Soft crampons for mountaineering. Climbing cats. Types of front teeth in different models of cats

Mountain tourism, classical or technical mountaineering, ice climbing, mixed climbing - in all these sports you cannot do without cats. Without this device, safe and confident movement on ice, snow, firn (compacted dense snow) and icy rocks is very difficult.

Photo (c) Marc Daviet.

Any person, even far from mountaineering, knows what crampons are - a metal device with sharp teeth, which is attached to the soles of boots and facilitates movement on ice and snow.

Today, manufacturers offer a wide range of crampon models designed for a variety of conditions - from simple walks on the glacier to extreme mixed climbing. Crampons can be adjusted to all sorts of mountain routes by varying design, which can be softer or more aggressive.

In order to choose the right crampons, you need to figure out how the models sharpened for different types of mountain sports are fundamentally different from each other, and which of these types you plan to do.

Photo (c) Jon Griffith.

General arrangement of cats

Most modern cats consist of separate front (under the toe of the boot) and back (under the heel) parts, held together by a connecting size bar. The front and back parts are equipped with sharp teeth, which can have different shapes and different degrees of strength. Also cats are supplied with special fastening under boots.

Dimensional connecting strips, as a rule, are made of steel and differ from each other in shape (straight or curved), length and number of holes. The bar helps adjust the crampon to your size and type of shoe.

Today it is rare to find models with a solid rigid platform- they are becoming a thing of the past (for example, large manufacturers Petzl and Black Diamond do not have such a variation in the model range now). The modern plank fastening of the front and back parts of the crampons is no less stable than the platform one, and, as a rule, weighs less.

Antipodlip- a strong rubber or plastic backing under the front and back of the crampons, thanks to which snow does not stick between the teeth. Snow build-up is potentially dangerous: it reduces traction and can cause a stall. The anti-slip is especially effective when walking on wet snow, and is not necessary when climbing on ice or mixed terrain. Each model of cats has its own models of anti-slips, as a rule, they are not included with the cats, but are purchased separately.

Types of front teeth in different models of cats

The fundamental difference between the teeth in different models of cats is their location and shape, the presence of notches, the possibility of adjusting the position of the teeth and replacing them. The number of teeth is not the most important factor; on average, their number varies between 10-14 pieces.

Crampons for mountain touring, trekking and ski mountaineering usually have wide, flat front teeth that cannot be replaced or adjusted. This design helps to move confidently on soft snow and ice terrain, but is ineffective for climbing.

More aggressive crampons suitable for mountain climbing, ice climbing and mixed climbing are equipped with sharper and more durable serrated front teeth. In some of these models, it is possible to replace the front teeth and adjust their position.

Some models have only one front tooth. This "monotooth" design is used in sports crampons designed for extreme mixed and ice climbing routes.

Boots with crampons in different shapes of front teeth: wide flat on the model on the left and more durable with notches on the model on the right. On the model on the right, you can also remove the teeth and change their position. The mounts of these cats are also different: on the left is flexible, on the right is a welt mount. Photo from the site "Your element".

Attachment types for different models of cats

Depending on the fastening device, cats can be worn on a variety of shoes - whether they are climbing or ski boots or ordinary sneakers (you just need to be aware that different shoes are also designed for different tasks).

All models of cats have two attachments: front and rear. According to their shape, they are divided into the so-called flexible mounts and welt mounts.

Flexible mounts allow you to attach crampons to any type of shoe and tighten with a strap and buckle. This mount is universal, but it is not rigid and leaves some freedom for cats.

Typically, crampons, which have both front and back bindings that are flexible, are designed for mountain touring and simple climbing routes when worn over trekking boots or other footwear designed for walking on snow and climbing on soft, non-steep ice. With difficult climbing due to the existing play, the flexible mount is unreliable.

Welt mounts are metal staples that firmly "get up" in special recesses provided in some models of ski and climbing shoes. Actually, these notches are called a welt, and the shoes that have them are called welted.

Rear mounts under the welt are of the “frog” type - a latch with fine screw adjustment - or, like the front ones, they can be a simple wire bracket with a latch.

A sling in crampons with staples is also provided, but it is no longer part of the fastening, but performs a safety function: it does not allow the cat to be “missed”.

Depending on the model, the types of fastening can be combined. So, manufacturers offer both options where both mounts are flexible or under the welt, and options when one mount is flexible and the second under the welt. The choice of model will depend on what kind of shoes you plan to wear cats.

Modern manufacturers often produce the same model of crampons with different types of fasteners, so you can choose the fastening for your boots. On the other hand, the situation is also legitimate when not cats are selected under boots, but boots under cats.

For the 2016 season, Petzl launches the Vasak, Sarken and Irvis climbing crampons with a set of interchangeable bindings for use with both welted and non-welted boots. In the near future they will appear in AlpIndustria.

