Kahtoola MICROspikes Footwear Traction for Winter Trail Hiking & Ice Mountaineering

I recently came back from hiking in Colorado and used these several times. My experience was mixed. On the plus side these are much lighter and easier to put on than traditional cramp-ons. On the negative side, they only work for certain conditions. I had success using these on an icy snow field that had frozen overnight and hadnt experienced any softening by the sun. But later in the trip I had problems with these spikes on a steeper snowfield that had received some sun bake. When the top layer of the ice/snow has softened, the spikes on these arent long enough to penetrate down to solid ice. Hence, I found myself in a precarious situation with these spikes on a steep snowfield while losing traction. Given the right conditions, I rate these 5 stars. But in the wrong conditions, they are nearly useless. Youve been warned.

Easy to put on, nice grip, very useful when the crazy icy rain comes around. Keeps us safe when working outdoors. Great product.

Ive owned a few pairs of microspikes over the years, and the name brand remains my favorite even though cheaper alternatives are now available. I prefer Katoula for a few reasons: 1. they work better (just enough grip to stay on ice and snow, not so much that you clump up a bunch of snow or pick up lots of leaves and pinecones along the way), 2. they have a small size (important for my size 4 foot! I now own two pairs, one thats stretched out for my bigger boots and another pair I keep for smaller boots so they fit well), and 3. they back their product with a 2-year warrantee. I HAVE been disappointed to see the quality go down since I bought my first pair several years ago, and they do sometimes break. But, they still tend to work better and be better-made than most other places. I was pleased recently when a new-ish pair broke just before the 2-year warrantee expired, and they replaced them with a new pair promptly without issue. All in all, I LOVE my microspikes. These are SUCH a useful thing to have here in NH where we have plenty of wintery weather with packed snow and icy trails. I use them for hiking, walking, and simply doing chores around the yard all winter long. Im surprised more people dont own them. I think more people would enjoy the outdoors in winter if they made use of microspikes, and theyre way more practical, enjoyable, and affordable than snowshoes for most conditions.

These came in handy when traversing some steep snow crossings. However, they worked far better when conditions were icy. When conditions became slushy in the afternoon, they were of only marginal value. They are well constructed and take very little time to put on and take off--that is a huge benefit when hiking.

I was somewhat put off by the price on the day of purchase, but these well designed cleats happened to arrive during an unrelenting series of ice storms, during which they more than proved their worth. Easy to put on and take off, easy to transport, and far less likely to dislodge than other cleats I have tried, these immediately and forever have ended the series of humiliating pratfalls I had been taking on the way from my car to my back door, on thrice-a-day dog walks, and on at least two serious treks through terrible weather over very slick and unforgiving surfaces in the deep rural countryside. I am more than pleased.

Used these for crossing Anderson Pass on the Olympic Peninsula. Saved my bacon more times than I can count. Durability was good. Held up to multiple 100-200 yd walks on bare ground just fine. Even helped me cross a very slippery downed log over the Dosewallips river!

These were recommended by a friend that I work with in winter at a ski resort. I only got to use them once and I am looking forward to some winter packing next year as well as work. They were the only thing I found that would fit over my winter boots and still be snug enough for my hiking boots.

This is the second pair of these I have bought. The first pair was for me, second was for my boyfriend. They are AMAZING. They will make you feel like you have super powers on ice.

Very sturdy material. Got these heavy duty spikes for my husband when he goes ice fishing. He wears a size 11 boot and these spikes fit quite well. Super good traction when you need it!

worked as expected