Crampons binding system: how to change and adjust them

Have you bought new mountaineering crampons and don't know how to switch from semi-auto to auto and vice versa? We will explain everything!

Mickaël, an engineer at Simond and an high-altitude guide, and Marion Thomas, member of the French ice climbing team, came together to share their tips and tricks.

Image tips and tricks

Changing your crampons from automatic to semi-automatic

To change from automatic to semi-automatic crampons, you will need to remove the bar on the front of your crampons.
Take one of the crampons and put it on the floor. Press down with your foot on the front points and position your heel on the heel crampon. Fasten the strap and use it to thread it through the part that needs to be removed. You will then lift the metal part, with force but be careful not to twist it. And then just remove the metal part on the other side.
To swap to automatics, it is the same thing but in a different way!

Making the crampons all-purpose

Do you want to introduce your friends to mountaineering? The thing is, they don’t have shoes with welts and, of course, for their first time you will lend them crampons. Simond crampons now come with a removable attachment which allows them to be converted to a strap system. Just pull the clip and it's done!

Adjusting your crampons

Remember to do this before you reach the foot of the glacier, or the day before your race or the morning before you leave home.
If you have shoes with welts only at the back, take semi-auto crampons.
If your shoes have both front and back welts then the auto crampons are made for you.
If you don’t have welts on your shoes, take strap-on crampons.
Start by adjusting the brake bar to the correct length by positioning your shoe above it.
If you have semi-automatic crampons, you will be looking for the heel piece to rest on the shoe to hold it firmly. Then it should “click!” but it should not be too hard to make it click. Then tighten the strap well.
If you have automatics, the front thread of the crampon will rest on the overhang of the shoe and the heel holder at the back will push the shoe so that it pushes forward. Then finish by tightening the strap.
Finally, for strap-on crampons, you will need to adjust the tightness of the straps so that the crampon is fitted well to the shoe.

A little tip from the mickaël

To prevent the strap from sliding, I tie a little knot at the end of the heel holder. A simple flat knot which means that you don’t have to worry about the strap.

Always keep some strap length to make sure you have enough to adjust your shoes if you get bigger shoes or change your crampons settings!
If there is a significant amount of surplus thread then you can cut it with scissors and then light the end with a lighter to keep it clean.

Need advice on how to make your simond crampons last?

Find our advice, tips and recommended additional parts on our support form for your crampons!

If you have any other questions about the crampons, share your thoughts with us in the comments. If you want to know more about how to choose the right pair for you. We have advice for that!

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