"Soft" and "aggressive" cats

In general, depending on the design of the cat can be divided into softer and more aggressive. The first are intended for mountain tourism, trekking, ski mountaineering and simple climbing routes. The second - for technical mountaineering, ice climbing and mixed.

The table below shows the main differences between the two product lines.

Ultra-light aluminum crampons

In addition to classic steel crampons, aluminum crampons can be found on sale today. Such models are available with both soft and hard mounts. Due to their minimal weight, these crampons are ideal for ski touring and freeride, as well as easy glacier hikes. Hard binding options are suitable for ski boots, soft binding options for any other footwear.XLC 390 Fast weighing 402 grams.

How to choose suitable cats

Before buying cats, figure out what kind of terrain you will use them on. Will it be an easy snow-ice route, a technical ascent or ice-rock sections. It is also important to choose and fit crampons to the shoes you will be wearing them on.

The article contains general information on the applicability of crampons of different designs to different types of routes. However, this information is not exhaustive. The range of cats today is extremely extensive. Therefore, the most correct actions are to clearly understand for which routes you need crampons, correctly “marry” crampons with boots and not disdain the help of a consultant in a specialized store.

If you're matching crampons to your boots, it's best to take your boots with you to the store. And after purchasing, adjust the crampons to specific boots before climbing so as not to get into an awkward situation on the route, and do not forget to sharpen the teeth before leaving for the mountains.

See you in the mountains!

Ice Climbing World Cup Winner Park Hee Yong on the route. Photo (c) G. Broust (Petzl).

An extremely important piece of equipment for any person climbing into the glacier zone. Crampons make it possible to move where underfoot is sloping slippery ice or dense firn, unyielding to the blow of a boot. Modern cats with front teeth have buried the technique of cutting steps - walking on the front teeth is easier and faster. True, boots work in tandem with such cats, but this is a topic for a separate discussion. Today, cats are presented in a diverse assortment on the equipment market, so there are plenty to choose from. But we must take into account the fact that there is a specialization of cats in areas of application - there are models of cats designed for competitive ice climbing, for climbing frozen waterfalls and rock walls with slick ice, for use in high-altitude ascents, for walking on simple forms of ice relief, for use on firn and snow, etc. Some models of crampons can be recommended for climbers, others for freeriders, snowboarders and skiers, and others for walking on gentle glaciers. Of course, the same cats can work under different circumstances, but it is necessary to take into account their specialization. In order to understand the issue of choice, consider the design features of cats in detail.

Attaching the crampons to the climber's shoes.

Crampons and boots should fit together. This is especially true for cat attachment systems. There are three such systems:
soft (tethered) fastening;
rigid (automatic) fastening;
combined option.
Let's consider all three options in more detail.

Once upon a time, crampons were exclusively tethered, they were attached to the boots with canvas straps, later - with synthetic slings. Nowadays, the fastening of such crampons is an elastic plastic cuff at the back, and the same toe part in front, interconnected by a synthetic anti-freeze belt. There are some options, but the general scheme remains. However, tie-down crampons, attached to shoes with straps, are still found. The advantage of padded crampons is that they can be worn over almost any shoe. Among mountain tourists, and even more so among climbers, such cats are unpopular today - they do not sit rigidly enough on their legs. Even the best belts and buckles do not provide constant tension on the fastening, they have to be tightened periodically. In addition, if the straps are tightened very tightly, with a sufficiently soft top of the shoe, blood circulation in the feet may be impaired. One of the most common models of tethered crampons in our country was the crampons of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions, designed by Abalakov, in their various modifications. These cats can still be found among the equipment rented in alpine camps, sometimes they are used by tourists on simple hikes or beginners.

Automatic, or rigid, is the fastening of cats, consisting of a heel latch and a toe part made of a metal bar in the form of a bracket. To protect against spontaneous opening of the heel latch, the heel and toe parts of the fastening are interconnected by a belt, of course, synthetic, anti-freeze, equipped with a convenient buckle. The heel clips of the best models of cats are equipped with latch height adjustments, which greatly simplifies the fitting of the cat to the boot and improves its fixation on it. Crampons with a rigid mount can only be attached to special climbing boots that have a strong welt protruding forward at the toe and heel of the boot. If the boot is made of leather, the welt will most likely be reinforced with plastic inserts. All models of crampons designed for difficult climbing are equipped with just such attachments, the same attachments are typical for most modern models of climbing crampons in general.

The fastener, consisting of a heel latch (like in “automatic machines”) and a soft toe (like in tethered cats) is called semi-automatic, or combined. In order for the use of such cats to become possible, the boots must have a protrusion on the heel or a welt, but the toe of the boot can be ordinary, because there is not a metal bow in front, but a plastic toe part that is not critical to the shape of the toe. This fastening is inferior to the previous one in terms of the rigidity of fixing the cat on the shoes, but makes it possible to use trekking boots that are cheaper than specialized mountaineering shoes. Sometimes climbers also prefer such fastenings of crampons - if warming shoe covers are put on top of the boots, which makes the use of a metal bow in front unreliable. A similar scheme is used for high-altitude and winter ascents.

