Clip on ice spike/crampon things

We have Petzel Spiky Plus  things.

They seem to work quite well.

Yaktrax are great as an urban tool and on snowy/icy/slushy pavements in that they don’t become unusable if you get a patch of dry surface and they’re not so aggressive you have to take them off to go into a shop.

I’ve also got a pair of Kahtoola micro spikes which are much better for actual “walking” in the woods and on the moors, but are proper spikey, so not very nice on cleared surfaces and being proper spiky will knacker up floors. Good in thick mud too.

both ball up with the wrong snow so you feel like you’re walking on stilts.

I don't think they'll be very good as the places I slip are when I put my heel down or when I'm moving off my toes.  Kahtoola microspikes are good but a bit overkill maybe,  but I've used similar things that use a rubber strap system, and they've been pretty good

If walking on pavements/black ice is the issue then the Petzl Spiky are pretty good - something with a tungsten carbide pins that will give you grip. However, once you get beyond a couple of cm of snow they’re not that effective where Yaktrax may be better. Got some Grivel Explorer Light crampons that are quite effective on both snow and ice over unpaved tracks  - I regularly trot up Ben More in all seasons and the track becomes water ice over rocks and these work well.

Yaktrax are good on neve, but less grippy on proper ice ime. Less intrusive feel when being worn. Micro-crampons like Kahtoola Microspikes are significantly better on ice, but less natural on anything else, but as with Yaktrax, quite quick and easy to take on and off. Studded shoes like IceBugs are a good in-between compromise option, but not suitable for wearing inside and a bit niche for the UK - Sport Pursuit sometimes have them. I wouldn't bother with those amazon things, maybe something similar with full-foot coverage if you can find one.

Kahtoola does a thing called the Nanospike that's aimed at runners but would probably work well for walking too without being super aggressive:
https://kahtoola.com/traction/nanospikes-footwear-traction/

Not cheap, but I'm sure there are copies/similar on Amazon etc.

grivel spiders here go in the arch of the foot and are a proper spike for ice and have lasted very well

I don’t think they’ll be very good as the places I slip are when I put my heel down or when I’m moving off my toes. Kahtoola microspikes are good but a bit overkill maybe, but I’ve used similar things that use a rubber strap system, and they’ve been pretty good

^ this.
We have Nortec Alp Micro-Spikes. They do less 'hardcore' versions, but most cover heel and forefoot well, which in my view is where the grip is most needed. Ours are intended for mountains. I suspect walking into a shop or on someones nice floor in them is going to cause an argument.

https://www.nortecsport.com/en/

i got these ones from Amazon the other day, primarily for icy pavement and path dog walks, they seemed to do the job well this morning :

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08CK7Q8YG?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

I did have a pair of Icebug spiked running shoes for a number of years, they did work very well, particularly on sheet ice - the canal towpath where I used to live was particularly bad for ice and it was nice to get out for a run.

As others have said it's a compromise so pick where you want to sit on the line. For snowy/icy walks where there's going to be limited tarmac or rock then khatoola are great but you're going to feel a bit Bambi in them around town and will definitely get some comments if you enter a shop....

I have the original spring-looking yaktrax, love em tbh. The thing is they're dead easy to fit, you can walk on other surfaces without it being horrendous or destroying stuff- hell, I can happily drive with them on. And sure they're not as <grippy>, on the worst ice especially you're still taking a little care but I don't see the job as "walk on anything, normally", I see it as "make everything easier and safer" and they totally do that, with relatively little downside. And they're still good enough to go for a run on slippy-but-not-deadly surfaces, or push a car.

I have Kahtoola Exospikes. Great for trail running and hillwalking where crampons aren’t necessary. However they would probably be overkill around town. Have been wearing them in the Pentlands the last few days and they’ve performed admirably.

ive got a few yaktrax, i say a few as ive found them all out and about on local paths. I guess they can come off easy?

Weirdly i have some la sportiva boots that have a very sticky sole that even grips ice quite well. They are just apporach type shoes but the rubber must be just right for icy surfaces

Years ago i saw a thing where you put glue on the sole of your shoe and sprinkled sand on. Pretty grippy on icy paths apparently. And perfect for sanding your floors

I bought some Yaktrax originals this afternoon after nearly crashing my brains out multiple times on the way to work today.

I can confirm they worked a treat on thick and thin ice and snow and skitey tarmac on the walk home. Well impressed.

