Bottom Line: The Petzl Lynx is a workhorse crampon that will not hold you back from any technical winter or alpine climbing thanks to its modular build.
A quick comparison of boots. The Lynx is compatible with the Scarpa and La Sportiva pairs. Tam McTavish.
The Petzl Lynx was the first crampon that was made by Petzl to really incorporate a modular concept. It came with two different bail options and a carrying case as standard that fit B2 (no front bail) and B3 boots. On top of this, it allows for not one, not two, but five possible settings. This is due to three different front point mounts, each with a forward and backward position. Later, Petzl expanded this to their whole line of crampons.
In the Lynx, this means that you can have a stable dual-point ice crampon one day, then swap it out for a mixed climbing session the next. Or maybe you just want to experiment with mono points on ice and see if the more precarious balance is worth the superior penetration. Either way, the Lynx has you covered.
These days, thanks to my lapsed ice climbing, I mostly use them with the outside point farther forward. This means that when my feet swing a little crooked, the front points are flat, allowing for a more natural stance.
In addition to soft toe or hard toe, you can move the bail forward and backward. This aids with getting just the right fit, but it also means you can have the front points farther forward if you find you're smashing your toes too much.
In terms of performance, the Lynx are perfectly adequate. They do the job well, and you never really notice them. They are perhaps a little heavy compared to a mixed specific crampon, but crampons I find are pretty similar in performance. Like any vertical front point, they suffer on snow and they lack the stability of horizontal front points like the Black Diamond Sabertooth, which I’ve always found to be a better beginner's crampon. They penetrate far more and are a much better tool for the intermediate ice climber looking to try everything.
Their durability is superb. After 4 years of use, two of which were nearly every weekend, they held up great. The front points are sharp, being made of Chromoloy steel. They are easy to maintain and easy to replace.
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