The difference between cats in the design of the block.

Crampons are subdivided not only by the way they are attached to the climber's shoes. In order to make it possible to use crampons on shoes of any size, they are made of two parts - front (toe) and back (heel), interconnected. According to the method of fastening and the design of the parts, crampons are articulated, semi-rigid and rigid (platform).

Articulated cats.
In such cats, both parts are connected by a narrow plate, which allows the cat to be adjusted to the size of the boot, and this plate, rigidly fixed on the heel of the cat, is completely freely fixed on the front, so that the cat can bend, repeating the anatomical bend of the foot. Once upon a time, the soles of mountain shoes were softer than they are now, and the use of such crampons provided significant advantages when walking - the foot was able to bend. When passing more difficult sections, steps were cut, and the foot was placed in a step on the entire foot, or at least on its entire front part. Today, a completely different technique is used - relying on the front teeth of the crampons, and the complete mobility of the two parts of the crampons relative to each other is completely useless. The soles of modern climbing boots are rigid, rigid, the feet in such boots do not have the ability to bend, and the use of articulated crampons does not provide any advantages when walking on simple areas of ice. Even trekking boots designed for heavy trekking in the mountains have soles approaching the soles of mountaineering shoes in their characteristics. Therefore, the popularity of these cats, until recently used for long transitions on relatively simple ice sections, has come to naught today.

With the growth of the technical complexity of the routes climbed by climbers, it became clear the need to use crampons of a new design, having both front teeth directed forward or at a slight angle forward-down, and a rigid platform as a base. These crampons were designed and built, and there was a revolution in overcoming steep ice sections. In fact, now it was not necessary to cut steps, the steepest sections were passed on the front teeth of the crampons stuck into the ice, and the rigid platform provided reliable support for the foot and contributed to less fatigue of the calf muscles. In fairness, I’ll say that in addition to cats, both climbing boots and hand tools took a direct part in this revolution, but more on that another time. Platform crampons are heavier than crampons of other designs, but with difficult climbing it pays off with reliability and convenience, therefore, among crampons from world-famous manufacturers, you can always find platform crampons. Platform cats also consist of two parts, shifted relative to each other and fixed with threaded connections.

But still, the main design of cats these days is semi-rigid cats, i.e. cats in which the front and back parts are interconnected by means of a metal plate with many holes designed to adjust the cat to the size of the shoe. The plate is fixed on the front of the cat, and in such a way that it has some degree of free walking. In turn, on the back of the cat there is either a socket for a screw with a nut, or a peg on an elastically moving plate. Both elements serve to secure the connecting plate. This design combines the advantages of the two previous ones, and is used not only in simple firn crampons, but also in many models designed for difficult climbing.

The difference between cats in the number and shape of teeth.
Standard climbing crampons are twelve-toothed. Crampons have a fairly wide shoe, horizontal front teeth, automatic or semi-automatic fastening. Their design today is semi-rigid. Sometimes such cats are called firn cats, although work on ice (except for very hard sinter ice) is also possible in them. It is convenient to make traverses in such crampons and, moreover, they are more convenient when working in the snow, since their teeth are long enough, less sensitive to snow sticking, and there is less snow sticking to a crampon of this design. Crampons with a smaller number of teeth are used for walking on glaciers, along simple gentle forms of ice relief.
Crampons designed for difficult climbing may have fourteen teeth. For work on hard ice, as well as for mixed climbing, crampons with interchangeable, vertically deployed front teeth are used. Such teeth, especially those made by forging, penetrate hard ice much easier and hold it more securely. They are also more convenient when climbing in crampons on rocky areas - mixed, dry-tooling. The replaceable design of the front teeth of such cats is due to several reasons. Firstly, when climbing on very hard ice, and even more so on mixed terrain, the wear of the teeth is significant and fast, which implies their replacement. Secondly, crampons from leading manufacturers have the ability to adjust the length of these teeth, as well as replacing the two front teeth with a monotooth, which is more convenient for mixed climbing. Moreover, in some models, the monotooth can be rearranged from the central position to the projection of the thumb! This placement of the monotooth, according to many, makes it even more convenient to use. Crampons for difficult climbing, in addition, may have teeth on the front of the platform, directed at an angle to the heel, and designed for pulling. It may be possible to install a "spur" - a heel tooth. The design of such cats is platform (rigid) or semi-rigid. Due to the front forged teeth and a number of features, such crampons are heavier than the usual twelve-tooth "firn" ones, walking in them is less convenient and more tiring. Therefore, such cats justify themselves on routes with difficult climbing, although their use on ascents of less difficulty is also possible. There are semi-rigid crampons "G-14", manufactured by the Italian company "Grivel", having a twelve-tooth layout that combines the front vertical forged teeth (replaceable) and ten other teeth that have the parameters of firn teeth and are located like on ordinary climbing crampons. Thus, a compromise is reached between climbing and walking in crampons, between working on different terrain conditions - ice or firn. The above cats are quite popular. Nevertheless, it must be said that in a number of cases, crampons with horizontal front teeth may be preferable, especially when the ice is loose, or when you have to work on the firn. In these cases, the vertically deployed teeth cannot provide proper support, they cut through the melted ice (firn), respectively, the cats, as they say, “do not hold”.

