UKC

I'm in the market for a set of microspikes. Are Kahtoola still the best option?

Does anyone have any experience with any of the slightly cheaper offerings from Grivel, Camp, Edelrid etc? I see Decathlon also have their own brand Quecha offering.

I've have 2 pairs of grivels (medium and large) which I use on different boots.

Had them a few years and used pretty regularly. No complaints from me. They do exactly what they need to.

I can't speak for other brands, but I've been using my Kahtoola spikes for the last few days on local icy lanes, they've been going strong for well over 10 years.

We have some Black diamond ones and really like them. They are very light, pack down tiny and are very robust. 

I haven't used other ones, so nothing to compare them to, but these have been well used and no complaints. 

When I was looking to buy them, they were about the smallest pack size on the market at the time. No idea if that's still the case 

Edit to add: I think mine are the "access spikes" and my husband has the "distance spikes"

Picked up a pair of these yesterday Nortec Nordic Micro Crampons Acid Green https://search.app/np1MZK25D4M1gP8g9

Will use for trail running and walking. Fitted them to my La sportivas and they went on pretty easy/look pretty sturdy.  

I suppose it depends on what you are planning but I've used Magic Spikers for years when out day walking.

https://magicspiker.eu/en/home/

https://footwarehouse.co.uk/product/magic-spiker/

The only thing is they don't cover the whole foot but that hasn't been a major issue I've found. Fine for paths, not so good for scrambling. The advantage of them is they are cheap and easy to stick in a bag and yet are quite robust. I have literally had my pair for over 20 years.

I have a few pairs of the Grivel explorers in different sizes and they seem great (although don’t have any other brands to compare them to)

For the past 15 years I’ve been using a pair of Kahtoola microspikes that I won in a UKC comp - they’re still going strong and have had a lot of use. Perfect for winter running, give you loads of confidence, and they show no signs of degrading/wear yet.

Ive been using these for a few winters - no problems..
https://www.amazon.co.uk/SHEEFLY-Crampons-Anti-Slip-Stainless-Microspikes/d...

I’ve been using these for a few years for winter hills that don’t pose anything technical that would need actual boots and crampons.  They’re good.

I've used the grivel ones for several years now and they are fab and going strong! 

My take from this thread is "they're all pretty good" as long as you spend a reasonable amount. 

A friend paid £10 from Amazon and I think they lasted 1 serious trip out in North Wales!

I bought his and hers Grivel Ran Anit-Slip microspikes a few years ago for ~£30. Other half Christened hers a couple of winters ago on icy pavements, but I only got round to using mine yesterday and they performed very well on icy roads/paths then snowy slopes. They do a great job and great value.

I wouldn't pay double the price I paid for them for Kahtoolas Microspikes that don't even feature the addition of a velcro instep strap.

If I was buying today I'd probably go for the Decathlon ones.

I gave an early version of the kahtoola microspikes (the rubber uppers have changed at least twice since I bought them). Never had one come loose even in deep snow worn over gators, so not sure why the lack of a velcro fastening should be a concern, unless of course the new supposedly improved models are less secure than the older versions. 

Mine also don't have a velcro strap (black diamond ) and I have also never had a problem. 

Depends on exactly what you intend to use them for.

I have a pair of Kahtoola Exospikes, which are great for non-technical trail running.

They do feel secure enough on my boots that I don't think they'd come if even without the strap. Perhaps the best evidence for this is that the current version (Grivel Explorer) has done away with the strap.

Thanks for all the responses so far. It seems like I don't need to splash out the extra for Kahtoola at ~£55, when Grivel and similar are ~£35.

Do you know how long the spikes on the grivels are compared with the Kahtoola? (ie do they protrude more).  (I'm happy with my old Kahtoolas but get asked about alternatives - usually say to go to a shop..)

I am personally a big fan of Yaktrax (the coiled spring type ones) rather than actual spikes.  They grip ice very well (even for walking down the road purposes where the ice is only thin and so longer spikes might not dig in properly).  For anything they don't grip, you're getting into proper boot/crampon combinations, really.

My wife and I have sets from camp. We found them useful for crossing snow etc while walking in the alps. 

We have clearly had different experiences. I can think of any number of walks I have done where Yaktrax would have been inadequate and crampons unnecessary. Microspikes fit a useful niche for winter walking. They also have the advantage that they do not need to be used with mountaineering boots, and work well with less rigid footwear. 

