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April, 2025

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Ski crampons vs booting it on the way up?

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thekol
Posts: 3 - Karma: 22
Hey folks, first post after lurking on NS for 10+ years...hello! xD

Question for the touring/ski mountaineering crowd - I've got a setup with Solomon Guardians, which have been great for skiing but pretty heavy for skinning so I've been thinking of getting tech bindings to keep up with my friends better.

This weekend I went ski mountaineering for the first time, and during the beginning of the summit push, I was going up zig zagging on my skis with ski crampons while my buddy went up with boot crampons. It was maybe a 25 degree slope and very hard snow since it was night. I was sticking to it just fine but my buddy was having a much easier time than me, and I finally put my skis on my pack and switched to boot crampons. Even though I had thought boot crampons would only better for the really steep stuff, it was actually way easier to go up on them, even carrying my skis on my back!

My question is, was going up on skis only so rough for me because I was doing it on frame bindings and with pretty heavy skis and boots? (~20lbs for skis+boots+bindings) Or, is it actually just easier to go up on boot crampons once things get above a certain angle?

Maybe it's finally time to drop the $$ on the Kingpins I've had my eye on...
8 years ago
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49566738265
Posts: 0 - Karma: 7,705
Frame bindings on a slope steep enough to consider crampons already sounds not worth it. If you have to think about it, probably not going to be sweet. I like my frame bindings, but it's an obvious compromise I accept.
8 years ago
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patagonialuke
Posts: 1627 - Karma: 8,688
For me it depends on the slope, type of binding, and most importantly the snow conditions. If the snow is very firm and bordering on icy I'll usually boot it once it gets past 20ish degrees. When it's soft enough where I'm not sliding while skinning, I'll skin as long as possible because that often means that I'll be postholing if I take off my skis.
8 years ago
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AngryGramps
Posts: 243 - Karma: 706
Skinning should work for you up to 35~degrees (using switchbacks and cross sloping and such). I usually aim to keep my track around 15 degrees. Once I can't do that anymore I will bootpack, with or without crampons based on the snow conditions. ski crampons ideally would be used for very icy/rime snow approaches less that 35 degrees and with a direct up and down skin track....

on the subject of weight, I invested in a dedicated tech setup with light boots and skis this year and it has been a night and day difference. the pivot motion of tech bindings is a lot more natural than a frame binding and a decent walk mode makes it even better. If you plan on doing a lot of touring id say go for it....welcome to the suffer drug lol once you get into skimo its the best part of your season but your friends will think you are nuts for getting up at 4 am every weekend to go up to some mountain to some chute that you don't get to ski for whatever reason 7/10 times you try but its the best.
Id also recommend getting an ice axe and a harness if you plan on getting into the gnar. Being able to anchor in to the snow is really nice sometimes.....
8 years ago
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thekol
Posts: 3 - Karma: 22
Thanks folks, did some more reading around and yeah it's about time I have a backcoutnry setup with tech bindings...it's coming in the mail on Monday :). Then I'll get a better feel for what's reasonable on an 8lb ski+binding setup instead of 16lbs and probably get new boots soon too. gramps I've done a bit of sport climbing/mountaineering so I do know how to set a snow anchor but I'm pretty shabby on the ski mountaineering knowledge, definitely trying to build on my skills there.
8 years ago
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patagonialuke
Posts: 1627 - Karma: 8,688
thekolThanks folks, did some more reading around and yeah it's about time I have a backcoutnry setup with tech bindings...it's coming in the mail on Monday :). Then I'll get a better feel for what's reasonable on an 8lb ski+binding setup instead of 16lbs and probably get new boots soon too. gramps I've done a bit of sport climbing/mountaineering so I do know how to set a snow anchor but I'm pretty shabby on the ski mountaineering knowledge, definitely trying to build on my skills there.


Nice! you won't regret it. What setup did you end up going with?
8 years ago
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thekol
Posts: 3 - Karma: 22
I got the black Vipecs for bindings and Solomon Mtn Explore 95s in the 177. They both seemed like a really good compromise between weight and performance so think it'll be a good do-everything backcountry setup for me. I was looking at the Volkl BMT V-Werks 94s too but weirdly their binding mount plates inside the ski aren't wide enough to take the Vipecs.
8 years ago
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AngryGramps
Posts: 243 - Karma: 706
thekolI got the black Vipecs for bindings and Solomon Mtn Explore 95s in the 177. They both seemed like a really good compromise between weight and performance so think it'll be a good do-everything backcountry setup for me. I was looking at the Volkl BMT V-Werks 94s too but weirdly their binding mount plates inside the ski aren't wide enough to take the Vipecs.


That sounds like a sick setup. Enjoy man!
8 years ago
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bernierosow
Posts: 273 - Karma: 1,676
I always bring ski crampons in the spring. They can save the day for you and don't weigh enough to worry about.
8 years ago
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woodwvrd
Posts: 91 - Karma: 188
I'd say just skin whatever you can when the snow is deep, but if there isn't a soft cover then feel free to use crampons (ski or boot) wherever it's more suitable.
8 years ago
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