Yaktrax Pro Traction Cleats for Snow and Ice

These work great! I use them while snow blowing or shoveling. Since they're only metal coils (instead of metal cleats or spikes) you don't have to worry about them damaging walkways or anything. Only complaint is that the x-large ones I bought don't fit around my winter boots, or tend to pop off, but I have freakishly large shoe size (14 extra wide) so I'm used to it. I just use some less-insulated hiking boots which keep me warm unless I'm going to be outside and stationary for many hours like while camping.

The product works very well out of the box, however it does not work for long before the straps start breaking. I really like the design of the tracks, the spiral springs work well for traction and unlike other products with spikes, these do not dig into floors (installing in house and walking out front door). The problem with this design is that the rubber band frame the springs are attached to is not strong enough, once it fails the entire tread is worthless. After using the product on four, 45 minutes walks both tracks failed with broken frame bands (same band on each track). Once the bands are compromised the track no longer stays in place and is now trash. My other program is warrantee support, the tracks must be mailed back to manufacture or where you purchased (I purchased through amazon from a reseller). $6 to send the tracks back in the mail for a $15 is not worth it for me. Clearly the company understands most people will not make a warrantee claim with these economics. Therefore, mine went into the trash can and I'll never buy this product again. Would recommend others considering these look at another product that better addresses the durability challenge.

The majority of people that seem to have issues with these staying on / fitting are likely buying a size too large. I went with a small (for reference, in running shoes i wear a women's size 8) and pulled these on without any issues. They WILL feel tight/taught and it will likely feel like you're stretching them beyond what you should, but I think that's the key. You want a tight, snug and secure fit, especially if you're going to wear these jogging/running. Although most of the snow around the city was melted by the time I went out in these, I did have to plow through a few snow dunes and felt extra traction, even on packed icy snow. I think for the price, these are a good value, but be mindful to remove them when you're indoors as I think they'd quickly destroy/scratch up indoor flooring!

We have been having one of the coldest, iciest winters ever here in the Midwest, and I dreaded going outside until I got these, as I'd slide around and nearly break my neck with every step. These worked wonders and gave me complete confidence to walk outside on ice and snow. Other reviewers have mentioned that they're slippery on linoleum, and I'd second that. But otherwise, a great investment. Oh, I wear a women's size 10 shoe, and got the medium size. They haven't slipped off or given me any other troubles. EDIT: A couple weeks after writing my first review, one of the plastic/rubber pieces on the bottom (part of one of the X's) detached and started flopping around. I had to send them back. I don't know if this was because I wore them on regular sidewalk pavement as well as ice/snowpacked pavement, but I hope not because I don't know how you get around the fact that some people shovel and some don't! Anyway, I revised my star rating down to 2 (from 5). Too bad they didn't last more than a few weeks!

Ah--what can be said about Yaktrax that has not already been written? It is a disposable item - like those hand warmer packets: designed to be consumed and replaced. Save yourself a lot of aggravation - get the Pro. It addresses all the major failings of the basic Walker: - Strap solves the problem of them coming off your shoe. - Rubber is more durable - In the Walker, this will be the first thing to fail. In the Pro, it will out-live the coils and last an entire winter (maybe 2). - Coils are more durable - if you live in an urban area, DO NOT GET THE WALKER. But the Pro will still require maintenance. As you walk on cement, the coils will wear and break. The broken coil may fold onto itself, which is annoying. And the free end will hook on carpeting - very annoying! TIP: turn the cleat inside out when the wear gets heavy or when coils just start to break - that will double the life of your Yaktrax. If your heel wears faster than you toe, flipping them heel to toe may also extend the life. If you walk on carpeting, you will have to repair the coils each time they break. Bend the free end into the adjacent loop so it stops snagging carpet loops. Stainless steel is very hard to bend, so you should use wire snippers to get a better grip. Now to traction: Traction is a trade-off. A pair of crampons will be awesome in snow and ice, but can't be used elsewhere. Studded cleats (Stabilicers, etc.) are solid on ice, but tough-going on concrete and will damage wood and vinyl (after just 1 week, my front porch is covered with impressions from my Stabilicers). And the better they bite the more likely they are to come off. The Yaktrax coils won't damage Vinyl. They'll damage wood only lightly. They're OK on snow and give you enough of a grip on ice that you won't break your neck. So, the best cleats for you depends on how you will be using them. If your urban and don't want to be taking your cleats off all the time (and don't walk on carpeting), the Yaktrax Pro may be the best choice. But be super careful walking indoors on smooth, wet vinyl floors, which is basically the entry of every business.

I purchased my origin Yaktrax Pro in 2008, and it lasted three years though it was getting a bit worn this season and the coils were working their way loose and sometimes caught on things. So in November 2013, I ordered a new pair. They've changed the design a bit and it's flimsier than it was ... a month later, one of the rubber strips broke and now the coil that was on it is just flopping around. Not happy about this. I've looked at the alternatives, and I don't need gear for hiking or running on glaciers ... just for getting around town and going to work without falling and breaking a bone on the ice and snow. EDIT: I've upped the stars to five ... it turns out that the problem is with the shoe size. The "tightness" of the new design overstretched the rubber, and it snapped. I wear 11W shoes, and ordered Medium per the Yaktrax sizing chart. I called Yaktrax, and they suggested I needed a Large. I went to REI locally, and lo and behold, a Large fits me perfectly. Even better, Yaktrax told me to send in my broken pair and they'll send me a new pair in Large size. When I send my broken pair to Yaktrax, I'm including a letter strongly suggesting they revise their size chart to take foot width into consideration.

I am sure they are very good on ice. I cracked my ankle on black ice this winter and I bought the yaktrax so that this did not happen again. I since found out they will not work if you use them in a city. My friend tried them and the minute he walked on a station floor he started slipping. The instructions are clear " do not wear them on any surface other than ice". Now if you are commuting in a big city and you move from surface to surface you cannot suddenly stop and sit down in the middle of the snow to take them on and off - you need a seat. I have since bought something similar but it has cleats underneath. I also found a cane with an ice pick on the tip. I never want to break my ankle again.

This probably not a completely fair review because I live in Michigan with a XL-sized winter, and I walk 6 days a week. That said, these will move around a bit on your boots after you've had them for a while, and I've never had a pair last nearly a whole winter without some of the coils breaking. However, I'd never be without them. Most important: if you do anything more than very occasional walking, you absolutely need the "Pro" level, not the regular.