Traction

Recent Traction Reviews

Kahtoola MICROspikes

Top notch outer foot gear with outstanding customer service. I use mine during ice fishing season. They're part of my ESSENTIAL GEAR LIST. I wouldn't consider venturing onto the ice without them. They've saved me from slipping and falling dozens of times. I've been ice fishing for decades and have tried a number of other brands. All were disappointing, but hands down, these are the best. Full review

Kahtoola MICROspikes

Pretty sure these saved my life numerous times. Used these on many snow covered cliffs and steep mountainsides. These spikes give you sure footing when crossing sketchy areas. Full review

Black Diamond Snaggletooth

Good precision and grip, but slightly heavy. I bought them for mixed climbing routes with a lot of rock climbing involved and they proved very adequate for the task indeed. I used them with a pair of La Sportiva Baturas and they performed very well with great feeling and precision. However there was this incident on the downclimb when one of the crampons suddenly came off without particular reason. I had them fitted really hard, so I don't know what happened but since then I am a bit cautious. Full review

Black Diamond Contact Strap

Easy to fit on and great traction. These were very easy to fit to my boots (10.5D), and fast to get set up. I really appreciate crampons that are a breeze to put on and take off. It's not often I have an easy place to put them on when I get to ice, snow, etc. And the first time using them, I could feel a lot of secure traction on snow and scree fields. Full review

Kahtoola MICROspikes

Would I buy them again? Without a doubt! Would I recommend them? Absolutely! I've been using MicroSpikes for about 8 years. I'm a police officer in an area where sudden freezing rains occur and in the span of 30 seconds you go from wet pavement to black ice. They are a life saver. They stow away in my gear bag and take seconds to put on. You can drive in them, which makes rendering aid to stranded motorists quick and easy. Although a little pricey when compared to other traction aids initially,… Full review

Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultra

The Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultras are a really well made product that performs well on icy trails. These type of trail crampons really enable you to enjoy hiking whenever your favorite trails are icy and are really great to have and share with a friend to give them a little greater confidence in following you out on an icy springtime hike. I have had a pair of these Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultras and also a pair of the Hillsound FreeSteps6 and found them a great addition to my pack and have really… Full review

STABIL STABILicers Hike XP

The STABILicers Hike XP are perfect for the snow and ice on sidewalks or trails. Easy on and off makes them useful where the conditions may vary from snow/ice and then transition to hard surfaces where you want to just remove them. They slip over your winter shoes or boots easily. These slip-on traction devices worked very well this winter while we were walking in our neighborhood in Truckee, California. Although the roads were often plowed, the surface of the road, and our sloping driveway remained… Full review

Yaktrax Pro

They are awful and I was more scared with them on walking on ice and snow, than with them off. They are made durable, and they are worth the price. However walking in a non-ice or non-snow sidewalk and street can do damage to your walking, and it is highly not recommended. Full review

Black Diamond Serac Strap

12-point stainless steel crampon that does the job. I bought these a couple of years ago and I've used them only in snow ranging from powder to crust with my flexible hunting boots, but never on solid ice.After some mixed rocky trail hike, a fellow hiker advised me to buy a knife sharpening stone to sharpen the edges from time to time. I came to no result since stainless steel is VERY HARD to sharpen. Not that I needed any sharpening because till this day they are as sharp as they were when I first… Full review