 Climbing Magazine
The 1 lb, 7 oz KTS Steel mated to every approach shoe we tried, and got us up to the ridges and peaks with confident, sure-footed traction.
2006 - STEEL YOURSELF
Light, compact, and durable, the KAHTOOLA KTS STEEL packed a pointy punch on late-season glacier crossings, and low-angle gully approaches. The 1 lb, 7 oz KTS Steel mated to every approach shoe we tried, and got us up to the ridges and peaks with confident, sure-footed traction.
—John Connor (product photos by Cody Blair)
A solution to the light-and-fast “crampons, no crampons” dilemma — the Kahtoola Traction System
 November 2003 - KAHTOOLA TRACTION SYSTEM CRAMPONS
Saving weight by leaving the crampons at home can be a sketchy endeavor. I never feel more insecure than when I’m teetering up a steep snowfield in a pair of running shoes, sans crampons, on the approach to an alpine rock route. With the Kahtoola® Traction System aluminum crampons ([$139], 19 ounces per pair), however, there’s no reason to take an unsteady (and unsafe) approach to the slippery slopes. When I first strapped a pair of the 10-point Kahtoolas onto my sticky-rubber approach shoes, I delicately tap-danced around, leery of the lightweight shoe/crampon stability. But after dialing in the highly adjustable, secure fastening system (a nylon-buckle ankle strap and a quick-cinching forefoot/instep strap), I quickly realized the three-quarter-inch spikes and flexible connecting bar didn’t compromise my ankle stability. I became unstoppable on moderately steep snow and névé, frozen logs, and iced-up streambeds. When I wasn’t wearing the Kahtoolas, I barely noticed their skimpy weight in my pack and they folded up into a very compact package, taking up about the same amount of room as a water bottle. Similar to other aluminum crampons, the Kahtoolas did show wear after aggressive use on rock. During normal use, however, scrambling over the occasional boulder or crossing an exposed rock slab, they held up admirably and should offer years of service and peace of mind.
(insert: A solution to the light-and-fast "crampons, no crampons" dilemma - the Kahtoola Traction System.)
—Dave Sheldon
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