I went with Wild Edge Stepps for public land, and my climbing spurs on private. Spurs are definitely something that, if you're new to them, takes practice in order to gain confidence. The Stepps seem to give some people trouble at first, but get easier with practice. I got lucky, and they just "clicked" for me. I definitely prefer spurs, when I can use them. They're much lighter, and I'm pretty fast with them. Again, if you try spurs, don't climb two or three times and say "Screw these things." Give them a chance, and invest some practice time. You'll be glad you did.