Let's summarize the above.

A climbing crampon designed for mountaineering in general has the following features: its design is semi-rigid, fastening is automatic, or possibly semi-automatic (in this case, it is possible to use warm shoe covers over boots). The number of teeth is twelve, the front teeth are horizontal. The cat's block is wide enough, the teeth are long. Preferred where heavy climbing is not expected, and on loose ice and firn.

Crampons designed for difficult climbing: their design can be platform or semi-rigid. Fastening - automatic. The front teeth are interchangeable, deployed vertically, it is possible to adjust them in length, as well as replacing them with a monotooth, which in some models is moved on the mounting axis. Additional teeth may be present for better support of the cat and making pulls. As mentioned above, these models of crampons can be used for normal climbing, although they are somewhat heavy and more prone to snow sticking. Hybrid version - as far as I know, only "G-14" from "Grivel", combining the features of both varieties of climbing cats. It is these three options that are the alternatives between which the climber should choose.

Ice climbing crampons.

They are fixed on the ice climber's shoes, have a monotooth and a spur, but due to changes in the rules of ice climbing competitions, the latest models are produced without a spur, or make it removable.

There are some hybrids between the ice-climbing and climbing crampons described above, when the crampon is equipped with vertical front teeth, one or two, but they are not removable, the crampon can be attached to the shoe with screws, but can also be installed on the boot using automatic fastening. These are, for example, the cats "Dart" and "Dartwin" from "Petzl". The same Petzl launched crampons on the market with the SIDELOCK fastening system, that is, a wire brace not only in front, but also in the back (instead of a heel latch). According to the manufacturer, such fastening has its advantages over traditional fastening systems. A series of climbing crampons "Sarken", all of the same company "Petzl", is characterized by the use of a similar system for attaching crampons and vertical non-replaceable front teeth, made as one piece with the entire front of the crampon, bright orange.

Crampons for glacier walks, ski tours and use by freeriders - snowboarders and skiers - usually have a semi-rigid construction and a soft mount. The number of teeth is ten.

In most cases, when climbing, the climber does not deal with a purely ice relief, but with alternating sections of snow, firn, ice, ice covered with snow. When the snow is wet, it may stick to the cat block. Snow sticking to the pad nullifies the effectiveness of the cat's teeth, making it possible to slip on the snow cushion. Cats with snow stuck to them can turn into a deadly trap, so the climber must take all measures to prevent such a turn of events. Knocking snow out of cats with an ice ax shaft or sticks should be considered a last resort, and not a recommended technique. Therefore, no matter what crampons a climber gets, he cannot do without the so-called anti-slips, that is, plastic or rubber plates fixed on the crampon, reflecting snow, preventing it from sticking to the crampon block. Anti-sticks can be made independently from film, polyethylene foam, plastic, and finally simply using adhesive tape. All these are economical options, sometimes bringing good results, but it is still better to use standard anti-slips produced by cat manufacturers and designed specifically for a particular model. Some firms sell their cats immediately with anti-slips installed on them. What else, from having to do with cats, will a climber need? A bag or case for carrying cats, often such bags are fixed over a backpack, for example, on a valve. Sometimes they use protection put on the teeth of cats. A good file is needed to sharpen the teeth, perhaps some spare parts - say, a plate connecting the front and heel parts of a semi-rigid crampon to each other. And of course, if a climber uses crampons with interchangeable teeth, it is necessary to have everything that makes it possible to turn two front teeth into a monotooth and vice versa. In conclusion, I would like to say this: very often, beginners are offered to equip themselves “for starters” with old crampons of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions or platform crampons designed by Muravyov. Yes, once difficult and very difficult routes were used in them ... Yes, once there was no alternative to them ... Yes, once they were used by very great climbers ... But now there is no need to use these crampons - modern models are more convenient to use and often safer.

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Also, we can offer you tickets for Formula 1.

Take the girls on a hike

Dad, mom and Siamese cat.
(With)

1.
2.

I think it's obvious that the first way is better

I. By type of fasteners:

II. By type of connection:

with horizontal teeth

with vertical teeth

Antisublips

Shipping

Care and maintenance

Tooth sharpening

Storage

Example such cats.