I did have a pair of Icebug spiked running shoes for a number of years, they did work very well, particularly on sheet ice – the canal towpath where I used to live was particularly bad for ice and it was nice to get out for a run.

I’ve got similar. Mine are a pair of Inov8 ArcticClaws that were from one of the Pete Bland/inov 8 sample sales/stick clearance things that they used to do at Staveley. Best £60 I’ve spent. They usually only get used about a dozen times a year but that means they will last and should see me out! Great bit of kit. The current version is about £140. :-0

kormoran
Free Member

ive got a few yaktrax, i say a few as ive found them all out and about on local paths. I guess they can come off easy?

I think it's quite shoe specific, I have one pair that are kind of bulbous and just don't seem to be the right shape for the straps to take to . But also it's definitely possible to put them on wrong but still have them stay on for a while.

(they do a variant which I think is basically the same but has a middle strap, it's only a couple of quid more)

YakTrax are good in general snow conditions but spikes are better on ice, you can stroll around like normal while other folk are hanging onto fences. Seem to be slippy on a hard surface though I'd take them off before going in a shop.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/166830487993?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338749377&toolid=20006&_ul=GB&customid=Cj0KCQiA4fi7BhC5ARIsAEV1YibeA4vSK4i6Z3aJPLV7DHxbvIby1ZvfI8LQODS3rjulwCdYQE6HPxIaAn9JEALw_wcB|0AAAAADihhqVAywGIID0SWFzhqr1h1sSZ4|Cj8KCQiAvvO7BhCxARIuAKzbJCp46c1nfiVPDLVKp0z-ePCZEWNJFgoskvEqfCjos8hlhSskrJvdufpa6BoC55w&gclid=Cj0KCQiA4fi7BhC5ARIsAEV1YibeA4vSK4i6Z3aJPLV7DHxbvIby1ZvfI8LQODS3rjulwCdYQE6HPxIaAn9JEALw_wcB&gbraid=0AAAAADihhqVAywGIID0SWFzhqr1h1sSZ4&wbraid=Cj8KCQiAvvO7BhCxARIuAKzbJCp46c1nfiVPDLVKp0z-ePCZEWNJFgoskvEqfCjos8hlhSskrJvdufpa6BoC55w&gad_source=1

I've been using various of these things for about 18 years now so for what it's worth here's what I've learnt.

The things which just go on the instep are not very good at all.  As soon as you bend your foot, the spikes come off the ground and you slip.  You have to walk very flat footed and it's not very reassuring at all.

The basic Yaktrax are very good, give surprisingly good grip on sheet ice and are fine on non icy surfaces so you can walk into shops etc without slipping or damaging floors.  They are very quick and easy to take on and off and I have used them on icy mountain paths quite successfully.  They do come off quite easily though and they move around on your shoes.  The "Pro" version have a strap over the fore foot which works well to keep them in place, but adds significantly more time to the fitting process.  I can fit the normal ones by standing on one leg and slipping them on, but the pro ones I need to sit down for.  They also don't last very long as the rubber stretches and eventually breaks.

Kahtoola Exo spikes have now replaced Yaktrax for me.  They are as quick and easy to put on as the basic Yaktrax but don't move about at all.  Last week I did around 20km up two Corbetts, on some very icy forest tracks, some pathless heather bashing, some deeper snow and some very steep paths which were snowy rather then icy and whilst I had microspikes with me I wore the Exospikes all day and never felt like I needed to change them.  At times it was icy enough that the dog couldn't make progress, but I was fine.  You'd probably get away with them in shops unless they have a nice wood floor which they would probably damage.

Nortec Micro spikes as linked above.  Fantastic "not quite crampons" that have taken me up many snowy, icy mountains where the terrain is mixed, and full crampons would be either on/off/on/off or I'd be tripping over them on rocky sections.  No way would I wear them in towns though as they trash floors and are complete over kill.

Then we get onto full crampons/snowshoes which are a bit outside the requirement here.

Hope that helps!

Just did an hour walk with YakTrax on, did half of the same walk on a walking meeting without them earlier in the day and spent most of it expecting to fall!

Walk with them on was maybe 30% ice, 5% black ice. Gripped nicely at all times, the black ice was slightly slippy but nowhere near falling.

Much preferred the walk with them on despite a lot of sections with no ice or snow although feet feel a bit tired now and often went for the grass or ice sections for the softer feel with the springs on my feet!