Grivel G10 Review
The G10 is the crampon you buy when your feet need to stay attached to a glacier, not climb ice. Ten hot-forged steel points, a flat and forgiving platform, and none of the aggressive geometry that makes technical crampons snag on rock and trousers. It is one of the cheapest crampons from a serious manufacturer, and one of the hardest to wear out.
Buy it for glacier trekking, spring snow slopes, easy alpine peaks and Nordic winter walking on hard ground. Do not buy it if you expect to stand on your front points on a 55° ice step — that is the G12's job, and the difference is explained further down.
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Points | 10 (2 forward-angled front points, 8 downward) |
| Material | Hot-forged carbon steel |
| Weight | ~800 g per pair, ±40 g depending on binding version |
| Binding versions | New-Classic (C1 strap-on), New-Matic (C2 semi-auto), Cramp-O-Matic (C3 auto) |
| Boot rating | B1–B3 depending on version |
| Anti-balling | Antibott plates included, front and rear |
| Adjustment | Tool-free linking bar; long bar available for large sizes |
On the ground: what 10 points actually do
A 10-point crampon puts eight points straight down under your boot and two angled forward at the toe. Walking flat-footed on firm snow, névé or bare glacier ice, that layout is all you need — the downward points carry your weight, the front pair contributes on the slight uphill lean. The G10 feels planted in a way lighter aluminum crampons do not, because forged steel points are stiff enough to bite hard ice instead of skating across it.
What you give up is the pair of secondary points that a 12-point crampon carries just behind the front points. Those secondaries are what support your boot when you kick into steep snow or ice and stand on the front of the foot. Without them, front-pointing on the G10 is unstable above about 45–50°: your heel drops, the front points lever, and the boot wants to shear out of the step. The G10 is honest about this. It is a walking crampon.
The upside of that conservatism is comfort. On long glacier approaches the flat point layout rolls through each stride without catching, and there is nothing protruding forward to hook a gaiter. Point-count geometry in general is covered in crampon points explained.
Bindings: which G10 to order
Grivel's naming is consistent across the whole range and worth memorising. New-Classic is the strap-on (C1) version: a plastic toe cradle and heel cradle joined by webbing, fitting any stiff-soled boot with or without welts. New-Matic is semi-automatic (C2): a plastic toe basket at the front, a steel heel lever at the back, which requires a heel welt. Cramp-O-Matic is fully automatic (C3): wire toe bail plus heel lever, requiring both a toe and a heel welt.
For the G10's intended use, New-Classic is the version most buyers want, because the boots people wear on glaciers and winter treks are often B1 hikers with no welt at all. If your boots have a heel welt, New-Matic is faster to put on with gloves and stays tighter over a long day. If you own B3 boots you are probably shopping above this crampon anyway. Full breakdown in binding types explained.
One fit warning that applies to all strap-on crampons: a boot that flexes visibly when you press the toe against a step is too soft. The frame will work against the sole, the straps will loosen, and the crampon will eventually roll off the boot. Stiff sole first, crampon second.
Durability and anti-balling
Hot forging is the whole argument for Grivel. Instead of being stamped from sheet steel, the points are pressed into shape while hot, which aligns the grain and leaves the tip dense. In practice, G10 points blunt slowly, and when they do blunt they respond well to a hand file rather than needing replacement. Frames survive years of rental-fleet abuse; the parts that fail first are consumables, namely straps, Antibott plates and the odd bent linking bar, all of which Grivel sells separately.
The Antibott plates are the spring-loaded plastic panels under the frame that flex with each step to pop packed snow off. They matter more than most beginners expect. In wet spring snow a crampon without plates builds a smooth ball of snow under the boot within a few dozen steps, at which point you are effectively wearing platform shoes on a slope. Keep the plates fitted and replace them when they crack.
Corrosion is the one place the G10 asks something of you. Carbon steel rusts; stainless models do not. Dry the crampons before storage and surface rust never becomes structural. The routine is in crampon care and maintenance.
Pros
- Hot-forged points hold an edge and file back easily
- Among the cheapest crampons from a reputable brand
- Available in all three binding systems, including true strap-on
- Comfortable, snag-free layout for long walking days
- Antibott plates included, spares widely available
Cons
- No secondary points, so front-pointing is limited
- Carbon steel needs drying to avoid rust
- Heavier than aluminum or hybrid crampons for ski use
- Plain finish and basic straps compared with Petzl
Who should buy the G10
Glacier trekkers, hut-to-hut alpine walkers, winter hillwalkers on hard-frozen ground, and anyone taking a first mountaineering course whose syllabus is snow slopes rather than ice. It is also a sensible second pair for guides and clubs who need durable loaners. It earns its place among our best budget crampons for exactly these reasons.
Who should not buy it
If there is any chance your season includes a steep ice step, a couloir, or a route where you will front-point for more than a few moves, buy the G12 instead. The price gap is small and the capability gap is not. The decision is laid out in detail in G10 vs G12.
If your winter is icy trails in flexible hiking boots or trail runners, you do not want a crampon at all. Rigid steel points on a soft shoe are worse than useless; microspikes are the correct tool for packed snow and trail ice. And if your objective is ski touring, the weight of steel will keep the G10 in the car — look at the aluminum and hybrid end of the Grivel lineup instead.
Crampons do not make steep snow safe. On any slope where a slip would run, carry an ice axe you can actually self-arrest with, and get instruction before you need it. Traction is one part of a system that also includes judgment about slope angle, snow condition and consequence.
Verdict
The G10 does one job — keeping a walker upright on hard snow and ice — and does it for a long time at a low price. Its limits are structural rather than a matter of quality, and they are easy to predict: no secondary points, so no sustained front-pointing. Within that boundary it is close to unbeatable value, and it is the crampon we recommend most often to people whose mountains are glaciers rather than waterfalls.
FAQ
Is the G10 enough for Mont Blanc or Kilimanjaro-style glacier routes?
For standard glacier walking routes with no sustained steep ice, yes — the G10 is a common choice on guided ascents. If the route includes an icy headwall where you will front-point, or if conditions turn to hard ice late in the season, a 12-point crampon gives you more margin.
Will the G10 fit my hiking boots?
The New-Classic version fits most B1-rated stiff hiking boots. Press hard on the toe: if the sole bends easily, no crampon should go on it. Check your boot rating against the crampon rating before buying.
Does it come with anti-balling plates?
Yes, current G10s ship with Antibott plates front and rear. Leave them on. Balled snow under a crampon causes far more slips than dull points do.
G10 New-Matic or New-Classic?
New-Matic if your boots have a heel welt — it is faster with gloves and holds adjustment better. New-Classic if they do not, or if you want one crampon that fits several pairs of boots in the household.