Customer Reviews

Ultra Snow and Ice Cleats

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I have a very steep driveway and in past winters I averaged 2-3 falls a season, even wearing snow boots or work boots. I bought these after one such fall, when out of desperation I went internet shopping for some sort of ice shoe. I found the "Ultra Snow and Ice Grip", which pulls over any of my shoes (dress, boots, sneakers). The 6 metal nubs on the bottom are enough to keep me from slipping, but I don't feel (or sound) like I'm walking on cleats. You can hardly see them when they're on. Once I arrive at my destination, I just pull them off my shoes, roll them up into a small ziplock bag, and throw them in my purse for next time.

I highly recommend them for people of any age, but they would make especially thoughtful gifts for older relatives or friends. I ordered some for my sister and my 86-year old mother and know they'll love them as much as I do.

After sustaining a rather severe knee injury slipping on the ice, I sought to take more care in my choice of footwear, including obtaining over-the-sole cleats. As I already have tungsten carbide studded bicycle tires, I was appreciative of the technology. Chicago often has rapid temperature changes, leading to freezing over of sidewalks and streets, which makes a simple walk a dangerous endeavor. Running across an icy street one day in February, I slipped on the ice and, in an attempt to maintain my balance, over-exerted my left quadriceps tearing the muscle right off the kneecap. When I arrived at the emergency room, I found that it was filled with patients who had fallen on the ice.

I had been researching over-the-sole cleats online for some time when I stumbled across the Get-A-Grip ice cleats in Walgreens. It was right around the time Chicago had a thaw and freeze over. It was a worthwhile purchase that provided immediate benefits. They dramatically increase traction on ice, are simple to use and are relatively lightweight. I wish I knew about them a year ago as I would have a avoided a painful injury and thousands of dollars in medical bills.

The Grip-A-Grip cleats are nice but not perfect. The rubber lattice structure holds them on the bottom of the sole fairly well but they can fall off. It would be nice to have an over-the-top strap that holds them more securely. Also, the plastic grommets holding the tungsten studs can break in extreme circumstances. I shattered two of them stomping on a ceramic tile to test the potential damage to finished floors. Suffice it to say, the tile cracked as well. The second pair of Get-A-Grip cleats I purchased came with two spare individual cleats so the company understands they are not indestructible.

More people should be aware of this type of product. I am glad that mainstream stores such as Walgreens now sell the Get-A-Grip cleats as many would benefit from wearing them when treacherous icy streets lead to injuries.

Pros
+Dramatically increases traction on ice
+Relatively lightweight

Cons
-Can fall off in some circumstances
-Individual cleat grommets can crack under extreme pressure
-Potentially damaging to finished floors

I bought these for the entire family to wear on a trip to Tahoe. I found them helpful on the slippery ice. I would caution, however, that these sometimes slip off your shoe. (My husband lost one of them on a walk.) I wouldn't feel confident running using these (like I've seen advertised somewhere that runners could wear them), but I definitely felt more confident wearing them on the icy sidewalk than not having them on. I would recommend them.

Before purchasing, check out the "advanced" version: Get-A-Grip Advanced. It was the original version, and can be hard to pull on when they are new. (See my review over there.) This "ultra" version uses much thinner bands of rubber -- easier to pull on, but also easier to wear out, break, and slip off your boot. Others I know have purchased this version -- some like it, but one had it slip off her boot.

After 5+ years of using what is now called the "advanced" version, I have still not slipped on the ice while wearing them.

I was pleased to receive this product so quickly. Now that I have them in my possession it will probably be a mild winter here. I like the fact that the "cleats" are replaceable as in golf shoes.

Sometimes they work great, sometimes they don't. I have lost one mid-run and I had to retrace my steps to find it. Not fun in the cold. Other times I haven't had a problem. What I think this means is that you need to put them on very careful and then keep an eye on them.

My husband has these as well and he reports having issues with snow clumping to the bottom of his shoe, between the shoe and the gripper. Super annoying.

Probably better for walking than running and better on ice than on sticky snow.

These traction aids for ice and hard packed snow work well, if you can get them to stay on your shoes. I bought the "LRG-XLG" size, which I assumed would fit over a size 12 shoe. They are actually too small for my shoes, and are very hard to get on my shoes, and tend to slip off. Putting them on is tricky too, since they are essentially a large and powerful mesh of rubber bands with 6 spikes sticking out. When putting them on, you have to be careful where they are pointed, in case they slip off your shoe heel and go flying across the room. This product size would probably work well with a men's size 9, 10, or 11 shoe, or equivalent in a woman's shoe. A similar design made for larger shoes , and redesigned to stay on shoes, would be a better choice for me.

This is a must have item if you're walking on ice. They work great

I received these, what I call my 'grippies' for Christmas a few years ago. I have used them every season since then and I think they are absolutely the greatest. Outside of Wash. DC, we don't ordinarily get a huge amount of snow, but when we do get a few inches it's awfully nice having them. I have had no problem with them slipping off, not even once. Maybe some folks aren't putting them on all the way. Friends and co-workers see me walking and are amazed that I can walk pretty confidently across the snow AND ice and even though we just had a mountain of snow, The Blizzard of 2010, they worked just great. I'm planning on getting them for presents for next Christmas. I would highly recommend them to everyone.

Santa brought me these: Ultra Snow and Ice Grip cleats for running on snowy and icy sidewalks. Let me tell you, these are the real deal! I purposely ran on every snowy/icy sidewalk I could yesterday to get a little extra resistance for the run and to test these babies out. After being leery of them the first quarter mile, I just forgot them and it was like running on clear ground. They go on and off easily over your shoes and even come with replacement spikes. If you are looking for something to keep you upright as your run (or walk) over snow and ice I highly recommend these. They receive an A+.
Note: Do not put these on until you get outside. They will ding your floors!