In the 1990s, if you were adventuring in alpine zones, you had heavy mountaineering boots with stiff crampons to help you navigate snow and ice, but there was nothing for those who wanted to move fast and light. That’s why 30 years ago, climber Danny Giovale found himself plummeting down an icy gully in the Dolomites with his life flashing before his eyes.
By some miracle, the American climber survived the fall, and when he returned to the US, he looked at the research and found that slips on snow is the second most common cause of accidents and death among climbers.
Giovale decided to put his experience to good use and got to work devising a lighter and more flexible traction device that could easily be stashed in your backpack and pulled out when needed for use with approach shoes and regular hiking boots.
“I realized the importance of being given a second chance and making a positive impact,” says Giovale.
“This understanding led to the creation of our company, with a dual purpose: to innovate outdoor gear and be a force for good.”
After years of iterations, the Kahtoola KTS crampon was released in 2002. The following year, Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa set the Everest speed record wearing a pair, and these days, few of us would consider heading out into the mountains without a pair of Kahtoola devices or similar tool in case we encounter snow and ice.
The story of Giovale’s journey from near-death to trailblazing innovation is told in a fascinating new documentary titled Designed by Disaster, which you can watch below.
The 20-minute film also sees Giovale and his climbing partner Timmy O’Neill finally return to successfully climb the Grafter Route with their Kahtoola crampons.
These days, the Arizona company still makes the KTS crampons as a lighter weight alternative to traditional crampons, but has probably become better known for its slip-on Microspikes, which can work with any hiking footwear for winter trails, as well as even lighter Exospikes and Nanospikes which can be used for winter trail running.
Check out our article on winter traction devices, to learn more about these essential hiking tools, and remember that in any season, up high it can always be winter.
