Customer Reviews

Yaktrax Walker Traction Cleats for Snow and Ice,Black,X-Small

5 star:		(280)
4 star:		(47)
3 star:		(24)
2 star:		(21)
1 star:		(24)

 

 

I am a pretty tough grader on stuff like this and have nothing to lose or gain in any of my reviews. We have had a lot of snow and subsequent ice in our area over the last month. My street and drive are ice covered at least 1-2 inches thick and then it melts on top of the ice and it is impossible to stand up. I purchased the Yaktrax and let me tell you, they are worth every penny. I did not get the Pro model because I didn't know if I would like them. When I first got them I tied to go for a walk down the driveway with my regular New Balance running shoes (no Yaktrax) and could barely stand up... Kept sliding without even walking. Went back in the house and put the Yaktrax over my running shoes and went back outside. I was able to walk across the ice like it wasn't even there. I felt like I probably could run on the ice if I wanted, but didn't want to push it. I don't know how the Yaktrax will be in deep snow, but then you probably wouldn't need them there anyway. But on ice, they are super! I read some previous reviews that said they had problems with breakage. I make sure that the rubber bands are pulled high up onto the shoe and try to have the rubber bands on the bottom go between any grooves that I have on the bottom of the shoe. This is a long winded review to a low cost item but I wanted to make sure it gets the review that it deserves.

Having had two pairs myself and having gifted another four pairs, I can say that Yaktrax Walkers are a good idea but one poorly executed. Spiral wires are held in place by a frame of elasticized plastic. The plastic is quite fragile and the problem occurs because the wires aren't long enough to cover the entire expanse of the shoe's sole (which would prevent chafing of the plastic with the roadway). Too soon the plastic chafes and breaks - never a full winter of use, in my experience. Before they chafe through, they are excellent. I would recommend that anyone ignoring my review, pay the extra that the Pro model costs because sooner or later you will almost certainly walk out of the standard (strapless) model and lose it before you know that it's gone.

in an othewise mighty cold first year in Ohio after moving here from Calif. Snow, sleet, ice - nothing could stop me (or my wife) when we slipped the yaktrax over our admittedly wimpy warm weather shoes. Even tromping up and down our 45 degree slope driveway covered in ice at 9 degrees was slipless.

Oh yeah, and at 60 years old, you start paying attention to these sorts of things.

Yaktrax are a great buy - and the dayglow orange and lime colors make them easy to spot in the messiest mudroom!

This product is okay on packed snow, but it tends to fall off your foot, especially in unpacked snow. I wasted a lot of time hunting for them again and again, so I got a size smaller to see if that would solve the problem, but then they broke after just a few uses from being stretched too much. In addition, the coils do not grip well on smooth ice and makes walking on hard floors a real slip-and-fall hazard if you forget to take them off when entering a home or business. I switched to Get-A-Grip ice cleats and have found them to be much safer on both packed snow and ice.

Yaktrax's are unbeatable. They give the greatest traction in all icy conditions. I run a high mountain camp and have tried many ice traction devises. In icy conditions, CAUTION, is always the most important factor, no matter what the devise. In walking indoors all devises can be hazardous, it depends on the care you use while walking. My staff and I have used Yaktrax's for years. For inside staff, regular Yaktrax's are the best. They put them on to walk from their cabin or car to the office and pop them off once inside. For my outside staff, the Yaktrax Pro's can't be beat. They are rugged and don't ware out. The strap over the front of the boot keeps them in place in most situations. When coming inside it is best and easiest to slip the boots off and to step into indoor shoes. For long Life - take a little time - when putting "Trax's" on, make sure they slip into the grooves in the soles of the boots and if the end of a spring starts to catch, use a pair of pliers to squeeze it back into place. The Yaktrax Pro's I have on now have lasted me for three years and counting.

I live in the mountains in Northern California where we have ice and snow all winter. I wouldn't dream of taking my dog on her daily walks without my Yaktrax.

ASIN: Yaktrax Walkers

Recipe for boxing yourself IN: Begin with a full cup of memories of earlier spills, mix with a half-cup of chopped dose of anxiety over the never boring "fun and new" features of the natural aging process revealed each year; sprinkle over a cold pan of icy wintry weather we appear to be having these years in New England! Ruefully, I admit to creating this recipe as I self-limited my bad-weather activities which is not a positive factor in maintaining year-round good health. Whenever forced by neccessity to venture out, I went feeling increasingly uneasy walking to and from our cars or conducting wintry garden chores. I researched and tried a variety of ice-walking products, but was disapointed. My recent purchase of YAKTRAX has revolutionized my life and those of the many friends I have bored with my transcendent tale! Some purchased them in a desperate effort to shut me up...and they became raving Yak-olytes! While not suddenly developing into a wintry dare-devil, I no longer tensely creep, splayed armed, all hunched over across suddenly steeply pitched icey terrain which WAS apparently perfectly flat in September! (You know you can see yourself doing this "slow dance"too!!!)I snap them on my shoes in my porch and walk confidently across my driveway in any direction I choose for as many times as I choose! I take Yaktrax off in the car (NOT while it is in motion:) as they are not recommended for clear surfaces such as store floors. I have re-applied them with ease as well upon planning my return to the slick borders of home. Yaktrax Walker. No stiffening with cold temperatures while stretched during use or relaxed awaiting! No ice, salt or sand sticks in the coils or strapping yucking it up and making it distatesful to reuse or store!

I truly believe that this product is SO effective, inexpensive, and easy to use that all babies born in New England should come with a little set already to use! No...Wait....perhaps that WOULD be a bit unkind for the mothers?...What to do? what to do??? I KNOW!! Just perhaps,Yaktrax should simply be a "must have" for any northern baby's shower!! And a must for their long-suffering moms.....and anyone who was NOT born just last night!! Yaktrax will open your life's one set of feet to the beauty of winter and not leave you out of cold weather delights!

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 in your car. The bottom springs on YakTraxs cut the "delicate" rubber assembly apart otherwise. I started searching for another option and stumbled upon Kahtoola Microspikes. They are fantastic. 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. YakTraxs don't stay in place on your boots either. I'm very, very satisfied with the Kahtoola Microspikes and will never buy YakTraxs again.

YakTraxs are inexpensive throw away light walking wires. Not for icy hills or rigorous snow sports / work.
Cheap and the rubber breaks, is cut by the spike easily.

Find a better option. They are out there.

I bought 2 pairs of these, one for myself and one for my husband, after we made a trip to our house in Maine in February and found we could barely stand up in the driveway, which was a sheet of ice. The 'small' fits easily over my size 8 women's shoe, and the medium fits his men's size 10 without a problem. The Yaktrax provided a good grip on the ice, and we felt much more secure. They are extremely lightweight and easy to deal with. My only concern is their long-term prospects: the gripping parts are made of spring-like coils (rather like what holds a spring binder together) and ultimately they will need to be pinched back into shape with pliers, after having been flattened by use, according to the instructions.. but after such a brief time, this has not become a problem, so we are pleased with the purchase. I managed not to fall down this time. If you are planning heavy use, I believe there is a 'pro' version, which is probably more appropriate, but these are fine for just getting around on the ice.

Folks that walk on hardpack snow and ice in driveways and on sidewalks need these. Just enough bite to stop slipping. Not obtrusive or clunky when walking, even on clear surfaces. ONLY slipperinesss with them ON occurs if you leave them on and walk on ceramic tile INdoors. (Duh.)