Ski crampons & whippet-pole... absolutely needed?

BTW - the fixed Sk'Alp crampon can be bought from Telemark-Pyrenees. The problem is it only fits waists up to ~72mm. It could probably be stretched to fit on an 80mm waist but probably not more.<br><br> www.telemark-pyrenees.com/shop/product_i..._186&products_id=623

I've been planning to modify my Dynafit crampons so they give me more bite the higher my heel riser is. I'm

I use ski crampons on my Piste Stinx for ice, windslab, and crust. I use a different technique when traversing with ski crampons. I roll my ankles AWAY from the uphill slope instead of into the uphill slope. This causes both blades of the ski crampon to dig into the slope.<br><br>Using ski crampons rather than boot crampons compromises my ability to self-arrest. I get much better friction by facing into the slope and dragging my elbows and knees. With skis on, I can drag my elbows but not my knees.

I have crampons for my Dynafit bindings. I used them today and was glad to have them. One of the nice things about the Dynafit crampons is that they are so light it's hardly a burden to carry them, even if you don't use them.<br><br>I skied in the Cascade backcountry for several years before getting ski crampons. Most of my trips at that time were in late spring. At that time of year, as several people have said, if it's frozen enough to need ski crampons, you can probably walk on foot (with boot crampons).<br><br>What caused me to buy ski crampons was a late winter climbing trip in which we encountered horrible breakable crust. On foot, you'd post-hole right through it. But on skis, it was so slippery that you'd skid right off. Since then (about 18 years ago) I've done more mid-winter ski mountaineering trips and I've found ski crampons quite handy for that season. They're really good for dealing with weak crusts.<br><br>In the Alps, ski crampons seem to be universally accepted. A few years ago, my wife and I skied the Monte Rosa in Switzerland in May. The snow was rock-hard on our pre-dawn start, and you could certainly have walked on foot. But all the guided parties climbed with skis and ski crampons, and they all did really well with them.

I guess I'm not as prolific at predicting what conditions may be 6 hrs. and 4000 ft. vert.later as some of you ,and have regretted not having the correct tools for the job at hand. I always take self arrest grips and crampons as standard Alpin Tour equiptment. X

thanks for the feedback, all. <br><br><br>so I'm pretty much set on getting some type of ski crampons, eventually. sounds like a good thing to have,certain time of year at least. <br><br>strongly considering the whippet pole, too... as far as I can tell tho, only two people in this thread even mentioned it... anyone else care to weigh in? is it a worthy investment?? <br><br>I've heard some say that, if you don't have one, you can take off your ski-pole baskets when traversing icy slopes... that the pole tips can make pretty good self-arrest tools on certain types of snow conditions at least.<br><br>

I've heard some say that, if you don't have [a Whippet], you can take off your ski-pole baskets when traversing icy slopes... that the pole tips can make pretty good self-arrest tools on certain types of snow conditions at least.

<br><br>Sounds like a good way to break a pole. Seriously, though.<br><br>Whippets are nice. Probably nobody mentioned them because they're uncontroversial. They're quite handy for the sort of trips you're thinking of.<br>