“Instead of sandals, a pair of tricones
Take the girls on a hike
And look at them with wild eyes
Dad, mom and Siamese cat.
(With)

Crampons are one of the most important items of equipment for mountain hiking and mountaineering. They are invariably used by climbers and mountain tourists.

There are two approaches to choosing cats:
1. Buying shoes, after - selecting cats for them
2. Buying cats, after - choosing shoes for them

I think it's obvious that the first way is better because shoes are much more difficult to find. Having bought crampons first, we increase the requirements for the choice of boots.

So, you decided to do everything "by science" - first you bought boots, and then you came with them to the store for climbing crampons. This is where you will come across a huge variety of these "animals". Let's figure it out!

Cats can be classified in different ways. Below we classified cats according to the following criteria: according to the type of fastening, according to the type of connection, according to the type of front teeth.

I. By type of fasteners:

II. By type of connection:

with horizontal teeth- for classic climbing and mountain tourism, "horizontal" climbing crampons are enough. "Horizontal" cats work well on snow, firn, summer ice, rocks. If ice climbing and climbing long ice walls are not in your plans, crampons with horizontal front teeth are perfect for you.

with vertical teeth- designed primarily to work on steep, including sheer, or overhanging hard ice. Crampons with such teeth are needed on technically difficult ice and mixed (rock + ice) routes.

Antisublips

A very important addition to crampons are "anti-slips". In most cases, when climbing, the climber does not deal with a purely ice relief, but with alternating sections of snow, firn, ice, snow-covered ice, rocks, etc. When the snow is wet, it may stick to the cat block. The snow stuck to the block in a lump negates the effectiveness of the teeth, making it possible to slip and subsequently stall. Cats with snow stuck to them can turn into a deadly trap, so the climber must take all measures to prevent such a turn of events. Knocking snow out of cats with an ice ax shaft or sticks should be considered a last resort, and not a recommended technique. Therefore, no matter what kind of cats you get, you cannot do without the so-called anti-slips, that is, plastic or rubber plates fixed on the cat that reflect snow and prevent it from sticking to the cat's block. All modern cats have anti-slips installed right away, but if yours don’t have them, it doesn’t matter! Antipodlips are also sold separately.

Shipping

In order not to tear or spoil the rest of the equipment during transportation of cats, it is convenient to use a special rubber tooth protection. You can also purchase a special cover for cats. Another option is to make such a cover yourself from a piece of dense fabric (old jeans) or other material that cats cannot tear.

Care and maintenance

Check your cats before using at home before going to the mountains!

• Check for loose bolts or rivets. Screw or replace if necessary.
• Check for worn straps/buckles. Replace if required.
• Make sure the braces are in good condition and fit the radius of the boot.
• Check where the crampons are attached to the boot: is the crampon tight on the back and front welts?
• Carry with you or at least keep in the base camp: iron wire, cord and spare parts (straps, buckles, staples, bolts).

Tooth sharpening

The teeth on climbing crampons need to be sharpened periodically! In "stupid" cats, when entering the ice, the threat of a breakdown increases greatly! Cats become dull most quickly when walking in them over rocks. Use a regular hand file for sharpening. You can not use a grinder, because it overheats the metal, thereby weakening its hardness and strength. Sharpen the edges and point as sharp as possible, but do not make “needles” out of the teeth - otherwise they will immediately become blunt / break when you hit the relief. Straighten any bent teeth if possible.

Storage

Most climbing crampons are made from rusting steel, so wipe down and dry the crampons before putting them in the closet. It can be useful to treat them with an anti-corrosion agent (WD-40)

To summarize all of the above, the ideal option for a novice hiker/climber would be soft-mounted crampons, with horizontal front teeth, semi-rigid (not platform!), with anti-slips. Example such cats.

As a rule, experienced climbers eventually have more than one pair of crampons for different routes. If you still have questions about the choice of climbing crampons in general, or for any particular route - write to us, we will definitely solve them 🙂

At the moment, both in the field of mountaineering and in tourism, there is some immense number of directions. More precisely, there are a large number of types of outdoor activities that are either one or the other. Conventionally, they can be united by the concept of outdoor... but even this is only conditional, because some of the disciplines can be developed without leaving the city at all - bench climbing, drytooling to some extent and bouldering to a large extent, for example.

The abundance of disciplines gives rise to a mass of equipment, in which, with some general similarity between them, there may be operational differences. It can be difficult for a beginner to navigate them - it is quite likely to purchase a product that is not quite suitable, or simply redundant in terms of its performance.

In this article I will tell you basic information about climbing cats. I won’t get into the nuances and individual little things, but I hope the material will help you better navigate when choosing.

There will be many photos. Most of it was made on the basis of the Ice Age store in Moscow.

To facilitate orientation in cats, it is better to first divide them into several categories and consider each of them separately.

