The Bottom Line: The leading champ in lightweight crampons for snow travel that are so light and packable, it takes the maybe out of bringing crampons on bootlick days. Equally ideal for ultralight mountaineers and alpine runners.
The Leopards strapped to a pair of Blundstones. Tam McTavish.
The Petzl Flexlock crampons are somewhat revolutionary in the crowded market of aluminum crampons. While Dyneema link bars have been done before, the simple cord system that Petzl uses creates a system that's easier to adjust. On top of this, Petzl’s universal bails mean heaps of versatility.
The crampon is aluminium, so it’s not going to handle rocks terribly well. Microspikes are still your best bet if you’re in icy hike conditions like you find in the Rockies or on well-traveled, hard-packed trails. But if you find yourself at the base of a couloir or on steeper sections where you’re going to need a front point, these are ideal. In snow, the slight cup system works great for stability, and they definitely inspire confidence. Traction is excellent, but nothing above the norm there.
The crampons in their flex lock configuration fit nearly any shoes. They don’t ride high, and you can move the bails asymmetrically to improve fit if need be. All you do is step in and tighten the straps, which works quite well. You may want to cut the strap down a bit if you have smaller feet. If you are moving aggressively, as while running, you will still want to adjust them now and again as they come a little loose.
Another great addition is the compatibility with other Petzl parts, allowing you to swap in lever lock bails for use on ski and mountaineering boots. The newer Irvis crampon can also be swapped into the front part if required. Petz' even sells the front point alone. The Irvis is a steel alloy, so it handles rock and ice much better for those more challenging adventures.
The durability is about the same as any aluminium crampon, and the Dyneema cords hold up well, showing no sign of abrasion after 10 (mostly snow) uses. Within the scope they are designed for, they are great. On rock, you will likely have problems.
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