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To Microspike....or not......

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 2:38 pm
by kkayaker8
I don't have them. I don't know if I want them. I don't know if they are really useful or just a fad.

Anyone have any personal advice on the matter? I'm looking at the Kahtoola Microspikes but had the conversation with an sales rep about how they don't actually have traction on the toe up front or the heel way back (where your foot sort of lands first). Then we looked at the Kahtoola K10 hiking crampons. I've always just used snowshoes when there's snow. If I ran into an icy patch, I got creative. I see their use in some spots....but a whole trail? I also have mountaineering crampons. (Plus I have my eyes on vertical crampons, I mean, how many pairs of crampons can one have!)

Thanks in advance!

Re: To Microspike....or not......

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 8:33 pm
by mike
I find them valuable at the beginning and end of the season. I have run into conditions where crampons and snowshoes will not work. I use them quite a bit.

Re: To Microspike....or not......

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 8:04 pm
by dpk
I just bought a pair and find them very useful for compacted snow and ice.

Re: To Microspike....or not......

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:34 pm
by kennykb
I live in Microspikes in the winter. So much winter hiking in this part of the world goes over mixed ice and rock, at which Microspikes excel. Some others switch to full crampons long before I do, so you'll get a variety of answers here.

Re: To Microspike....or not......

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 3:07 pm
by mike
I use snow shoes the most. But, I will use microspikes if the snow is rock-hard or very thin. I always carry microspikes.