So, if you don’t go into too much detail, then cats differ somewhat in:

• By appointment
• By type of fasteners
• By material
• By number of teeth

The division is mostly purely arbitrary, since the parameters can mix perfectly.

Let's start with the simplest indicators, briefly consider them and move on to the purpose, which we will analyze in accordance with the information already considered.

The number of teeth in cats usually ranges from 4 to 16. Ice accesses are a separate category, which can be either in the form of cats with teeth or in the form of a protector with spikes.

Cats with 4 to 8 teeth are usually considered walking cats. They are not intended for serious technical work. An exception may be special (including home-made) crampons for drytooling, as a specific tool. Production drytooling models, however, usually have more teeth. Examples are the nine-tooth Petzl D-Linx 11-tooth Petzl Dart. (more on these cats below).

10 and 12 tooth crampons cover virtually any application.

14-tooth and 16-tooth crampons can be found in any field of application - pleasure, for classic mountaineering, for ice climbing. In my opinion, this is already more of a marketing ploy than a real need.

Cats are made mainly from either aluminum (less often) or steel alloys/materials (more often). Aluminum alloys are more commonly used for ski touring as well as racing/competition. They have low weight, which is their trump card. In racing, this is almost a one-time option, and in ski touring, their use is usually limited. Naturally, they are not intended for hard ice, and, to put it mildly, they do not like stones. In a significant minus they have a short service life.

Steel crampons are available in a relative variety of alloys, but for non-pros, and many pros too, alloy grades don't really matter. It should only be noted that crampons are mainly made by stamping, and only a part of ice climbing/mixed/drytool crampons have forged and interchangeable front teeth, which is very good. In classical mountaineering, there is no problem of increased wear of the front teeth, compared to the rest of the teeth.

According to the type of fasteners, cats can be soft (they are also rimless), semi-rigid (single-rimmed) and hard (double-rimmed). Soft is called fastening on belts for any boots, that is, universal crampons. Semi-rigid and rigid ones require a welt on the boots, the first ones only at the back, the second ones both in front and behind.

What is the difference?

Crampons with soft fastenings, despite all the efforts of tightening the belts, sit relatively freely on the boots. Semi-rigid and rigid cats sit very tightly, not having freedom. All boots for serious climbing and ice have a high stiffness and a ribbed sole. In such boots it is not comfortable to “press” the mileage due to their high rigidity and low depreciation for the paws, but it is possible to work effectively on technical sections. And vice versa, trekking boots for hiking have a much more democratic rigidity and do not have welts for the corresponding crampons, that is, if necessary, they are operated with soft ones.

Another issue is that the time and effort to put on soft cats is significantly higher than hard ones. And the lower the ambient temperature and the worse the weather, the longer and more significant this time, and the risk of frostbite is higher.

We always approach the purchase of cats specifically for our type of outdoor activity.

Let's move on to the analysis of cats in relation to their purpose.

Let's start with the simplest - with ice access.

The most simplified models are rubber tread with spikes.

Such things can, and sometimes need to be worn in the city. In hikes, such ice accesses are used when entering mountains along rivers, from which snow is blown away and most of the river is hard ice. A multi-kilometer path under a slight slope on smooth ice in such things is greatly facilitated. It is much more comfortable to walk in them on winter dirt roads.

The main advantage of such led accesses is cheapness and optional removal. In them you can get up on skis, snowshoes, put on soft crampons, walk on stones and the like. A good winter trip takes two pairs - either they break or the spikes are lost. Nevertheless, the convenience of movement is difficult to overestimate.

More sophisticated ledostups look like this:

This is the SnowLine Chainsen Pro. As you can see, they are a more familiar, so to speak, cat-like product. At the same time, they are more durable and stronger, but naturally and more expensive than their previous counterparts. They do not reach the efficiency of full-fledged cats, but still they have a very wide range of applications - the city, work in the forest and on frozen reservoirs, fishing and hunting, competitions and races, hiking along dirt roads and frozen rivers. Unlike simpler snowshoes, they are more difficult to put on and are not suitable for constant use in the mode "put on at the beginning of the hike right at the station - take it off at the end of the hike at the station."

Ledostupy are selected according to the size of the shoe, usually having 2-3 sizes.

Let's move on to the next category - walking cats for trekking. This is a wide range of universal models for almost any boots. In them, you can make simple ascents, including overcoming mild and short ice slopes. They are suitable for walking on glaciers, for working on most passes, as well as for approaches on frozen rivers. This is the most versatile and popular type of crampon for tourism, but it is rarely used in mountaineering and, moreover, is not suitable for ice climbing.

Let's see examples and features.

The photo shows 10 teeth CAMP Tour Nanotech with soft mounts. It is this model that differs from others in that it is made (according to the manufacturer) of stronger steel, which made it possible to make them lighter due to the reduced thickness of the elements. That is, these are lightweight crampons, but with full-fledged, unlike aluminum, functionality. However, we are just looking at them now as a visual example of soft cats.

