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Keep your grip – winter isn’t over yet

Winter storms in Georgia, on the Eastern seaboard, pretty much everywhere else – and it shows no sign of stopping soon. Sure, maybe the snow is piled up over your head and it's slick as snot on a glass doorknob, but why let it stop you from getting in your morning run? Perhaps you just need something to help keep you on your feet while you're shoveling your sidewalk? There are several traction mechanisms designed for shoes for everyone from the runners to the home owners to the people working the whited-out frozen streets. Many come from well known companies like Yaktrax, Kahtoola, and 32North. The great thing is, they mostly slip on and off easily and don't weigh much at all. You could easily keep a set in the house, another at your office and another in your vehicle (or bail-out bag).

Slippery morning jog

So what is available and what are the differences?

Yaktrax came up with the product ‘Yaktrax Run’ similar to another shoe traction tool of theirs, only this one is specifically designed for runners. It continues to be made with rubber, but includes an extra strap over the forefoot to hold the mechanism to the runner’s shoe, as the previous traction shoe tool slipped off when being used at a faster pace. It still uses removable 1.4 mm rear coils and carbide spikes on the forefoot as well, and can be worn in temperatures as low as -41 Fahrenheit. The MSRP directly from their site is $40.

Yaktrax lay it out

Kahtoola has the new ultralight “Nanospikes” that, according to some reviewers, are low-profile and comfortable enough to drive in. These spikes are targeted for runners specifically, and offer a 7.6 ounce product spikes measuring less than a quarter of an inch that will keep a runner upright on the icy terrain. The Nanospikes also have one strap that goes over the foot, as well as a strap that goes around the heel, to keep them in place. When the president of Kahtoola was asked about the product, he said he wanted to come up with an attachment for shoes that runners could use on the sort of favorite shoe that sometimes took years to find. He advised this product will “allow runners to take that shoes in icy conditions and not have to buy a whole new shoe”. This device is not yet on Kahtoola’s website, but can be found on Outdoor Retailer’s site for $49.95.

Kahtoola from the bottom

The third traction control shoe attachment we would like to look at is from 32North. They have brought to the market the ‘Stabilicer Sport Runner’ that uses identical heat-tempered steel cleats as the ‘Stabilicer Lite Hiker’ and ‘Lite Walker’ products. What makes the Sport Runner different is not only does it  target more of the athlete/runner type, it also has replaceable cleats, extending the life of the product over several seasons. The Sport Runner has a ‘hook and loop’ velcro strap that goes over the foot to keep it snug to your shoe, rubber grips for the heel and toe (also to ensure a firm no slip grip to the shoe), as well as dual-density construction for rougher-terrain environments. This product has an MSRP of $39.95 off their direct site.

32North Stabilicer from the bottom

To get more information on any of the three above products, use the following links:

Yaktrax Run, visit here.

Kahtoola Nanospikes, visit here.

32North Stabilicer Sport Runner, visit here.

Cover image from 1Zoom.

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