly not designed for that
purpose.
Maybe Mr Condescending Bastard got confused about what you wanted the
Kahtoolas for.
--
Regards _
/ ) "The blindingly obvious is
/ _)rad never immediately apparent"
Black man got a lot of problems, but he don't mind throwing a brick
White Riot - The Clash
Alan Dicey
> What do you think we can use as crampon or crampon-substitutes with
> 3-season boots?
>
Instep crampons have been around for a long time: they are a limited
solution to finding traction in level walking and easy slopes. As soon
as the heel lifts, you'll lose traction. They are less well anchored to
the boot than a full crampon and are more likely to slip round when
walking across a steeper slope. Really only suited to gentle slopes and
firm paths.
Microspikes seem to be snow chains for boots or shoes. Better
attachment than the instep crampons, using modern materials (some kind
of neoprene, I guess) to grip the shoe upper, even as it flexes. Spikes
and chains all over the sole and heel will give better grip on steeper
slopes, and the fitting should flex with the shoe well enough to keep a
grip when the heel lifts. Very good for mixed ground and moderate
slopes, I'd have thought. They look like they'll slip round crossing a
steep slope sideways, but I'd say they look better than instep crampons
for hillwalking off the path.
The need for stiff boots to suit crampons is overemphasised, I think. A
casual walker needing some safeguard for patches of ice or hardpacked
snow does not need girders on their feet.
I've used Camp Ice Trek flexible crampons on my Scarpa SL's, and they've
exceeded my requirements - but I bought them well before microspikes
were thought of. Nowadays I might well have opted for the microspikes,
as I need them only for extra safety on those occasions when caught out
on steep, hardpacked snow or ice.
FenlandRunner
Lighweight versus old-school\traditional.
Not in the hills but on the flat I found the flites 230 superb.
For me if I need anything more than lightweight trainers e.g. Inov-8's
I won't be on the hill.
David
----
No hills in January 2010 but 208 miles run!
David
> 3-season boots?
Hello,
Has anybody tried either of the below 2 options?
Just for icy paths, that is :
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320483320352
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320483036839
The second one only has spikes on the ball of the foot, but both are much
cheaper than the microspikes.
Or would we be hypocrites and frown upon them due to being from Chinese
labour camps?
David
Peter Clinch
> Or would we be hypocrites and frown upon them due to being from Chinese
> labour camps?
I tend to distrust that sort of thing, not because I'm sure they're
bad but because I'm not sure that they're not. And when I'm
walking along a bit of icy snow miles from anywhere I'd like to be
able to really trust my feet more than I want a one-off saving of �20.
That's no comment on their quality, which might be just as good as
the Kahtoolas. Though it might not...
david
> Just for icy paths, that is :
>
>
> The second one only has spikes on the ball of the foot, but both are much
> cheaper than the microspikes.
I'm a pretty wary walker in poor conditions, but within minutes of
first trying them I was happily walking up and down roads covered with
compacted ice that were too steep for cars to manage. They work
equally well out of town. Ice is ice, wherever it is. However, I did
manage to lose one (and not notice for a few steps) while walking
through snow. They are awkward to put on properly, particularly with
cold fingers, so be very careful. I wouldn't use them if my life
depended on them, but I wouldn't get into that sort of situation even
with ice axe and crampons, which I don't know how to use. They weigh
next to nothing, and I won't be without them from now on if there's
the slightest risk of ice.
David
news:01219a9b-3d1f-401e...@q4g2000yqm.googlegroups.com...
> I got the second ones, or very similar. Round town they are great.
This is pretty much what I want them for. My little lady has problems with
her legs fron an accident when she was younger and finds icey paths very
difficult.
Did you get any of the ones from Amazon as they seem to sell a few for about
�20.
Thank you
David
david
> "david" <david.williams3...@googlemail.com> wrote in message
http://www.iwantoneofthose.com/ and search for 'grippers'.
Inevitably they are 'Out of Stock'. And also 'Discontinued'. Good
hunting.
David
Bill Grey
"Peter Clinch" <p.j.c...@dundee.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:7sq9hh...@mid.individual.net...
Thanks for the information Peter. All the shop ssles people I've spoken to
say the G10's can't be worn on B0 boots :-(
You'er experience clarifies the situation and I'm sure others will have
worn them successfully.
Bill
Bill Grey
David
A while ago in this thread I mentioned Magic Spikers which cost about �12 -
Google is your friend. I think you'll find they are very similar to the
ones you mention.
Bill
Phil Cook
>On Mon, 1 Feb 2010 20:55:25 -0000, Paul wrote:
>
>> I wondered
>> why they were using axes and assumed that the conditions above must be much
>> more severe - but they weren't. There was a bit more snow cover but most of
>> it avoidable and all of it negotiable without poles or axes.
