Masterclass

Crampons provide exceptional grip in snow and ice, but when should you put them on and what’s the best way to use them? Mountaineering instructor Rob Johnson walks us through it...

The art of wearing crampons

■ When walking becomes difficult.

If your boots are starting to slip then you will benefit from wearing crampons. It’s as simple as that. We humans are inherently lazy, so there is a tendency to leave putting them on as late as possible. This is fine, until the consequences of a slip become serious.

■ On or near steep ground. Once you’re anywhere near steep ground then a bit of anticipation is a good idea. If you have good traction but the consequence of a slip is high, then consider putting them on as a preventative tool.

■ When going downhill. It’s common to stroll uphill with no problem at all and then find that going down is much more difficult – partly due to gravity and partly because the snow becomes more compacted as the day goes on and so gets more slippery than it was in ascent. I normally wear my crampons for a greater part of the descent than the ascent for this reason.