Anti-Balling Plates

On the last winter trip I really learned the value of anti-balling plates for crampons.

Because crampons are metal, snow sticks to them. If too much snow sticks to the bottom, you'll lose the effectiveness of your crampon spikes, fall and send yourself over some cliff.

Anti-balling plates are simple plastic covers for the bottoms of your crampons to prevent the snow from sticking (strips of duct tape work as well I've heard).

Not that I expect a whole lot of snow over the next two weekends for my "winter trips", but they're good to have just in case.

- b