Mountain Logic™ Guides Ice Axes and Crampons | Page 10

General Mountaineering Crampons On the standard routes of Rainier, McKinley, Aconcagua, and Everest steel or stainless steel crampons are best. Although aluminum crampons are appealing because of their lighter weight, they lack durability and do not handle rock and ice well. Select a crampon with 10-12 points for these types of climbs. These crampons will have a strap-on or hybrid (clip) binding system. Guide Tip Climbers with bigger feet, size 11 boots or larger, should go with 12-point crampons. The 12-point crampon has a longer toe-piece, allowing for more even distribution of contact points throughout the sole of the boot and providing more length in the front points. Bigger boots will require longer, extended bars, which are available for most crampons.