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Brushwork
Food truck



Joined: 18 Aug 2018
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Location: Washington
Brushwork
Food truck
PostSun Feb 24, 2019 4:29 pm 
Does anyone have a solution for microspikes balling up with snow? It's been a frequent and annoying thing for me this year. I did try a little wd40 but that didn't work. Seems that in freezing temps, the snow freezes to the metal. Thanks.

When I grow up I wanna play.
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Riverside Laker
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PostSun Feb 24, 2019 7:23 pm 
Take them off until it gets icy.

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Malachai Constant
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Malachai Constant
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PostSun Feb 24, 2019 10:16 pm 
Yeah, They ball up if liquid water gets on them when it is below freezing just like regular crampons. They are not needed in slush anyway.

"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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Brushwork
Food truck



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Location: Washington
Brushwork
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PostMon Feb 25, 2019 10:45 am 
I have 64 yo knees. Spikes give me some security from falling.

When I grow up I wanna play.
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Riverside Laker
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PostMon Feb 25, 2019 2:22 pm 
I get the security feeling with knees about the same age. My experience is mostly with crampons. When they ball up, it can be worse than no crampons. That usually indicates the snow would grip ok with lug soled boots. Perhaps a solution is a set of instep crampons, that are about an inch deep. I used those a few times this year and they grip well -- IF you make sure to step in the middle of your foot. Not sure if they are still sold though. Or maybe some other sort of deeper traction device. Modern crampons have anti-balling plates that are pretty effective.

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Brushwork
Food truck



Joined: 18 Aug 2018
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Location: Washington
Brushwork
Food truck
PostTue Feb 26, 2019 7:30 pm 
I actually tried rubbing some candle wax in the angles of the spikes. Amazingly it worked ! Wore them on West rattlesnake, lower part being packed like a toboggan run. Didn't need them so much higher, but still gave me more traction than not. Was like winter up there. Snow blasted trees, several feet of snow in the recently logged area. At that point only snowshoe tracks which I appreciated. Sorry... this became a trip report.

When I grow up I wanna play.
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moonspots
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Joined: 03 Feb 2007
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moonspots
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PostWed Feb 27, 2019 8:30 am 
Brushwork wrote:
Sorry... this became a trip report.
That's fine with me, this: ( actually tried rubbing some candle wax in the angles of the spikes. Amazingly it worked !) is something I didn't know, and probably would not have thought of. Thanks!

"Out, OUT you demons of Stupidity"! - St Dogbert, patron Saint of Technology
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