As you can see, the crampons are fixed on the boots with straps.

This is what the front looks like.

Pay attention to the shape of the front teeth - it is typical for most cats in general with slight differences and is considered the most optimal for areas of snow of varying density. Ice slopes on such teeth can only be passed not extended and not vertical, while they are not intended for working with bottle ice at all - you can suffer, of course, but in short sections.

The back of the mounts looks like this:

That is, cats are literally put on shoes and pulled together with straps.

In this node, which is in the photo above, many manufacturers make adjustments, that is, the mount that fixes the back of the boot consists of two halves in its upper part, connected by a bolt with a nut and having adjustment holes. This adjustment allows you to more tightly fix the crampons on the boot. Also, such an adjustment is critical when using expeditionary winter shoes, where the outer dimensions of the bot are much larger than a trekking or mountaineering boot.

Now look at this photo:

It shows that the heel of the boot does not sit on the back of the crampons, not fitting in size.

Such a moment can and does occur in cats. any type and purpose. This suggests at least that it is highly desirable to select cats specifically for your shoes. Such a nuisance can be treated in two ways - by lightly trimming the sole tread, or by other cats, if the boots do not sit down significantly.

Let's look at the cat from below:

We see an adjustment plate with holes that allows you to adjust the entire structure to the size of the boot.

There are two nuances here.

The first one rarely pops up. On lightweight crampons, the front of the crampons is made in the most minimalistic size, and for large boots, the location of the teeth on it may not be optimal for the user. The manufacturer can produce lightweight models in two sizes (namely platforms), or even produce only a running size. When choosing, this should be borne in mind.

The second caveat is that for large bots, the length of the adjusting bar may not be enough. Most manufacturers sell an elongated bar separately and for a completely bourgeois price tag. This has nothing to do with a decrease in the weight of cats (the difference of 15-25 grams is insignificant), or with convenience, just with the expectation of profit. Accordingly, there are cats with an already standing long bar for all occasions and for the whole family, and there are those for which a large-legged user is forced to purchase a longer bar separately. Most of them are.

Both nuances once again emphasize that it is better to purchase crampons for a specific boot, simply by coming to the store with it. Otherwise, there may be an incident.

And, of course, fitting cats to your favorite bot should be done at home, not on the route.

Let's move on to crampons for classic mountaineering and difficult hikes.

This is a 14-tooth Black Diamond Sabretooth Clip with a semi-rigid mount, that is, for a boot with a rear welt.

In the back of the boat, a special device clings to the welt, which is usually called a "frog" by the people.

The front end is the same as on crampons for regular trekking.

It turns out that we insert the toe of the bot into the front mount, then we snap the “frog” on the back welt and fix all the joy with straps. "Frog" has an adjusting screw for different boots, but in rare cases its range may not be enough (do not forget - it is always necessary to measure).

Now about small features. As you can see, the front teeth are about the same as on the trekking crampons, but the bottom teeth are much more aggressive. Such aggressiveness is by no means typical for absolutely all cats in mountaineering, this is a feature of one or another model. A characteristic feature is the method of attachment to the bot.

Often the same model of cats can be produced both in a rigid and semi-rigid version, there are also models where you can change the fixtures at home on your own, that is, a kind of transformer where everything is immediately included in the kit - in the end we will consider such.

Let's look at the "sole".

The yellow plastic on the bottom is called the anti-slip. At relatively warm temperatures, it prevents snow from sticking to the metal cat.

Anti-podlips can be on any crampons, except for ice access and lightweight sports models. They are either bundled or purchased separately. The need for them usually arises in two cases - near-zero temperatures and entry along steep rivers with extended open ice. In other cases, I personally have never seen the need for them.

Now let's look at more technical crampons, suitable not only for mountaineering, but also for ice climbing.

This is the Black Diamond Cyborg Clip. They also have a single-sided design of mounts. Pay attention to the front teeth.

They are of a different shape than on the "classic" crampons and are designed to work on ice. At the same time, the teeth are forged and can be replaced, which is important for intensive use on steep ice and mixed ice (a mixture of ice and rocks on the route).

For drytooling, when crampons are used either on mixed or even on rocks, one tooth is removed, and the second is placed closer to the center of the toe.

There is an opinion that such teeth are not designed to work in the snow, but this is only partly true - they also hold very well on dense crust, and on loose or loose snow it is inconvenient to work in any crampons, and often avalanches.

Nevertheless, in mountaineering, in general, there are fewer ice routes than snow routes, so the choice of certain teeth is tied to a particular region and the routes that the climber walks. In tourism, if the route involves overcoming canyons with large steep waterfalls, at least one participant must have ice crampons, which will hang a rope for the rest.

