Black Diamond  Distance Spike Traction Devices

These come with a storage bag which is great for throwing them in a pack where you don’t need to worry about them snagging on anything. I used these on some light snow boots and I couldn’t tell they were on! I expected some pinching so tightness but instead it was like they were made for the boots. This set I would say are exclusively for shallow and icy conditions, anything deeper than a couple inches and they are useless in my opinion. I tested them in some deeper snow I knew was slick and they didn’t help. Awesome for the trails with some snow and easy to put on. No frustrating snaps or fasteners.

Really liking these after a few uses. I find them easier to put on/off and more comfortable to wear than my old microspikes. Traction seems to be as good. Not totally convinced the toe cover fabric provides any meaningful protection from snow while wearing a mostly mesh trail runner, but I suppose it doesn't hurt anything. I think it does help with the fit/comfort though. They fit equally well for me over a wide toe trail runner, an approach shoe or a pair of light hiking boots. The inclusion of the small storage bag is a nice detail and works to keep them contained and the rest of my gear clean and free from spike impacts.

Great weight to utility ratio; I've been using these for winter running commuters, mixed trail and road. They're quick to put on and take off, which is great for the occasional road segments, and they're light enough that it's not too irritating to carry them in hand for short distances. Extremely grippy on hard-packed snow over ice, very confident on steep descents. Top shell does an excellent job of keeping snow from sticking to the toes of my trail runners. The band barely pinches my feet at all, while still staying firmly in place. Also fits over my hiking boots!

These are so much better than typical microspikes. They dont cause pinch point and nicely form to a trail runner and road runner shoe. Traction was excellent in mud and small amounts of snow. They felt flexible but secure at all times!!! Detractors, i have never had a microspike that doesn't snowball and these did snowball causing me to kick clumps of snow out every once and awhile BUT that is unfortunately normal. As a neutral feature, the softshell fabric contributes to the success of no pinch points but seems like a weak point... although i scratched against many surfaces and it did not one tear, so time will tell.

I used these for running/walking on our local limestone trails this winter. The melt/freeze cycle this winter has made them almost perfectly smooth with ice, nearly unwalkable. With these spikes, I had no problems at all. They are outstanding for traction, and you barely notice you're wearing them. They're also super easy to put on, no struggling at all, just start at the toes and pull the back loop to pull them on. My only complaint is they are best when used on trails only, the small sections I had to cross pavement were not fun. You feel like you're walking in platform shoes a bit, not very stable. But that's not the purpose of the spikes, so I can't fault them for that!

Overall a great concept but certainly needing improvement (which I don’t see many people mentioning). The good: the fabric upper is light and sheds snow. The spikes are light but durable as are the chains. The less-good (starting with the areas most need fixing): the sizing is totally out of whack (sz L on a sz 44 approach shoe barely fits - w half the back spikes dangling in the arch), the back nylon straps sink too low (due to the first prob) causing abrasion and premature damage. This could be fixed with a few extra chain links in the middle. The toe cap is very fragile (I covered w duct tape after first use as it was tearing). The front fabric and perimeter rubber should be stretchier to accommodate different types of footwear and add tension to the fit. I think the spikes could be a few mm longer as they are quick to clog which causes unanticipated slipping. Whew! BD - consider taking this advice for version 2.0 as you have a winner on your hands. If you can’t retool - then add more sizes so that you can get a better fit. Lastly - all the fit and wear comments also apply to the Access spikes too.

I've used the coiled versions of traction devices for many years. The cheap stuff is great on level terrain, but when you're on an angle - especially when it slopes down to your right/left, they slip way too much. These hold secure in all conditions, I hardly feel them and they aren't very loud on bare pavement when the icy sections have dried up. I've tried them with several different running shoes and it fits pretty darn well on all of them. Also, they're super packable. There is a nice ditty bag to stow them, so even wet, you can toss them in your 'clean' duffle bag. I'm a fan.

I broke my foot years ago and this is the most comfortable product I could find. This doesn't push down on my foot or pull my toes up like some of the competitive products, so I'm confident I can do long hikes without problems. The fabric top and thinner rubber on the heel makes it more flexible and WAAAY easier to put on compared to other products with the thicker/stiff rubber all around the top. I like that it packs small enough to fit in my purse since I mostly need it for short occasional walks. I'll update review when I do a longer hike.

I used to be irrationally terrified of running on ice, mostly because I know being sidelined from an injury would make me incredibly miserable. Now that I live in the Colorado mountains, skipping icy days would mean missing months of outdoor running. I got these cleats based on the many positive reviews and blog posts, and they are amazing! For over two months, I've been running confidently on ice, snow, slush and mud and haven't fallen once. They are easy to put on and take off (although I've mostly just left them on because my dirt roads have been icy), and they don't slide around on my feet like cheaper devices. The foot cover is nice in deeper snow since I have yet to invest in waterproof running shoes. I wouldn't change a thing about them!

My family loves these spikes. We have icy, messy, dirt roads and these spikes give us the confidence to walk wherever we need to. You need to get the knack of putting them on, but they are easy to remove. There is a small cover for the front of your shoe, which once in place, helps with stretching the rest of the spike over your foot. Each spike has a letter in the back to help identify the size, so if you and family are using many at the same time, they won't get mixed up. They come with a small bag for storage, but it is not so easy to fit the pair of spikes back into that. it should have been larger, but you can do it given enough time and determination.