Features:

  • Traction cleats that fit over shoes for safely walking, hiking, or jogging on packed snow or ice
  • Made of high-strength, abrasion-resistant 1.4 mm stainless-steel coils and heavy-duty rubber; secured to shoes with durable rubber straps
  • Provides 360 degrees of traction on cold surfaces for all-direction stability
  • Durable rubber foot frame with removable over-foot strap ensures an excellent fit
  • Tested safe from breakage in temperatures as low as -41 degrees F; available in S, M, L, and XL sizes to fit most shoes
Yaktrax:Running Shoes :: Chains:Tires

First, let me say I have no financial interest in these. I just went for my first run in the Yaktrax. It was slushy and there was about 1 inch of snow on the sidewalks with some icy patches. The Yaktrax are rubber and metal contraptions you put over the soles of the shoe and are fastened with velcro. They function the way chains would on tires. I found that my grip was immensely improved. There was no slippage either going up snowy hills or down. I found that one of the hardest things about running in the snow had been the feeling of running in sand where not all your momentum propelled you forwards. Not a problem with these bad boys. I intentionally ran downhill and jumped to a stop to see if I would skid on the snow and it was like jumping into velcro. I was so surprised that I almost lost my balance. I was expecting to skid forward at least a bit. I have not yet tried them on areas I would consider to be hard ice yet. I had worried that it would be uncomfortable running on Yaktrax because it would feel like I was running on a thick wire the whole time but this was not the case at all. Friends, it's going to be a long cold snowy slushy winter followed by an equally cold snowy slushy spring. I would encourage you to consider these.

A WINTER MUST HAVE!!!

Several years ago my husband was going down our driveway to grab the newspaper when he hit a patch of black ice. He cracked his skull, & laid, unconscious for about 20 minutes, almost going into hypothermia. It was 5AM & there was no one around to help. He's fine, thank you, :) but since that day we have NEVER been without at least 2 pair of YakTrax each. As soon as the temps begin to hit freezing, we each keep a pair of shoes, with YakTrax attached, by the back door, & neither of us goes out without them. There's also a spare pair in our emergency kit in the car. YakTrax fit over your shoes or boots & provide superior traction even on ice. They're a little hard to get on (we're old & arthritic, so EVERYTHING is hard!), but once in place, they stay put. We've had other brands over the years, but they ended up coming off & getting buried in some snow banks - somewhere. While you can switch the YakTrax to different pairs of boots/shoes/sneakers, I think it's better to have a few pair available just to make sure you don't leave home without them. As far as durability goes, hubby's oldest pair is about 5 winters old & still going strong. He wears a size 11 extra wide shoe & the large fits just fine. Just be very careful if you hafta wear them indoors - in a store or the like. Under those conditions, they're slippery as heck. If you invest in one thing next winter, invest in these, 'specially if you're older & your balance ain't as good as it once was. Believe me, these are well worth the investment - even for the young'uns. ;)

Best. Invention. Ever.

I first bought Yaktrax a couple of years ago, because shoveling an icy, steep driveway and city sidewalks without them wasn't fun, and falling was a common occurrance. With them, I can literally jump up and down on slanted ice, and I will not slip. While wearing Yaktrax, traction is excellent for shoveling. I also walk to work a lot, and doing that on uncleared ice ruts on sidewalks and snow mounds on the city streets can be dangerous. Not anymore. These things are amazing. On/off: it's a little tricky to figure these out the first few times, but once you do, you're good to go. The hardest thing is determining front from back, but they work even when put on backwards. They are stretchy, so you may feel a bit awkward or worry that they'll break the first time you put them on, but they won't, and you'll get over that quickly. Indoors: you can walk with them indoors, but I don't recommend it. They are a bit slippery on smooth floor surfaces (tile or similar). Driving: I feel more comfortable driving with them off, but I know people who drive wearing theirs. Sizing: order your actual size (not larger, or they will move around on your boots), and get the Pro model (webbing less likely to break over time).

All praise to Yaktrax!

Wow. My wife was given a pair by her work and she said they were amazing in snow and on ice. We live at 9,000' on the top of a mountain in the middle of a national forest, so we sometimes get pretty good snowfall. I went ahead and bought a pair, today I had to make two trips to the trash dumpster, probably a 200 yard hike partially up hill (not both ways). The first trip, with three trash bags, I didn't wear the Yaktrax, and I regretted it. I didn't fall, but there was some slipping. The second trip was with an iMac box for the 27" model and with our 50 lb standard poodle, and I put on the Yaktrax. ZERO slip. I was walking directly on ice that had water on top of it. ZERO slip. I am a convert. I am also definitely taking them with me to DC the week after next. They weigh almost nothing, I'll probably take a gallon ziploc with me so I can keep them in my backpack without fear of melt mucking things up. The reviews here on Amazon are kinda mixed: some people have had the rubber break on their first outing, others have them last ages. My wife has been using hers for a month or so in some very heavy conditions, so I think it's luck of the draw as to how durable they are. But for $20some bucks, I have no problem considering them disposable and just replacing them if they break. I also found it easiest to put them on my shoes before I put my shoes on, obviously your mileage will vary with trying that technique.

