?crampon/boot question/feedback

[Lucky Larry]

I was looking at some g12 classics at a shop and noticed that the front toe strap was fastened to the inside of the front toe posts and commented that this did not look correct-this was the only classic they had. It just doesn't seem like the boot should be bearing against the plastic strap instead of the steel post. Yvon Chouinard said a crampon should fit so tightly to the boot that it won't fall off; even before it is strapped on. Ido not understand why boots like the la Sportiva Trango are sold with a heel plate for a pneumatic binding when it is such a soft boot. I thought, perhaps mistakenly, that the recommended boot for all pneumatic binding has tobe a stiff soled boot. Also, I have Camp crampon w/classic binding and it seems to shift/slip some on the boot. It just seems like in the race to make crampons lighter, by eliminating some of the posts (they use to have 8 in the old days), they shift/slip more on the sole of the boot. The pneumatics dig into my heels. Feedback appreciated.

Edited July 26, 2010 by oldlarry

[Coldfinger]

Well that's why I prefer to buy boots with heel and toe welts for wire crampon bindings, also seems like a lot of the ultralight mountaineering boots have unnaturally narrow construction and not enough midsole to support full clip bindings in the name of saving weight. If you don't like heel pressure, try the Petzl sidelock binding, I've used a pair of Vasak's with that binding and they are probably the best snow and glacier setup I've ever owned. Going to sell them soon though as I am retuning the Dartwin forefoot as it sucks for alpine.