Customer Reviews

Kahtoola MICROspikes Pocket Traction System, Large

5 star:		(107)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have been eying these for some time now, but have held off buying them because of their price. This fall I said what the heck and bought them. I am sure glad I did. I have been a Yaktrax fan for many years, but I will say that the Microspikes are a profoundly superior product. Their grip on the ice is solid. I have never felt so safe. All aspects of the Microspike are superior to the Yaktrax. The stainless steel chain and spikes will not ware out and hold the ice much better than the steel springs of the Yaks. The design of the upper rubber harness is superior as well. There is no need for the strap going over the top of the boot. Because of the strength of rubber it took a little time to figure out a "one hand, one move" movement to get the rubber over the boot. But once that was figured out - no problemo(a).
There are two caveats. 1). Because of the spikes, there is no way these can ever be worn in doors. With other products you can "sorta" skirt around this rule, but not with Microspikes. 2). These are not a substitute for mountain climbing crampons. The makers say they can be used for running and jogging. I don't know anything about that, but for everyday use out in the snow and ice they cannot be beat.
Buy these, you will be very glad you did.

NO FEAR.

That pretty well sums up my feelings about the Microspikes. I live in a mostly civilized suburb 25 miles north of Minneapolis, MN. We have had a good share of mixed winter weather this year - snow, snow/rain mix, rain - that has left the roads and sidewalks treacherous because of the ice.
I have used YakTrax for years and, in this weather, powerwalking during the winter always leaves my legs stiff because I have to continually be on the watch for ice patches on which the YakTrax are useless. Exercise was not fun. And I kept ruining the YakTrax on the dry stretches of pavement that I could not avoid.
The morning of January 11, 2009 was a perfect day to test the Microspikes that arrived the day before. A 1 1/2" covering of light fluffy snow the previous night had hidden everything, thus making any walking potentially dangerous. It only took 1/2 mile of walking to realize that the Microspikes (with an assist from gravity) securely locked me to the surface of the planet. I felt that I was walking on completely dry pavement during the summer (except, of course, for the dastardly wind chill).
The Microspikes are well worth the money.

Like the spikes. Work as described. Got fooled by the sizing chart and ordered a size too large, based on using with my snow boots. Order for your exact shoe size or smaller.

I am an active hiker, and hike leader for outdoors organizations and I have owned the three major products for winter traction: Yaktrax, Stabilicers, and Microspikes. It seems that many people turn up on hikes with Yaktrax more than any other product because it seems to be more prominently displayed at stores that sell outdoors equipment. I recommend the Yaktrax if you have an occasional need for low-cost traction, such as walking down an icy driveway to get your mail. Yaktrax are poorly designed; basically it's a giant rubber band with a coiled spring around it. They slide around on your boot and I have seen people have theirs peel off in snow and not even realize it. I had one of the rubber bands snap after not that much use, rendering the product useless. People who bought Yaktrax Pro with the strap seem to have better luck. The rubber is more robust and the strap keeps the Yaktrax from sliding around or sliding off. I also own Stabilicers (the version with the strap over the boot) and have mixed feelings about them. Stabil-Icers have steel screws on the bottom, which provide amazing traction, far better than the Yaktrax, but I have wear issues with them as well. My Stabilicers lose screws on a regular basis, which is a safety hazard because you think you have traction, but you really don't. When I contacted Stabilicer about the issue, their response was, "Maybe it's time for a new pair." Mine did not have that much use on them, so that answer was unacceptable. I tried various glues to keep the screws in place, but none worked. The other disadvantage of Stabilicers (in the model that I have) is that they are heavy to carry in a pack when you don't really need them. Instead, I now use my Microspikes, which have excellent traction, and have worn well so far, but I do have concerns about the durability of the rubber where it holds the metal spikes. Microspikes are light, so they are easily carried in a backpack when you don't need them, but might encounter conditions on the trail where you do need them. With any of these traction devices, don't be put off by the cost. It's about the same price as a health insurance deductible for a trip to the emergency room!