No more impromptu ice skating!

I wear these when I work at a local dog rescue on weekends. This time of year, we're handling lots of large dogs in icy conditions. After a mastiff took me "skiing" across the icy yard, I ordered a couple pairs of these. A medium for myself (for size 9 women's snow boots) and a large for the rescue owner (size 11 women's snowboots). They are fantastic! I am now able to move dogs from one end of the ranch to the other without being taken for a ride. And I can scrape poopsicles out of the kennels without slipping and sliding around on the ice. They're a little tough to put on at first, but once I did it a few times it got much easier. Removing them is easy.

Keeps you running year round!

Love these for running in the winter. I run snowy and icy roads and trails in Montana all winter long with these. This is my second pair, the first lasted about 8 years of hard hiking and running before breaking a rubber strap. I didn't run long stretches of rock with them, but didn't baby them either. They don't change the feel of the shoe much, and work on boots really well. I prefer these over the running specific ones because they enhance your shoe's existing traction, and don't cover it up with a plastic plate and studs. For packed to loose snow this setup is much better. The metal wires dig into ice well, mostly better than studded shoes. Studs can dig a little better on even, clear ice better, but these are way better for trails. The wires go up around the edges and heels of your shoes, so great when the ground is uneven.

Fantastic on Ice!

I bought these traction cleats because I work at an ice rink and need to get across the ice quickly and safely. They are amazing! When I got these in the mail I thought there's was no way they were going to work, so I bought a different pair without ever trying these. I was going to send them back, but we were doing some painting and they got packed away somewhere and I forgot all about them. The other ones I bought were ok, but I had to shuffle across the ice and straighten them out under my shoes throughout the day. I came across these while cleaning, and thought I may as well give them a try. They are amazing!! I walked across that ice, even the wet ice, like I was walking down the sidewalk. No sense of slipping or sliding in the least. I didn't even feel them on my feet. I kept looking under my shoes to make sure they were still on there. I'm so sorry I didn't try them as soon as I got them and I wasted the money on the other ones. These stay put throughout the day and they work amazingly for getting across the ice quickly and safely. Only one thing I learned the hard way..... They're great on ice, but not hard floors. I tried them on at home walked into my kitchen and went sailing. Do not wear them on hard floors! On ice they're fantastic! I'll buy these again!

The good old original Yaktrax are the way to go

The good old original Yaktrax are the way to go. I looked at tons of alternatives and chose these. Good quality materials and they bite into the ice really well. They work for me, and they worked for my niece who was hugely pregnant last winter in Minnesota. Love the secure feeling of being able to walk through slippery stuff and not slip. These require some strength to get installed, because they have to fit tight, so you may need some help getting them on if your hand strength is not up to the job. I suggest choosing one pair of shoes or boots on which to use them and just leaving them on. Put another pair of shoes in your bag to wear indoors. Oh, and don't wear them inside on your nice floors!

LOVE THESE YAKS

I am always walking my dogs in the open fields or deep woods where they can run. a few weeks ago we had our first snow and then melt and freeze and melt and freeze. So I am walking the dogs who are slipping and sliding and me as the bad back senior doing everything to stat upright. Then along comes another old timer just zipping along with his dogs so I had to ask, how are you staying upright with no problems and he lifted his foot and said "YACK TRAX" I thought he was insulting me, just kidding. As soon as I got home log onto Amazon and search for yack trax and there they were. Now I will tell you with all honesty that I had to return the first pair because they were just that little bit to small. I generally wear a size 10 so I got the mediums for a man size 9-11 or something. I wouldn't get them on my bare foot let alone a winter boot. So I returned for the large and got them today and of all days we are having an ice storm in the Northeast and they worked better than anticipated I swear. Any other old people out there buy these things and save a fall, they do work. If you put them on in the house be careful of slick floors like tile or any other slick flooring they are a little slippery but awesome on the ice. Just make sure you get that little bigger size because winter boots are bigger than anything else. Thanks. Happy Winter

Size does matter-A review about sizing

Don't you just hate when trying to figure out a size people just say it "runs true". Well in the case of something that goes over your foot, it would be nice to know what kind of shoe did they buy it for. In the attached photo is a men's US size 10w tennis shoe and a size 10 Sorel Winter boot. Obviously the boot is larger on the outside. I bought the XL for the boot and the L for tennis and lite weight hiking boot or shoe. The fit is perfect for both matches, maybe very, very slightly large on the tennis shoe, but no way a L cleat would have fit the size 10 boot. The XL probably could handle a size 11 boot, after that your stretching it way too far. How well these will stand up to the test of time we'll find out. I bought these so I could clear the 40+ inches/100+ cm of snow on my roofs. The roofs are not too steep, but enough ice underneath to make me find something to help keep me from falling that would not pierce the shingles like a typical crampon would. If they do not last or have issues I will revise my review and rating, but for now I'm giving it 5 stars for fit and ease of applying. Hope this review helps you figure out the appropriate size for your application.

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