Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System

Comments about Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System:

I am thrilled to see that REI is carrying these, I consider these essential winter, spring and late fall gear. Everyone I hike with either has them or I recommend they get them. Everyone I know that has tried them went out and bought a pair. They go on quickly and stay on all day long. They provide excellent traction on ice and hard snow without all the fuss of crampons. If I am out in hiking in snow/ice I will either have these on or I will have on snowshoes. Most hikes in the White Mountains you can get away with these and not even need to carry crampons. I found these better than ANY other traction device on the market. You won't regret this purchase.

Comments about Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System:

I tried Yak Trax but they would never stay on and were harder to stretch to put on.

I heard about these and ordered them immediately last spring (REI didn't carry them). These will handle any icy trail conditions I have ever run across. They work flawlessly at least on hiking trail grades even if the ice is as slick as a hockey rink.

I always carry these if snow/ice is a possibility and if I'm walking on snow/ice it's either these if not snowshoes. With a pair of trekking poles especially there isn't a trail condition they won't handle.

Not a replacement for crampons if you are going up a very steep hard icy slope (usually off a trail anyway) but for all trails I have been on, they do the job great. If you are a trail hiker these are all you should ever need.

They can be put on/off in seconds and stay on. I have no problems with them slipping.

I am a size 11 shoe/boot. I will say the medium seems to be a better fit, especially on trail shoes. I first bought the large. There was a little extra chain hanging so I got the medium. For full out boots large would probably be right, and will work on the trail shoes but have some extra chain play below (doesn't affect them coming on/off).

Bottom line, get em you won't regret it. Throw the YakTrak in the waste basket or just use them around the house when icy.
Don't be like the many fools I see slipping and sliding in running shoes on icy trails. These will go over just about any shoe/boot.
With these you can basically run up and down such trails with ease.

I also sometimes leave these on if the trail is just slippery in general even after getting off the snow/ice (roots, mud etc).

Comments about Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System:

After extensive research and reading rave-reviews about the Kahtoola microspikes, I purchased a pair in January '09. I intended to use them for day hiking/backpacking throughout various winter trails in Colorado, where a mix of slush, snow and ice can typically be found. After using them on half a dozen short (3-5 miles) day hikes, they seemed to hold up nicely. The medium sized pair fit both my hiking boot and trail runners very well (size 8.5-9). Their traction was excellent and provided good control on both ice and snow. They seem superior to other, similar products (Yaktrax), and well they should at twice the cost. My only disappointment came during my first serious hike under their use, hiking up Mt. Shavano in May. With about 2.5 miles left in our hike I encountered ice and snow on the trail, and put on the microspikes. The trail conditions were no worse than others that I had previously encountered. However, after reaching the summit of the mountain, I found that the set on my right boot was loose due to two of the metal o-rings (that connect the metal to the rubber) coming unattached from the metal framework. The metal o-rings were fine, but they had literally ripped through the rubber. This rendered the right pair useless, as they hung loosely from my boot. As a result, I had to remove them for the trip down the mountain. As a side note, my fiance' wore a pair of microspikes on this same trip and her pair held up fine; however, she had not used them as extensively as I had on previous trips. I would otherwise be praising Kahtoola 's product as they work excellent when they hold up. However, I expected them to withstand much greater wear and tear, and would have thought I would get more than 7 or so hikes with a total of maybe 35 miles of use under normal, winter trail conditions.[...]I may decide to try another pair and am hoping that I simply had a fluke pair my first time around.

Comments about Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System:

I have used these several times since I purchased them from my local REI store. Until I used them the first time I didn't know what I was missing! I have used the Microspikes in anything from loose gravel to 8 inches of snow(deep enough for snowshoes but I wasn't expecting the depth) and they work great.

The speed of my hiking has increased greatly because I never have to worry about my foot placement. I also get to enjoy the scenery much more while I am not worrying about hitting a sheet of slick ice when I'm not looking down.

