As winter approaches, it’s often prudent to carry hiking traction aids for shoulder season conditions when sections of trails are covered with ice. Since ice-covered patches are often intermittent, you’ll want traction aids (spikes) that are easy to put on and take off and that are compatible with your footwear. In such circumstances, many hikers use a pair of rock spikes, which are microspikes that have been previously worn down by heavy use. While you could use a pair of new spikes in these conditions, they’ll get worn down quickly by exposed rocks, so you might as well use a pair that’s already beaten up, namely your rock spikes. Despite being dull, these usually provide sufficient traction for mixed conditions in late autumn and early winter.

Kahtoola MICROspikes are like tire chains for your feet.

If you don’t already have a pair of rock spikes, your best bet is to use a pair of microspikes. These are elastomer harnesses with stainless steel chains and short metal points underfoot. They’re easy to put on when you come across an icy patch and to take off after you’ve hiked through it and are back on terra firma. Microspikes are best suited for use on packed snow, low-angle ice, and for winter hiking on well-traveled and well-packed trails. A single pair will serve you well for an entire winter or longer, depending on how often you hike.

Kahtoola Microspikes are a reliable, durable, and excellent all-around performer used by most hikers. Although some prefer Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultras, which are slightly more aggressive and feature a top Velcro strap for added security to prevent them from popping off your shoe when hiking, which can happen occasionally. Both of these traction aids are surprisingly durable and can withstand a lot of punishment, such as walking across pavement, before they become substantially worn down, and can qualify as “rock spikes.” However, their elastomer harness can exert a significant amount of uncomfortable downward pressure on the tops of your toes if the toe box of your shoe is too soft. Experiment with different shoe/microspike combinations to avoid this issues.

If you prefer trail runners, the Black Diamond Distance Spike is an ultralight winter traction aid that pairs well with running shoes. It features a specially designed toe enclosure that does not exert pressure on the toes, making it suitable for use with trail runners that have soft uppers. These sell out fast every winter, so grab pir today if you want to use them.

The softshell cover distributes the force of the binding and prevents pressure points while keeping the toe box warmer and drier.

The Kahtoola Ghost is another winter traction aid for shoes with soft uppers. It’s just come out, and we’ll be testing it in a few weeks when temperatures drop and we get some ice and snow.

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