Shoe/Crampon Integration

The snow and ice are receding in my area, but I still have the occasional need for crampons in the high country. You may have seen the video where the Salomon/Petzyl folks talk about the shoe system they created for Kilian on Everest. They designed a running shoe that could slip right into a bootie with a modified crampon that simply zips up with no configuration or straps. Optional insulation was also created for warmth. 

It is such a shame that there is not enough demand to drive innovative products like this to production. I love that Salomon put in the effort to make a prototype that works for their athletes, but it saddens me that I will never be able to purchase such game-changing equipment. I have tried a lot of the options out there: micro-spikes, putting screws in the bottom of shoes, yaktrax, grivel's, and I just ordered the Kahtoola KTS' which I look forward to trying out this weekend.

When I try to brainstorm the perfect shoe that could transition between running and mountaineering, I think there is a lot of room for innovation. I wish I had a design workshop to tinker with building a crampon system into a shoe that could swivel down and lock into place. Maybe even a separate spiked piece that could lock into the shoe, almost like a ski-boot binding. I also envision some kind of carbon fiber extender that could be used as a snowshoe type of stabilizer for deep snow. Ok, maybe I am asking too much of a running shoe now... :)

What have you found works best on your feet when trying to transition from the approach run to the summit climb, and then back? I'd love to hear what works for you!