Kahtoola MICROspikes

[21 of 22 customers found this review helpful]

Kahtoola MICROspikes Review

Essential Winter Gear!!

"I am thrilled to see that REI is carrying these, I consider these essential winter, spring and late fall gear. Everyone I hike with either has them or I recommend they get them. Everyone I know that has tried them went out and bought a pair. They go on quickly and stay on all day long. They provide excellent traction on ice and hard snow without all the fuss of crampons. If I am out in hiking in snow/ice I will either have these on or I will have on snowshoes. Most hikes in the White Mountains you can get away with these and not even need to carry crampons. I found these better than ANY other traction device on the market. You won't regret this purchase."

Microspikes

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[4 of 4 customers found this review helpful]

Kahtoola MICROspikes Review

Great traction, even with Crocs

"Like everyone else, I found these have tremendous traction, especially on hard pack snow and glare ice.



On a recent spring trip into Baxter State Park (Maine) for spring skiing, the snow was packed as hard as ice. My camp shoes were a pair of winter Crocs, and surprisingly, the Microspikes + Crocs combination worked great. In fact, I lent them to one of my teammates who had blistered heels, and he wore them about 2 miles on a hard packed section of the Appalachian Trail.



Highly recommended."

Wearing Crocs + Microspikes

[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

Kahtoola MICROspikes Review

The Grand Canyon During Winter

"I just returned from a week-long trip to the Grand Canyon in early January. Having used the MICROspikes heavily at upper elevations below the rim, I would happily pay twice as much for these.



I used them in various ground conditions ranging from light snow, packed snow with a frozen top, hard ice, and icy slush. In every condition, even the hard ice, I felt like spiderman walking up the side of a building. These crampons just did not slip.



General Notes: The MICROspikes were easy to put on. I have a size 9.5 shoe and chose the medium size. It fit perfectly - snugly without any give, but not hard to put on or take off. They also felt completely bomber. The rubber rand that fits around your shoe is thick and tough, and the chains feel very sturdy. This comes at some cost though - at 12.5 ounces they're significantly heavier than the Yaktrax Walkers, and I'll admit that I was feeling it on the way back up to the rim. However, I think the extra weight is well worth the additional exertion. I saw quite a few individuals in the Canyon using the Yaktrax, and many seemed happy, but they didn't have the same certainty of grip nor the durability. I met one gentleman who was using his Yaktrax for the first time and one of the springs across the bottom had already broken. Yaktrax are probably perfect for shoveling snow in the driveway, but for critical use where a slip can mean a fall over the edge, I'd take the MICROspikes over and over again."

On my Shoe

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Grandview Trail at the Grand Canyon

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[19 of 19 customers found this review helpful]

Kahtoola MICROspikes Review

The best traction devices.

"I tried Yak Trax but they would never stay on and were harder to stretch to put on.



I heard about these and ordered them immediately last spring (REI didn't carry them). These will handle any icy trail conditions I have ever run across. They work flawlessly at least on hiking trail grades even if the ice is as slick as a hockey rink.



I always carry these if snow/ice is a possibility and if I'm walking on snow/ice it's either these if not snowshoes. With a pair of trekking poles especially there isn't a trail condition they won't handle.



Not a replacement for crampons if you are going up a very steep hard icy slope (usually off a trail anyway) but for all trails I have been on, they do the job great. If you are a trail hiker these are all you should ever need.



They can be put on/off in seconds and stay on. I have no problems with them slipping.



I am a size 11 shoe/boot. I will say the medium seems to be a better fit, especially on trail shoes. I first bought the large. There was a little extra chain hanging so I got the medium. For full out boots large would probably be right, and will work on the trail shoes but have some extra chain play below (doesn't affect them coming on/off).



Bottom line, get em you won't regret it. Throw the YakTrak in the waste basket or just use them around the house when icy.

Don't be like the many fools I see slipping and sliding in running shoes on icy trails. These will go over just about any shoe/boot.

With these you can basically run up and down such trails with ease.



I also sometimes leave these on if the trail is just slippery in general even after getting off the snow/ice (roots, mud etc)."

Kahtoola MICROspikes Review

AMAZING!

"I don't have much else to add to these reviews, everything about these spikes is incredible. You can wear them on ice, deep snow and/or rocky trails. I normally wear a women's size 9 shoe, but my hiking boots are a size 9.5 and they're just right. I think if you want to put these on running shoes and you're a size 9, you should get the smalls. I plan to keep my mediums because I can wear them with my insulated snow boots. These have made hiking up mountains possible when the spring ski conditions are dismal. What a great product! Thanks REI for carrying them! :)"

Looking over Cook Inlet

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