Microspikes - our latest gadget

[frank_in_oz]

Just a quick preliminary gear report on these little babies.

What are they?
"Lightweight" (300 - 400gms depending on size) boot / shoe "chains" WITH spikes

spikes_prod.jpg (33.13 KiB) Viewed 4445 times

Background:
Recommended by a mate from the east coast of the USA. (had never seen them in Oz)
Researched em and they SAY they are OK for rock, concretes, scree, ice, snow.
Bought four pairs from http://www.kahtoola.com/microspikes.html - worked out to $90 each including freight
Incredibly they were ordered last Monday night and were delivered Friday...

Why?
Heading off on the OT in mid September. Last two times we were in that area in "winter" the duck boarding and shaded sections of track were very icy and treacherous. Fell over a few times and travel times were very slow as my wife hates "slipping".

Test
Went to Falls Creek in Vic this weekend - family ski trip - they ski and have fun - I ski slowly and pay (not so much fun)
Conditions Friday snowy and icy and very slippery on the roads etc around the village.

Threw on our Microspikes and they were great.
1) Really easy to put on (almost one handed)
2) Did not feel too weird to wear on solid surfaces like road and gravel - (Thought it would be like being perched up in the air on unstable chains)
3) Worked a treat on icy surfaces. Just like walking normally
4) Worked really well on compressed / icy snow (like you get on duck boarding) Including one section that was almost a 40 degree angle.
5) Did not move around or slip off the boot - just held in position

Possible risks/ problems / issues
- This was an hour long test in "civilised" conditions - no pack or tree roots or bog holes - therefore untested in rough conditions (not that the OT is very rough)
- not sure of durability of (to quote) "tough elastomer shoe harness" if hooked in branches , roots etc. It does fit very snugly to your boot / shoe
- NOT designed to replace snow shoes in deep snow - bought em to improve traction where snow shoes are a pain i.e. wearing big and clumpy duck like feet trying to walk up an icy rock face or down a very slippery section of duck boarding

Conclusion
- Look the goods for us as even if we increase my wife's speed by 20% they are worth every $$
- adding another 400g is acceptable if we can save a few falls and bruises
- will probably still take snow shoes (we have Yowies and have used them in the area before)
- will do a follow up on how they go

[Nuts]

HI Frank, Ive been thinking of trying their snowshoe system:



They look more versatile but do seem expensive, heavy and flimsy compared to yowies/spikes.
Ice is no fun, especially on southern slopes and if traveling early/late.

[alliecat]

Thanks for the review Frank. I've been looking at these for a while and hoping someone else would give them a try in Tassie conditions

I think that the combination of these and the yowies are probably the best possible setup for Tassie conditions as we don't get miles and miles of deep fluffy snow, but we do get lots of icy, slushy, slippery tracks.

Good luck on the OT in September. Look forward to hearing how it all goes.

Cheers,
Alliecat

[frank_in_oz]

Thanks Nuts and Alliecat,
Hopefully a combination of the spikes and yowies will work out ok.

Really looking forward to getting down to Tassie again and hope we have a bit of the white stuff to wade through!

Did an expanded version of this post on Our Hiking Blog : http://frankinoz.blogspot.com/2009/08/m ... n-icy.html if anyone is interested in reading more of my ramblings.

[robl]

Hi frank in oz,

I took 2 types of Kovea instep crampons to Tassie in July/August this year.
I hoped to walk the OLT in winter.

This is the link to my previous thoughts.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2124

It was too warm and and wet to go to the OLT and so I played on the east coast.

This is what I planned to use.
The larger instep crampons have given me confidence in practice on the mainland.
The small spiked set might be good on the boardwalks.
The snow shoes are very cheap.

[alliecat]

Robl,

What brand are those snow shoes? They look like they could be a cheap alternative to the yowies.

Rhanks,
Alliecat

[robl]

The snowshoes are "LITTLE BEAR- snowshoes- patent pending"
Aquired in Cooma early 2009 for $20 or so, in used condition, from a rental shop.
(Most rental punters may like crampon spikes on their snowshoes, hence these may not be popular.)

I think numbers of these were imported several years ago.
I may have even seen them in Tassie.

If the straps etc. get wet there are icing problems, but this could be true for all snowshoes.