A breeze to take on and off, so lite you won't even notice they are on your feet, you won't ever have to stop and readjust on the trail.

All in all this is one of the best winter investments I have EVER made. A must have for winter hiking and camping. They can be used in the summer as well on loose gravel trails. An amazing difference in any trail condition.

Comments about Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System:

Used a pair for the first time for a trip up to the Enchantments via Asgard Pass. I didn't use them while going up but once in the Enchantments they were awesome, no slipping on the ice, I ended up leaving them on my boots the entire time up there and coming down. Combine these with trekking poles coming down Asgard Pass and I couldn't have been more stable. The upper third of the pass was snow covered with wind scoured snow - I didn't slip once. They also helped with the loose dirt on the pass.

Two thumbs up.

Comments about Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System:

These things are awesome, hands down. After encountering some wet ice in the San Gabriels and hitting the deck more than I'd like to admit, I went looking for something to keep me on my feet. I wasn't looking to invest in full crampons, and the other lightweight traction products didn't look durable enough for extended hikes in the mountains. The MicroSpikes are lightweight, easy to put on and take off in a hurry, and have held up to lots of use and abuse.

These things really excel in packed snow and ice. While other people are doing the granny-shuffle down an icy trail trying (and failing) not to bite it, I can literally run run past them and not worry about it. You can feel the teeth biting in with each step, and it's quite comforting. In hard packed snow, its almost as easy as walking on pavement. They don't do a whole lot in deep powder or slushy conditions, but that's not really what they were designed for.

As far as durability, I've worn mine for two snow seasons now, and they're holding up nicely. I've put many miles on them in snow and ice, plus a few on dirt/rock, and the teeth are only slightly dulled. I had some reservations about where the metal chains hook into the rubbery top bits, but those areas still look as new as the day I bought them.

I highly recommend this product to anyone who will be doing ANYTHING in snow or ice. They have paid for themselves many times over in time and pain saved going up and down the hills.

Comments about Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System:

Got these last year[...]. I had tried the Yaktraks. Lasted less than three months. I got the Yaktraks at REI and never got around to returning them.[...]I commute on foot and mass transit. On a slow day I will do about three miles in hills, sidewalks, etc. Steep hills where owners don't believe in shoveling snow. These work really well in the elements. The longest slip/slide last winter was about four inches with the Microspikes. One of the worst winters on record in my area.On the downside... They are treacherous on smooth surfaces. By smooth, I mean the concrete floor in the basement and tile floors in general. I shudder to think of what these would do to a wood floor. The front 'ring' can take a bit if fiddling to get right. Can pinch toes if not right. The spikes can flip up if installed wrong. Obviously uncomfortable if this happens with thin soles.Works very well with the Baltero 400s I got last year at REI. On sale :^).

Comments about Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System:

I wore a set when I did a last minute trip to the Grand Canyon in January '09 and they were great. Although the trails down and up to Bright Angel Camp are easy and nontechnical I needed these. My pack was about 35 pounds and I weigh 190 pounds and these spikes had no problem with grip hiking down or up the icy top 1/3 of the trail. They were also easy to walk with when the trail had no snow in some sections. I have also climbed around (not up) some waterfalls in nevada wearing my set and it was like walking on pavement.

Comments about Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System:

I just got back from Zion where i rented these. I will say they are absolutely incredible for secure traction. I was able to travel up lots of iced over steep canyon slopes and trails that would have been treacherous without them. It takes about 10 secs (total)to put these on and they fit well over day hiking boots. I'm a size 8.5 Lowa and I used the medium size (no loseness). I highly recommend these!!!!

Comments about Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System:

The microspikes are one the better buys that I have made for hiking. They make hiking in mud, slush, shallow and/or packed snow and ice easy, especially on down slopes. I used to worry about going back down a icy or snowy trail but the microspikes almost tempt you to run down. Also use them to walk to work when there is snow or ice on the sidewalks or roadsides. They do not slip off the boot