The Breakdown
The Mr. Chomps bindings were used in a array of conditions from early morning frozen corn snow to wind firm ridges. They took 4 months of being walked on, being smashed in my backpack and used as a platform for my stove. This is a breakdown of how they preformed and if they are worth your hard earned dollars.
Initial Impression
Damn these things are bright! Arriving at my doorstep I noticed the bright blue color scheme as I took them out of the padded box in which they arrived in. They seem simple yet sturdy with thick metal teeth and a single riser mounted at the front. A quick drag of my finger along the teeth provides the conformation of my thoughts “These babies are sharp” but would they grip in the firmest of conditions?.
In the field
Early morning approaches in corn season mean undesired firm surfaces that will not only test your edge holding ability, they will also test your patients. My first true interaction with the Mr. Chomps came when I was out doing a Traverse of a remote Range in the Cascades called the Chiwaukums. With a 2 A.M. start time I found myself skinning on less then ideal conditions with my good friend Scott McAlister. Once arriving on a steep firm slope we found that we could no longer efficiently skin and that we would have to resort to other measures to keep heading for our destination.
With a quick heel rise I was able to slip the Mr. Chomps under my feet which I found to be both fast and convenient. Before long I was climbing an almost vertical skin track with no hesitation and unwarranted kick stepping, this was of course while Scott boot-packed up to his knees in rotten snow. It literally took two minutes to make a believer in me and later on I would joke that “this product was like a insurance policy” and would grip in the firmest of conditions.
Well, is it worth it?
Without a doubt in my mind this small piece of gear has saved me from countless sketchy situations. While somewhat bulky and heavy I was more then willing to take them with me when my backpack was filled to the brim with gear and I was trying to get rid of excess weight. They are easy to insert under your Spark bindings and even easier to adjust when you need extra heel rise for steep climbs. When it comes to step traverses, firm snow and exposed skin tracks the Mr. Chomps are simply indispensable and well worth the price.
Who: Spark R & D.
What: Mr Chomp Splitboard crampons.
When: Anytime you are dealing with firm or Icy snow.
Where:In steep, exposed or simply slippery conditions
Why: To save both stress and energy so you can go the distance
MSRP: 100.00
