Safety & Advisories
For the standard spring and autumn seasons, no — and most trekkers never touch microspikes either. Here is exactly when a spike earns its place, and…
By Laxman Rawal · Aug 4, 2026
The short answer For the standard spring and autumn trekking seasons, no — you do not need crampons , and most trekkers never once put on microspikes. In winter (December—February) or after a fresh dump of snow, a pair of lightweight microspikes is worth…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
The confusion starts with the words. Crampons are rigid metal frames with long (3—5cm) spikes that clamp to stiff mountaineering boots for climbing steep snow and ice — serious, semi-technical kit. Microspikes (the best-known brand is Kahtoola) are a…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
Three situations, and only three. First, the pre-dawn Kala Patthar climb (5,545m): you start in the dark on frozen ground, and a shaded, iced switchback is where a slip hurts. Second, early-morning starts anywhere above Dingboche in the cold months, before…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
Before you obsess over traction, get two other things right. Your boots do most of the work — a stiff, well-broken-in pair with a deep lugged sole grips frozen trail far better than trainers, and it matters on every single day, not just the icy ones. And your…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
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