This is a CAMP Vector nanotech with double sided (rigid) mounts. The front teeth are also interchangeable.

The attachment point for the front welt is arranged as follows:

There is a brace that clings to the front welt. A metal tongue is attached to it with a ring for a sling coming from the "frog" that holds the back welt.

Cats, in the place where the ends of the bracket go into them, have holes that are clearly visible in the photograph. Three holes on each side. These are also peculiar adjustment holes and the bracket can be moved along them for high-quality fixation of the boot.

In general, such a scheme allows you to put on crampons somewhat faster than with a semi-rigid scheme, although I don’t see much difference in the degree of fixation.

There is a slightly different scheme:

This is the CAMP XLC 390 Fast, an ultra-light aluminum alloy crampon. The weight of a pair is only 405 grams, which is significantly less than that of ordinary cats. The Black Diamond Cyborg Clip, an example of which I gave above, weighs exactly one kilogram.

Such cats are usually used in competitions and races, where they work only with snow.

As you can see in the photo, the front welt is held only by a bracket, it does not have a sling support. The time for putting on the crampons is kept to a minimum, and convenience is made absolute. From the "frog" behind, the instep of the foot is covered by a sling with an ordinary fastex carabiner.

Such a scheme is occasionally found not on lightweight, but on ordinary climbing crampons for welt mounts. In principle, when working on the front teeth, there is probably a chance that the clevis will snap out of the front welt, but most likely this is more a sign of incorrect adjustment or mismatch with the boot.

For ski touring and related disciplines (ski mountaineering, for example), crampons are more often produced either lightweight or relatively simple, but they have a mount for two welts. There is only a feature of fixing the rear welt.

Usually in a ski tour, a ski boat looks like this in the back.

That is, it already has a standard device for ski bindings at the back, under which manufacturers also make crampons.

As you can see, there are two pins on the back platform for the grooves in the boot.

All together it looks like this:

Here, too, we see that the front welt is fixed with only one bracket, and from the latch with pins at the back there is one sling that snaps onto the fastex.

These are specialized crampons, but they are usually made on the basis of ordinary trekking or climbing crampons. That is, the same model can be produced for different applications, differing in fasteners.

In this model of ski touring crampons, instead of an adjustment bar on the bottom to fit the size of the boot, not a plate, but a dynema line is used. On a hike (or immediately before it), if you lose such plates and need to use crampons, that is, there is either no time or nowhere to get new ones, you can do a similar thing on virtually any crampons.

We wrap the seats under the plate with adhesive tape, tighten the cord on the shoes several times, adjusting to the size, and wrap it again with adhesive tape on top. Oddly enough, but it all works very well. Technical work will not work, but for trekking everything will work without problems.

Consider the Cassin Blade Runner drytooling crampons.

These cats clearly show what a monotooth is - a protruding front tooth with a narrow profile, suitable for both ice and rocks. In the variant of "dry" (rock) climbing, the tooth serves as a support on small ledges. Cats are used in tandem with a special tool, such as ice. I suspect that this thing was born from AID, on the principle that AID is good, but slow, and free climbing on cold rocks and mixed is unrealistic.

The Cassin Blade Runner crampons themselves are not something very highly specialized, as they have the ability to install two teeth, and wide ones for snow (however, they are purchased separately), and the kit also has front mounts for a semi-rigid (single-edged) format.

"Bottom" cats look like this:

Here is such a small overview of the most important differences between some cats from others.

There are very specialized products, for example cats, in which there is no connection between the two halves with an adjusting plate or sling. In this case, there is one platform for approximately one bot size. Such crampons are designed to pass areas of high complexity.

There are also crampons that are attached directly to the boot with screws - such are used in competitions.

In addition to all of the above, cats can also differ from each other in small ergonomic solutions, within the framework of manufacturers' competition, but such differences should be considered already in relation to each model in the corresponding review. Perhaps in future articles I will do similar detailed analyzes of certain models of popular cats.

climbing cats- metal devices for movement on ice and firn, mounted on boots in various ways. Crampons are used in mountaineering, mountain tourism and ice climbing.

According to the fastening method

• Hard cats- suitable for special boots with one or two welts (a welt is a special protrusion along the edge of the boot that provides protection and the possibility of fixing hard crampons). Crampons with this binding are best controlled and sit firmly on the boot. Most often, such a mount is used to overcome vertical walls, ice climbing.
• Semi-rigid cats- with a soft bracket (loop) in front, and a “frog” fastening in the back. Suitable for boots with a back welt. The most versatile binding - fits a wide range of climbing shoes.
• Universal cats- with sling attachment (the so-called wicks) both front and rear. Can be worn with any shoe. Much harder and longer to put on than hard ones. Even if at first they were put on very well, after a while of walking a backlash appears in them. But in most cases this is not critical, since such cats are mainly intended for walking on glaciers and firn slopes.