C.A.M.P. USA Universal XLC 490 Crampons???

[DanO]

 

Hello all.

 

I have some REI dividends to use up and a 20% coupon. I am

thinking about getting these lightweight crampons for the GF.

 

http://www.rei.com/product/751754

 

I have these Stubai crampons and like them very much.

 

http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/accessdetail.cfm/STU100

 

I would rather get another pair of Stubai's, but REI does not carry them.

 

The question is how are the Camp crampons? Good as the Stubai's?

Any opinions after usage? We have steel crampons for winter

usage, just want something for summer alpine.

 

Thanks

Dan

[robertjoy]

I would recommend the BD Contact Strap crampon from REI at the same price. The weight is higher (by 280g/) but they are steel, rather than aluminum. Steel crampons maintain their sharpness under 'normal abuse'. Also, the BD's teeth are standard length, and the CAMP's seem short. To me it makes no sense to sacrifice 'normal' functionality to save less than 10oz.

Ray Jardine, ultralight hiker, may use aluminum crampons for crossing the occasional snow field on long trips, but they seem ill suited for technical use.

605g vs 885g

[tomtom]

A quick Google search suggests that you should be able to buy another pair of Stubai crampons for less than the REI deal:

 

http://store.everestgear.com/stuluncr.html

[layton]

Why not get the lightest ones out there. CAMP makes a pair lighter than those and I'm sure it's way cheaper too. CAMP rocks. Grivel makes the a pair just as light as CAMP but costs a bit more.

I've used aluminum poons in some pretty bullet ice with tennis shoes. It sucks ass but it works. Way better than duct-taping my switchblades onto my approach shoes befor the aluminum ones existed.

[layton]

ok what I said didn't make any sense regarding CAMP. You must be looking at a heavier model than their lightest.

[Drederek]

love em for walking on ice, hard snow. easy on and off. you have to have a fairly narrow bootheel for them to fit. Am pretty sure I got mine on sale a few years back for 80 bucks tho.

[OlympicMtnBoy]

Do some searching here on aluminum crampons and find many reviews of both. I have a pair of the CAMP ones and actually use them more often than my other two pairs of steel crampons (anything where I won't be on steep ice). They are awesome for summer routes, approaching alpine rock routes, and on volcano slogs. They don't frontpoint well of course and won't penetrate hard ice (but walk on top fine). When I was looking I thought the frontpoints were a tad more aggressive on the CAMP than the stubai, but I'm sure both work fine.

[genepires]

I have used the grivel ultra light thing and it has worked very well for volcano sloggin and such. Been too scared to try to front point.