Review: Petzl Irvis Hybrid

Locked and loaded. That’s exactly what I felt when I strapped on a set of Petzl’s Irvis Hybrid. These crampons are designed for ski mountaineering or approaches involving a lot of snow. With 10 razor-sharp points, the Irvis Hybrid combines a front steel plate and an aluminum rear plate via nylon cord. Adjusting the length of the crampon consists of nothing more than sliding the cord around one of the 12 hooks on the aluminum rear plate and synching it tight. With six hooks on either side, the crampon can mold to almost all boot sizes, and the process is streamlined.

As mentioned, the front plate is steel, and this is where the Irvis Hybrid’s durability really shines. It’s not recommended to use these crampons on outings that involve a lot of rock or mixed terrain as the aluminum back plate will surely wear down quicker. But all things considered, that’s not a bad price to pay for bringing an ultralight crampon (1.2 lbs.) into the mountains and still having it be reliable.

The Irvis Hybrid comes with multiple mounting options including a lever-lock wire to attach to the front of ski boots—or boots with a shelf on the toe—as well as a softer flex mount for boots that don’t have a toe weld. They are interchangeable between ski boots, mountaineering boots, and even approach shoes, as well as have the ability to mix ‘n’ match parts between different Petzl crampon models, such as the Vasak. Available online; $190.