H HillsoundHillsound Cypress6 | Six Point Instep Ice Cleat Traction System for Hiking and Glacier Trekking

I bought a pair of these a few years ago prior for a winter hiking trip. I was hoping to do some snow shoeing but it turned out there was not enough snow. However there was still some snow and a fair amount of ice in spots. These strapped on over my boots worked wonders to ensure I had confidence in my traction on the trail, especially when it came to elevation changes. Plus they are lightweight and come with a carrying bag so it's easy to take them on and off on the trail if you want/need to. Since the original trip I have used these a few more times for winter hiking and am very happy with the purchase.I recommend these to anyone looking to step up their winter hiking activities.

I used a 2 point strap-on boot arch cleat for the last 40 years to support me for hillside weed abatement and clearance. The Hillsound Cypress 6 Crampons supports me with an expanded grip and a more stable platform for hillside clearance activities. The 6 points of ground impingement, functional boot adjustment, and a well-designed accessible strap and buckle system greatly improve boot mobility and stability. The Hillsound Cypress 6 Crampon is very well made. Design is well thought out. This system improves movement and support for the individual to climb and descend steep California somewhat loamy terrain while handling brush clearance hand and power tools. I have around 27 hours of use and abuse on this set shown in the attached pictures. I expect to get years of use. The attached pictures show the Cypress installed on my 10 1/2 W Timberland pro work boots. I have one comment for improvement. Once adjusted for fit to save time I leave the crampons attached to the boots. The ankle strap needs to be two inches longer. This additional length allows expansion of the boot opening making easier ingress and egress of the foot. Have a happy clearance and may your hillside always pass inspection.

I wear these when I mow the lawn to penetrate the top soil and break up the thatch, and they do a great job of it. I guess the spikes could be a bit longer and do an even better job of it, but then I'd be wearing true crampons and would lose some mobility.I wear them with boots that have a reinforced safety sole, and as far as I can tell, the Hillsound Cypress spikes do not impede my normal step or the motion of my foot. The ratcheting straps make them easy to slip onto my boots and they do a good job of holding the tension. The ratchets also make them simple to remove, and best of all, they are compact - small - and easy to store.I've walked on gravel and stepped on shallow rocks and they're holding-up just fine.If you live where it's wet and the soils are compacted, these are great to break up the top layer and let the lawn breathe. If you wear them when you're mowing the lawn or just puttering around in the yard, they're a great for multitasking.And you can use them on ice.

I bought the Cypress 6 crampons primarily for level ice crossing in the mountains, and traction on downhill descent in icy trails. I didn't need the toe-in spikes of full crampons. Spikes with elastic straps were not secure enough for the conditions and what sold me on these is the 2 ratchet-style straps on each one with a quick release. Teeth are 1/2" steel and are wearing well. Bottoms are rigid and do not accumulate snow. They come with a wrench to adjust the width to fit your sole on your footwear. They come with a puncture-resistant bag, but I mostly hang them on the outside of my pack with big plastic S-biners. Pretty good buy for the price

Micro spikes don't provide enough grip, especially on slushy snow, or on an incline. Full 10 or 12 point crampons are only useful for technical routes going straight up a steep climb, where the front fangs provide bite. For 90% of winter hiking, this is the perfect traction. There's no far back heel spikes, nor toe fangs to make walking on the occassional dirt patches difficult, but plenty of deep spikes were you need them, a 6" span from the front of the heel, to the ball of your foot. Perfect spike placement if you ask me.If I were to redesign for improvement, I don't know, maybe make them out of titanium - but then they would cost $300. Maybe stainless steel, but then they would cost $200. No, for $50 this is an ideal product. There is no competitive model that compares in function.