Lightweight crampons

[gb]

I'm kind of surprised to see any love for steel. My Sabretooths have one day on them in the last 15 years- last year on the Ford/Stettner. For just about anything in CO, I'm bringing my Camp XLC 390s. I also use Petzl Leopards on more moderate routes, the dyneema works just fine but they have never felt quite as secure, perhaps because they're 10 points.

[Stratosfearsome]

I'm using these Petzl Irvis hybrids these days: https://www.petzl.com/US/en/Sport/Crampons/IRVIS-HYBRID
I've only used them 4 or 5 times, but so far they seem to be a good mix of lightweight with steel front points. Can fit to boots with / without toe welt. Haven't tested them ice climbing, though, just on snow couloirs.

[Jorts]

I feel there HAS to be a reason for that bar for general mountaineering/ice climbing.

I know right, but I’m not sure it’s necessary. You need something there but that something doesn’t need to be good in compression. Think about the forces exerted on a crampon when it’s loaded/weighted. It’s mostly tension between the toe and heel rather than compression - similar to a suspension bridge. So a cord or nylon band could handle that loading in tension. 3 very different crampon toe-heel attachment designs.

One shortcoming of nylon bands/cords I see might be the lack of torsional rigidity. I’ve only used the leopards with trail runners on 45deg snow. Maybe I’ll go climb a couloir in ski boots this spring with a leopard on one foot and a sabre on the other to compare.

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