Black Diamond Crampons

[Principal]

Could someone tell me the difference in performance between the BD Serac and Sabertooth crampons? And secondly doe any of you have experience with BD aluminum crampons in climbing 50 to 55 degree slopes/ice. Do the aluminum crampons perform well on this type of climb or would your recommend the stainless steel?

 

thank you for any information you can share.

[Alex]

Aluminum crampons on 55 degree snow slopes and glacier travel, ok. I've never seen a 55 degree glacier.

 

But define "ice". I've rarely if ever seen real 55 degree ice; the only place was N Face Athabasca in the Canadian Rockies, and AL crampons on that would have been absolutely worthless. Sabretooths for real ice all the way.

 

If you're trying to figure if AL campons will work for Rainier, they will. However on very rare occaisions the upper portion of Liberty Ridge can actually form serious and very hard water ice. In those conditions I would hesitate to climb.

 

 

[Chad_A]

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Edited April 5, 2011 by Chad_A

[Dane]

There is no marked difference in the performance of the Serac and the Sabertooth on steep ice or water ice.

 

Aluminum has been covered by Alex. They work fine in snow....they don't work on ice of any sort. When in doubt go steel.

 

More on the Serac/Sabertooth here.

 

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2010/11/black-diamond-serac-crampon.html

[genepires]

I get queezy walking on rocks with my aluminum crampons. Can't imagine bashing them into hard ice. Would probably bend over the front points.

 

No experience or rumors of bending points on aluminum crampons though.

[DPS]

I have a pair of Grivel Air Tech aluminum crampons. They work well for snow and neve, but on bullet hard black ice they are less than confindence inspiring and the down facing points are too short to penetrate a thin layer of snow over ice.

 

They rock climb better than any other crampon I have had. This is due to the shorter points and the soft metal. They 'bite' the rock almost like rubber. They won't last long doing that though.

 

I veiw them as specialty crampons for alpine rock climbing and ski mountaineering. Alpine climbing//mountaineering I go with a pair of steel spikes.

[Principal]

Thanks for the information. Regarding ice, I'm talking about neve such as on Liberty Ridge.

 

 

[Dane]

For 99% of Liberty, early season, aluminum might well get you up it. Except when they won't. Every time I've done Liberty it is the top 500' that have been the technical crux. And it was real ice. I want steel there. Although the option of BD Neve heels on steel fronts would be fine as well if you were cautious.

Not a big weight savings though for the loss in performance.

 

My thought would be, if you are asking, I'd suggest steel.