KAHTOOLA MICROspikes Traction Systems

Comments about KAHTOOLA MICROspikes Winter Traction:

I want to start by saying I do think this is a good product and I am glad I made the purchase. The only issues I have are that the heal only has two spikes. Ascending I was loving life, but on the decent you land heal first and there was a lot less traction. These could absolutely be revamped to add more traction (more spikes) on the heal. Also a little pricey for something that probably cost $5 to produce.

Comments about KAHTOOLA MICROspikes Winter Traction:

Very stretchy rubber upper allows for one size to fit many sizes of shoes/boots. Very nice quality. Great traction. I found that when I use them, the pair of spikes under the heel are designed in such a way that they easily roll front to back making for an odd sensation as if there is a ball under your foot when you come down each time. Only noticeable on solid ice, not if surface is a little soft so the spikes can sink in. Other than that they are constructed well and provide great traction. Relatively light weight and easy packablity make them a perfect addition to a backpack when going out under ify conditions, when you might encounter snow/ice but not quite full blown winter yet when full crampons might be a better choice.

Comments about KAHTOOLA MICROspikes Winter Traction:

Started doing a lot of hiking this winter. Trail conditions always varied, from light fluffy snow to frozen packed, and spots of slick ice. I was slipping on the uphills, downhills, and sidehills (when you walk sideways across a hill?).
I started with YakTraks. They helped, but this is where they fell short: slippery or sticky snow, or light snow covering ice. I also had a few difficulties with them, while walking uphill they would slip up past my toe and be on the top side of my boot!
These MICROspikes are amazing. They hug the boot real well. They seem very durable,(my buddy has YakTraks and they are twisting up on him after one season). The grip they have is great. They will sink right through the light snow and grab whatever's underneath.
And the best part: they look tough.
So if you do winter hiking on mixed terrain with any amount of snow/ice/hills and don't want to slide; buy these.

Comments about KAHTOOLA MICROspikes Winter Traction:

Don't bother with other traction devices, these work better than anything else on the market and they even replace the need for crampons in many cases (nearly all cases in the White Mountains). All the hikers I know wear these in winter. They are just the best out there! I picked up a pair last year and I now keep my old traction devices in my car in case I get stuck in a ditch around town. I am really happy to see EMS carrying them. You will not regret this purchase.

Comments about KAHTOOLA MICROspikes Winter Traction:

I'm a size 10.5 Men's. Size Large is the correct size for me but the Microspikes tend to shift on my specific winter boots. That's because my boots have a more rounded front than most. I had to stop periodically during hikes to adjust. I tried a Medium but that was too small. So you could say I'm in-between sizes and my boots exacerbate the problem.

Comments about KAHTOOLA MICROspikes Winter Traction:

Overall a very good product. They are easy to put on and not very heavy. Snow did ball up on the spikes over time, but was easy to kick off. The front tended to shift around a bit but the Adirondack trail we were on was pretty rough. They were a more reasonable option than crampons, but have their limits on steep alpine ascents with more than a foot of snow. I wear a size 10 boot and bought size medium microspikes.

Comments about KAHTOOLA MICROspikes Winter Traction:

Micro spikes, allow you to switch from standard crampons and mountaineering boots, in early spring to lighter weight boots.

Comments about KAHTOOLA MICROspikes Winter Traction:

I do a daily hike on trails year round no matter what the surface conditions tend to be. The MICROspikes are what I have been looking for for years. No more concerns about slipping. Four of my co-hikers have ordered these after seeing mine.

Comments about KAHTOOLA MICROspikes Winter Traction:

This is my second pair of Microspikes. The first pair I made the mistake of wearing them to shovel and snowblow my driveway when the cement was icy. The spikes wore down quickly doing that. Now, I only use them on the trails and use my Stabilicers on my driveway, since it is much cheaper to replace the Stabilicer screws than buy a new pair of Microspikes. Lesson learned!
I love the Microspikes for trail use. They're much lighter than the Stabilicers and stay in place on my boots much better, though they will shift a little bit if one of the spikes catches a root while hiking but that can't be blamed on the product. For hiking icy trails or just when the gound is frozen, I'll never use anything else!

Comments about KAHTOOLA MICROspikes Winter Traction:

I used these from simply shoveling a steep and icy driveway to trail running with my dog in the snow and ice. Regardless of what I was stepping on whether it be rock, ice, pavement, roots, and/or snow I never lost traction. I even experimented by running and changing direction on a smooth frozen pond. Incredible! Great for everything...love 'em!!