Also have the Grivels (used to be called Ran, now something else). Fit well - a bit of a squeeze to get them on, particularly if you're standing on ice to do it, but then stay on very well. Used on icy pavement (but need enough depth to the ice) and hiking. After about three or four years the spikes do seem to have blunted a bit, so when walking on a lot of deep sheet ice (frozen water rather than icy snow) at the weekend, they skidded a little (ok when I sort of stamped my feet down more), but I expect that's more down to abuse from me using them on shallow snow on rocks, rather than any inherent fault.

If there's any easy way to sharpen them, I'd be interested.

I tend to agree with this. Additionally, I find that Yaktrax feel more unstable underfoot (may not bother everyone, but important for me as I have a chronically unstable ankle), and I've managed to break a couple of pairs running on trails. 

I still have a pair, but I have not used them since I bought my Kahtoolas.

I bought some Camp Ice Masters last year for a jog up Aneto and they were absolutely fine crossing the "glacier" at the top but more importantly the short 45° snow slope at the end. (up and down obvs)

Bargain at 35€

E

I've got a pair similar to the ones Duncan linked, but 4 studs at the front and 2 at the back. Also got a couple of pairs of ones by the AA, which are pretty much a strip of rubber with a Velcro strap to hold them under the ball of your foot.

My old neighbour, who had quite a steep driveway, made his own out of some chain and bungee cord he had kicking around!

Whereas I've had Kahtoolas and vastly prefer the Yaktrax.  They let you walk on ice of any thickness as if it wasn't there.

Do they work on black ice on pavements? That's where I could really do with something. When there's no depth to the ice on my (very steep) hill I just end up housebound. I did try some yaktrax but they were too big for my boots and I didn't think they were really doing anything much. 

Hmm, I would say the same of my Kahtoolas. I should note that mine are the Exospikes, not the more common microspikes - this may make a difference. The Exospikes work well on thin sheet ice on pavements as well.

Also, each to their own - if you like Yaktrax, great!

For black ice on the pavement, I just use the cheap Decathlon rubber ones – easy to roll up and carry daily in the city, and on thin flat ice, they bite perfectly and actually have both toe and heel spikes, unlike the Yaks.

Also, I'd think Yaktrax would be next to useless (or even detrimental) if there was even a small amount of snow on the ice, which is often the case here. They are just too short to bite properly through any snow or slush, it would seem to me.

Yes, having Googled those are totally different.  The more expensive Yaktrax include some studs like those have.

I haven't found this to be the case.

As well as microspikes I own a pair of nano spikes, so the offerings both above and below the exospkies.

Have barely used the nanos, yes they are better on black ice and more comfortable on cleared pavements, but on the hill away from metaled surfaces the microspikes are always my go to choice.

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Yeah, this is where my original comment about "it depends on what you want them for" comes in.

In my case, I use these primarily for lowland trail running, and occasionally for running on icy pavements or metalled surfaces to access trails. I almost never use them on the hill - if I'm on the hill I'm generally scrambling and I'll use real crampons. 

I think that one of the reasons for some of the disagreements on here is that different people are using these tools in different situations and thus not comparing like for like. With that in mind, the OP needs to consider exactly what their planned uses are.

Good they work for you, I just wouldn't think they'd for me...

Think you're absolutely correct on that.

Mostly use my microspikes hillwalking in The Peak where full crampons would be totally ott, but they have saved many a walk where icy conditions would otherwise have meant turning back.

Thought the nanospikes would be good for walking round town, but in reality I don't really do much of that in icy conditions and when I do it's usually in my walking boots which the nanos don't fit (I deliberately bought a size smaller as the micros don't fit over trainers).

I’ve used the generic ones from Amazon or AliExpress. Seem to be perfect for occasional winter mountain trips with a bit of rocky scrambling in. We were up Hall’s Fell Ridge, Blencathra, on Saturday with them. Firm fitting on the boots - medium size for my daughter in size 4 walking boots, large for me in size 9. I much preferred them to rigid front points, less balling up, more natural walking feel. 

There are two versions now of yak traxs. The original rubber with wire wrapped around, which you see regularly damaged and abandoned on the pavement.

they also now sell;

https://www.yaktrax.co.uk/product/yaktrax-diamond/
 

Which were originally made by a different company Icetrekkers, which yaktrax took over.

these are much more robust, and are well suited for thinner compacted ice and snow. Like everything horses for courses.

Agree the original yaktraxs were useless.

Nortec

I recently bought some to go on winter boots for the walk in, to then climb in the technical crampons.

I asked the advice of Needle Sports. They said the Grivel option worked fine. But the kahatoola micro spikes had the advantage of being easier to get on and off. If that's your use case then that is useful info.