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cascadeclimber
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PostSun Feb 25, 2018 8:02 pm 
After 25 years I caved and bought some. They lasted for part of two Cable Line hikes and part of a Mailbox, failing on the way down today. They are (were) Yaktrax Summit Heavy Duty Traction Cleats. I have one person recommending Kahtoola MICROspikes. Requirements: Stay on and durable. Cost is not really a factor. I'm not the easiest person on gear- I don't generally get ultralight anything because it has an ultra-short lifespan in my possession. I'm actually thinking about getting a used pair of Grivel G10s with the New Classic binding and modifying them for trail use- cut off front points and shorten other eight; I know they hold up to my use.

If not now, when?
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Malachai Constant
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PostSun Feb 25, 2018 8:10 pm 
We have used the Katoola micro spikes for many years with few problems except that around freezing they ice up and can pull off boots. Yaktrak break if there are any sharp rocks they are good to get to mailbox on an icy day. Also have full on crampons both al and SS they work and stay on with antibiotics plates but the al ones dull on mixed climbs. The microspikes will go for cableline used them on Friday. If things get serious you want real crampons.

"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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texasbb
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PostSun Feb 25, 2018 8:46 pm 
I've been using the same pair of Kahtoolas for 9 years--no problems, almost no visible wear, never slipped off. I suspect people who have trouble keeping them on their shoes have bought them too large, but who knows. They do better on stiffer shoes or boots than really light/floppy trail runners, as the latter can get squished up front when coming down really steep stuff.

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Julia
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PostSun Feb 25, 2018 9:19 pm 
Fwiw, I've been wearing (hard) the same pair of Kahtoola Microspikes for about 7 or 8 years. They work great & fit snug--never have pulled off. I'd buy that same pair again and again, but hopefully won't have to. smile.gif *However*, I've seen the newer Microspikes fail repeatedly on other people. They seem to have a different rubber/stretchy material that isn't as tough & burly as my old ones. I read somewhere that Kahtoola was using a different source for the red, rubbery material now--but not sure if that is true. My partner recently picked up a pair of Hillsound "Trail Crampons" & is pretty happy with them. I've noticed that the sizing on the Hillsounds is pretty important, though ... a little too big or small and they're compromised as far as staying on & spike placement.

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read. ~Groucho Marx
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wildernessed
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PostSun Feb 25, 2018 10:44 pm 
up.gif Kahtoolas !

Living in the Anthropocene
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cascadeclimber
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PostMon Feb 26, 2018 11:49 am 
Jeff wrote:
Short answer: Snowline Chainsen Pro
Ordered. They are half the price of the Yaktrax that lasted for 5500 feet of ascent and 7000 feet of descent. Thank you!

If not now, when?
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Windstorm
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PostMon Feb 26, 2018 2:45 pm 
Jeff wrote:
Long answer:Kathoolas made in Korea a long time ago were great. A few years ago they switched to Thailand and quality dropped a lot. Many reports of people killing them in just a few trips. Snowline makes the exact same thing from what is *probably* the same factory in Korea. So that is why people say Kathoolas are great but if you buy a new pair they will fail. The Snowlines are great however.
Thanks for sharing. I figured someone had to still be making the good ones, but didn't know who. I was worried I'd have to get the lower quality replacements if anything happened to my current Kahtoolas.

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Julia
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PostMon Feb 26, 2018 6:56 pm 
Jeff wrote:
Short answer: Snowline Chainsen Pro
You rock!!!

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read. ~Groucho Marx
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SwitchbackFisher
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PostMon Feb 26, 2018 8:42 pm 
I also had a pair of yaktrax bought in 2016 break on me this year, and I have only used them ice fishing it's the Yaktrax Pro Traction Cleats so I'll need something more durable for hiking purposes I think.

I may not be the smartest, I may not be the strongest, but I don't want to be. I only want to be the best I can be.
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Navy salad
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PostWed Feb 28, 2018 1:50 pm 
cascadeclimber wrote:
They lasted for part of two Cable Line hikes and part of a Mailbox, failing on the way down today. They are (were) Yaktrax Summit Heavy Duty Traction Cleats.
I looked at these on Amazon and in some ways, they actually look sturdier than my old Kahtoolas. Just curious -- how did they fail?

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cascadeclimber
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PostWed Feb 28, 2018 11:06 pm 
Navy salad wrote:
how did they fail?
A key metal rivet ripped out of the two layers of soft rubber through which it was fastened. The one just to the left of "MADE" in the image below (assuming it shows up). They looked beefy to me, too, online. They didn't look so beefy when I took them out of the box. The aforementioned rivets are a weak point and I'm pretty sure the metal bottom plates that seem to be just glued to the blue rubber wouldn't have stayed that way. Too bad, because assuming it lasted, the fastening system was good- they never came close to coming off my feet until the failure.

If not now, when?
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xrp
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PostThu Mar 01, 2018 7:21 pm 
I bought 2 pair of Kahtoolas back in Dec 2016. My wife and I had never used them until early February this year. The rubber on hers split apart when she was trying to simply put them on her shoe. She wasn't aggressively stretching them at all and it was the right size for her shoe size per their sizing guide. That was disappointing. Mine worked fine. However, all Kahtoolas needed was a couple of pictures of the break point and they sent out a replacement set within a few business days. Initial disappointment fixed with great customer service.

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pcg
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PostSun Mar 04, 2018 3:03 pm 
cascadeclimber wrote:
I have one person recommending Kahtoola MICROspikes.
I've been very happy with Kahtoolas. They've lasted for years, but I probably don't put more than 40 mi/yr on them. I use them mainly for walking the roads around my house when they're icy.
cascadeclimber wrote:
I'm actually thinking about getting a used pair of Grivel G10s with the New Classic binding and modifying them for trail use- cut off front points and shorten other eight; I know they hold up to my use.
Interesting idea. I would look for an old pair of Salewa strap-ons, as you can probably get them cheaper then the Grivels ($10-$15 on eBay), to try this out on. I buy these to keep for visitors and occasionally give them away to newbies. With new straps they are a solid crampon.

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Just_Some_Hiker
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PostMon Mar 05, 2018 10:08 am 
cascadeclimber wrote:
I'm actually thinking about getting a used pair of Grivel G10s with the New Classic binding and modifying them for trail use- cut off front points and shorten other eight; I know they hold up to my use.
Have you checked out the Kahtoola K10 hiking crampons? I've had a pair of these for about 5 years and they're still in one piece.

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HitTheTrail
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PostMon Mar 05, 2018 6:28 pm 
I have had several pair of microspikes over the years and have generally had good experiences with them. A rubber snapped on one a few years ago and I sent them back to Kahtoola for a replacement. They sent the original pair back with one new rubber with the comment they had been used for too long for a complete replacement. Fair enough!
Just_Some_Hiker wrote:
Have you checked out the Kahtoola K10 hiking crampons? I've had a pair of these for about 5 years and they're still in one piece.
I also currently have a pair of the Kahtoola K10 crampons and like how they go on and stay on. To be honest I have only used them on a couple of wildernessed experiences (that's when I have been silly enough to go out with Wildernessed on spring/early summer trips and have had to cross frozen cornices). I like them.

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