I run on snowshoes, yaktrax and now Kahtoolas. While the Kahtoola microspikes are well made, easy to use and durable, they have a possibly fatal flaw. There is a significant and I feel dangerous hole in spike coverage in the center of the back of the heel.

The first time I ran with them, all was well because there was a some fresh snow. But when I was running on icy surfaces (which these were designed for given the huge spikes), I was motoring along in blissful ignorance until I headed downhill heel-first. My leg shot out from under me since no metal came in contact with the ice. It scared me to death!

If you look at the pic here, you will easily see the dangerous hole in coverage.

To avoid slipping, I had to run downhill landing either flatfooted or on my toes to make sure I stick to the ground. Frightening.

I plan on modifying my kahtoolas with an extra wire pulling the chains closer together base of the heel like what was done at the toe.

I cannot believe that this hole in coverage was not addressed earlier. Unless of course, the primary users/designers don't really run on icy mountains but rather on flat crusty trails. Yet, given the huge spikes and aggressive appearance, it's too bad that the heel is so unprotected given that almost every step downhill lands on or near the heel. Oh, but uphill, these things scream.

But looking at the picture of the spikes while I write this, I wonder if I put them on backwards it would help since the extra wire connector at the toe was likely a fix from lack of coverage on that end of the shoe.

These are a great addition for hiking in the winter. They hold up much better than the Yaks when it comes to hiking and running. I've been through two pairs of those because they break with heavy use. These are very easy to put on and give you great traction on ice and snow. I like to trail run and they work fine. Because they are much more aggressive in traction they aren't forgiving when you plant your foot. In other words your footing sticks and does not give at all. So, you do have to be careful and pick up your feet when walking. They aren't forgiving if you drag your feet at all. These wouldn't be my pick for regular walking around in light snow and ice because they would be over kill. The Yaks would still be my choice for taking the dog for a walk in the neighborhood, etc. Although you can run in these I tend to feel them more than the Yaks. They hurt a little bit vs. the Yaks don't when you run. But, I'd rather have these if I am hiking up a mountain trail in ice and snow. The price is pretty much the same everywhere, so that isn't an issue here. I havn't had any problems with them coming off. They have stayed on well for me so far.

A good purchase I think.

Easy to put on,easy to take off. Put them in your pocket. Forget about Yaktrax unless you are OK with broken springs. Kahtoolas are durable and they work like they should.You can walk on broken ground with them and the spikes hold up fine. Plus, I like the fashionable red color. Every gearhead hiker I know has these in their pack in the winter and wouldn't go anywhere without them. Mark these "Essential".

I went through two YakTraxs this year. Wore one pair in three storms last year. The other was brand new. Both tore apart while shoveling ice off my driveway this year. YakTraks are good for casual walking or for an emergency, like leaving them in your car. The bottom springs on YakTraxs cut the delicate rubber assemply apart otherwise. I started searching for another option and stumbled upon these Kahtoola Microspikes. They are fantastic. At first it seems a little difficult to put them on, but the system is really simple once you get it. It's a slip on like the YakTraxs, but the system and assembly is rigorous, well constructed and solid. They look and act like snow chains for your boots. The spikes are large enough to keep you from slipping, but small enough not to get stuck in the ice or ground. The chains give additional "full foot" traction. The hour and a half mountain trail hike I just finished with my dog had over an inch of ice and almost an inch of fresh snow. The Kahtoola MicroSpikes performed perfectly. I didn't slip once and the Microspikes didn't slip on my boots either. They stayed exactly in place - another issue I had with YakTraxs. I too wouldn't wear these inside my home, but would at a ski lodge. They wouldn't do anymore damage then ski or snowboard boots. I'm very, very satisfied.

I bought these spikes to attempt to run in snowy conditions, as every winter I am forced to train indoors on a treadmill. They were easy to put on and take off. Felt surprisingly light. Excellent traction on snow and ice. The side parts where the metal hooks in did catch on my ankles a few times while running, but I just adjusted and was more careful to extend my gait. All in all, a really great product.

I love these things! They really work great on my snow and ice packed trails here in the Wasatch Mountains of Northern Utah. I even jogged downhill in them and never slipped once!