Ice Cleat Review – How To Stay On Your Feet In Icy Conditions [UPDATE]

Rain which turns into ice in winter is most definitely one of my least favorite things.  That said I still get out every day just about for a walk.  While I was out today enjoying the mild temps I met three people who made me think this post needed to be revisited.  One man was walking his dog and remarked that he was enjoying the temps too if he could stay on his feet.  Another man was concerned because he saw my cleats and was afraid that if I stepped into the lobby onto hard floors and fall because many cleats are slipper on indoor floors.

Then the woman behind the desk told me of her husband falling on ice and putting a dent in his head. The good new is that over years of living in Maine and walking 365 days a year I have found hat I think are the perfect solutions to icy conditions.

There are ice grippers that have a spring like wire around the bottom rubber frame called 'Yak Tracks'. These type work ok in the snow and even on ice but if you step inside with them on they are so slippery on a hard floor you'll kill yourself if you don't take them off. And getting them on and off although not difficult is a pain when you are running errands where you encounter icy driveways and parking lots. There are also versions with large screws in the bottom to grab in in ice and snow that are great if you are only going to wear them out in the snow. However the same issue of being slippery inside exists with these as well.  And there in laid my problem, I wanted to wear the walking, or after work and on the weekends when things were icy without concern.

That is when I found Due North's Carbide grippers. I recommend these to anyone that asks what makes me walk so surly when there is ice everywhere and here is why.

For starters the carbides seen above are pointy enough to grip well in icy conditions and they  are replaceable.

Second the placement of the spikes leaves a gripping surface in the center incase you step into say the grocery store. These are not slippery at all in a hard floor.  You do however want to take them off on a wood floor because they will scratch it up and make little dimples.

Lastly, I like these because I can even put them on my dress boots to get me into work safely.

I first found these grippers are available through Cozy Winters and you can still get them there for any kind of boot or size shoe.  Since then thought I have seen these in Walmart, Lowes and other local retailers on-line with REI, Dicks, Amazon and many other sites. The prices vary from place to place anywhere from $12.00 to $20.00.  Best money you'll ever spend in my book. The only down side of the ones that I use most of the time pictured here is that when you are wading through snow over the ice they can come off so you have two choices.  Either you can buy multiple sets or you can tie them off with a tether, like I sometimes do, so if they come off you don't lose it.

The style I use on my walking boots are below and they stay on better.

So there you are. Now you may see other kinds but the things listed above are what you want to look for.  So what ever you buy, bundle up, slap on some grippers and get outdoors and enjoy this beautiful Maine winter.

Need an example of somebody from Bangor who needed grippers? Here you go just be warned there is NSFW language.