YAKTRAX Heavy Duty Traction Hiking Cleats, Durable Rubber Strap, Provides Traction In Ice & Snow, Black

Bought these to replace my old set that have given years of good service. Fitting to the shoe is relatively easy and they stay in place even on the longest walk although the toe strap does give some extra security. It is amazing how much confidence they give when walking in snow and ice over the winter, giving a noticeable reduction in muscle discomfort from tensing up. Definitely worth the money.

After the recent snow in December 2010 some streets in London and elsewhere in the South East were left coated in ice. Unless one has the appropriate alpine footwear to hand, walking on such surfaces carries a significant risk of injury as a result of a fall. There are many products available to put over normal boots, from quality crampons at over £45 a pair, to cheap rubber and plastic spikes. I have not tried them all, but having chosen the YakTrax Pro I believe that I have found a great value item which is easy to carry around as a precaution - with no sharp spikes to damage your bag - and which provides great traction on ice. The Pro version has a velcro strap and so does not need to be such a tight fit to be secure. It is therefore easy to put on and take off. This is important as these products are not really suitable for walking on in indoors.The steel spirals are held in place by rubber cords. There is nothing else securing them, and there is no doubt that these will be the first element to wear out. I have seen reports that after running 50 miles or more with these on they can break. However, for the less energetic they should last for many years of normal use here in the South East. In any event, it is no problem if they do eventually break - all one has to do is secure the spirals in place with some copper wire instead of the rubber.Over the last 20 years or so the South East has had exceptionally mild winters. I believe that we will now have a period of more normal winters with snow and ice every year. If so you will eventually need to buy this product or something similar, and so you may as well buy it now rather than when stocks are short and prices are hiked due to high demand.

So far this product has worked well on ice (yet to try on compacted snow). Bought two sizes - size L for my 10.5 to 11 boots and found this fit to be good and size S for my wife who takes size 5 - felt this was a little too big for sole area although not a problem in operation.All in all the product is very effective and I would have given 5 stars if the fitting had been a little easier - found it best to fit to boots before putting footwear on. This situation may improve as the product stretches a little so don't be put off by this - just be aware. I should also perhaps add that I suffer from arthritis so have problems with fingers and wrists so a "normal" person may not have the same difficulty.No idea as yet regarding durability but product does seem quite strong - guess time and severity of winter will tell.Certainly worth buying, even for the few times I have used them, since they do instill a degree of confidence on icy surface.Update - Would now like to give this product 5 stars. Used over winter and found product reliable, very effective - and easier to fit (fit them to boots before you put them on !!) than I first thought. Buy a set !!!

I bought 3 pairs of Yaktrax a few months ago as the weather here in Scotland had become quite icey and my husband, mother-in-law, and myself were all finding it difficult to stay upright. But of course, as soon as they arrived in the mail (promptly, to my glee), the ice melted and stayed away for two months. Go figure! I even jumped the gun and gave them out right away rather than wait for Christmas (oops).However, once the ice and snow came back around, we strapped them on and away we went. My husband told me that he was actually acting as a human ferry of sorts at work as he made several rounds to take people to their cars (his Yaktrax kept him perfectly upright as they went sliding in all directions). I have seen much of the same as I casually walked to the grocery market and saw parents and children clinging to one another and every fence post they passed. Even cars struggled as I nonchalantly went along my way.The addition of these ice grips have also put our minds at ease in regards to my mother-in-law. She does not have the best of balance, so anything that can aid her when ice is involved is always a plus.I will say that it is important to practice putting them on a couple of times before you run out to do it in public, but it's really not a big deal. I always make sure that I am sitting down when I do so as that is what works best for me. Mom also needs help putting them on as she isn't quite strong enough to do it herself. I usually wear them into shops, but make sure to stay flat-footed and cautious when walking along tile or very smooth cement.I don't really have any complaints about my Yaktrax. Two thumbs up, and entirely worth the price!

Walked with confidence on snow and ice in Norway although I found them difficult to put them on when wearing shoes. Worth the aggravation though as I didn't slip once

Thin rubber lets this product down. Don’t expect a lot of miles out them.

The media could not be loaded. You wouldn’t think the coiled spring makeup of these would actually do the job. I didn’t! But I based the purchase off other reviews. I took these on a very icy accent of Helvellyn and they performed way better than I expected. Gripping faultlessly up Swirrel edge and down Striding edge, no breakages and no slips. They will be an integral part of my climbing now. Boots for dry conditions, these for icy and light snow, and full crampons for the heavier stuff. But anyone doubting or unsure of the performance of these grips, rest assured they do a fantastic job.