>
>Simple - in an emergency in freezing weather, an ice axe is the only way of
>breaking up Kendal Mint Cake!
The best KMC has ethylene glycol in it so it shouldn't freeze. Mars
bars on the other hand...
My choccy biscuit of choice is a Tunnock's Caramel Wafer. In sub zero
conditions they make a wonderful crunching sound but don't break your
teeth.
Further to the point when using an ice axe in third-leg-cum-handrail
mode you can plunge the shaft some way into hard snow a lot easier
than a pole. Another use of the extra weight is for knocking balled up
snow off your boots.
What neither of axes or crampons will do is protect against the prat
fall that comes when you are looking at some pretty trees while
walking along a forest road and go base over apex when you step on a
frozen puddle. :-(
--
Phil Cook, last hill: Am Bodach in the Mamores on a sunny day :-)
pictures at http://www.therewaslight.co.uk soonish...
david
> What neither of axes or crampons will do is protect against the prat
> fall that comes when you are looking at some pretty trees while
> walking along a forest road and go base over apex when you step on a
> frozen puddle. :-(
But micro-spikes just might, because you're more likely to have
thought it was worth putting them on!
Bill Grey
Perhaps that's just the moment when you wished you had :-)
Bill
Phil Cook
He he. Given that I can't seem to put my gaiters on the right feet I
don't hold out much hope. ;-)
This is me on Am Bodach on Thursday
www.therewaslight.co.uk/201002/IMG_7523me-bodach.jpg
Those black bits are supposed to be higher on the inside. D'oh!
Nice view of Ben Nevis though...
Yo$$1960
> He he. Given that I can't seem to put my gaiters on the right feet I don't
> hold out much hope. ;-)
I know that feeling; First time I wore mine, I put them on. Looked at
them, took them off and swapped them over. Looked again, and realised I
was right the first time.
I /could/ write L & R on them, I suppose. Best do it on the inside so
no-one else sees I've done. If I can figure out which is the inside. :-)
Phil Cook
>On Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:28:44 +0000, Phil Cook wrote:
>
>> He he. Given that I can't seem to put my gaiters on the right feet I don't
>> hold out much hope. ;-)
>
>I know that feeling; First time I wore mine, I put them on. Looked at
>them, took them off and swapped them over. Looked again, and realised I
>was right the first time.
>
>I /could/ write L & R on them, I suppose. Best do it on the inside so
>no-one else sees I've done. If I can figure out which is the inside. :-)
These are new ones. The previous pair had a buckle only on the
outside. I still put a big L and R on the inside of them, if it's good
enough for Hinksey it's good enough for me, one less thing to think
about. I shall have to get the marker/paint/tape out for the new ones
I fear. These new ones have buckles both sides and came with
instructions to cut off the excess strap. So far I havent done that,
but I have run the strap up the insde rather than outside the bottom
of the gaiter by using the buckles the other way round than intended.
Also the crampon straps are at the moment in conflict with the buckles
:-( I've run the inner side under the gaiter strap which seems to work
reasonably well but I think I need to lengthen the crampon strap a
little more than I already have when I went to a larger volume boot; I
need a bit longer end to get a good heave hold of to tighten them.
Here's a picture showing me making less of a tit of myself, wearing
them on the correct feet.
www.therewaslight.co.uk/201002/IMG_7221by-the-pap.jpg
and a close up showing the strap running inside
www.therewaslight.co.uk/201002/IMG_7221gaiters.jpg
Bill Grey
"Phil Cook" <ph...@p-t-cook.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:0k90n5h899hqva647...@4ax.com...
I don't possess crampons, but as for the under the arch straps on my
gaiters, I replaced them with 1" wide strong elastic. Great !
Bill
Yo$$1960
> I don't possess crampons, but as for the under the arch straps on my
> gaiters, I replaced them with 1" wide strong elastic. Great !
Good tip. I'll remember that. Cheers.
--
Regards _
/ ) "The blindingly obvious is
/ _)rad never immediately apparent"
Now would I say something that wasn't true?
Would I Lie To You - Eurythmics
Yo$$1960
> These are new ones. The previous pair had a buckle only on the outside. I
Like you, mine have buckles on both sides. Plus the dire death warnings
about cutting to length (so far, ignored). Things are made worse with
mine in that they're plain black, not the duo-tone type you have. Still,
I'll get around to marking them with something sooner or later.
> Here's a picture showing me making less of a tit of myself, wearing them
> on the correct feet.
That's "character" not "making my self look a berk". :-)
--
Regards _
/ ) "The blindingly obvious is
/ _)rad never immediately apparent"
Tired of doing day jobs with no thanks for what I do
Do Anything You Wanna Do - Eddie & The Hotrods