Have you ever been walking down the street on a clear winter’s day, full of confidence and joy and feeling on top of the world? Was this happy moment ever ruined by the patch of ice sitting just out of sight in the shadows? Did you slip on this ice, fall flat on your face, and felt embarrassment in front of the whole world? Well, I have. I have fallen on my butt multiple times as a result of a slippery patch of ice, in fact. Finally, fed up, I marched my bruised ego down to the store and picked up a pair of Yaktrax Pro, and this purchase has changed my life for the better. And I will tell you all about this wonderful product in my Yaktrax Pro Review!
What are Yaktrax?
Table of Contents
Yaktrax, for those unfamiliar with them, are a product designed to help you gain more traction when walking on snow or ice. Yaktrax accomplishes this by wrapping around your footwear, and uses a metal coil system that “bites” into the ice. The result is that you can walk all over the ice and never slip again!
The Yaktrax Pro are Yaktrax makes multiple version of what is essentially the same product, but are modified to suit different purposes. These models are:
Yaktrax Walk-The entry level offering designed for the average walker. The commuter not interested in winter hiking.
YakTrax Pro- A beefier version of the walk that is designed for hiking.
Yaktrax Run- A model designed for the trail runner. Features a “plate” for traction, rather that metal links.
And there are some more, designed for various sports. However, I feel that these are probably the most common applications.
How I Became Acquainted with Yaktrax Pro
I grew up in a sunny, warm climate that rarely sees any snow or freezing conditions. When I moved out of my parents house, and off to college in a mountain town that sees several feet of snow a year, I didn’t realize what I was in for. I envisioned it as a sugar plum fairy, winter wonderland alpine paradise. That assumption was partly right, but I was pretty unfamiliar with how to prepare myself for the unforeseen challenges it would present.
After a storm would blow in, it would indeed become a cozy winter wonderland. After the snow melted, however, the town quickly turned into a cold slippery place. I did not consider the fact that the puddles of melted snow would refreeze when temps dropped at night, and turned into slippery black ice. I would end up mozying on down the street, probably to a coffee shop to study, and slip on these icy traps. The result, of course, was a literal pain in the a**.
I am shy to admit that it took me way to long to find a solution to this problem. This happened a dozen times, winter after winter. I was getting tired of it. A friend heard my plight. Familiar with the pain of slipping on winter ice, she recommended me the Yaktrax Pro.
I took a walk down to the local outdoor gear store, and zeroed in on the footwear section. At $30, the yaktrax pro was a steal. Compared to the similar offerings also for sale such as Microspikes, Yaktrax was clearly the choice for the budget minded adventurer. Also offered was the Yaktrax Walk, at $20. Though it was cheaper, I trusted the advertisement that the Pro model would serve me better on the iced over trails that I loved to hike. Also, the cool looking topographic map patterns that adorned the box helped to sucker me in. I threw my debit card down on the counter, and walked out as a new proud owner of the Yaktrax Pro.
Performance: Walking, Hiking, and Running
Walking
The yaktrax pro served me well on the streets. I did not slip on my way to class and back. Ice and snow had no affect on my ability to walk. I strolled over these obstacles proudly, as if I was walking on warm, dry pavement. For this purpose, the yaktrax pro work wonderfully. These should be a mandatory purpose for anyone moving to a cold climate.
Hiking
For hiking, the Yaktrax pro worked just as well. They were designed for hiking in the snow, after all. I took them on a 4 mile roundtrip hike, through varied terrain and elevation change. The Yaktrax performed as if I was wearing them on my way to class. They have the added benefit of being fairly lightweight, and folding up small, making them ideal for winter backpacking trips.
Running
The Yaktrak Pro performed well on a 3 mile trail run. The snow was freshly fallen, and I was aching to work off some holiday calories. I strapped them onto my trail runners, and off I went. The addition of the Yaktrak Pro did not impede my ability to run, my form, or my pace. I did not fall on my face, and my dignity was saved. However, the Pro series is not designed for running, as Yaktrax makes a running specific model. For this reason, I might hesitate to use my Yaktrax Pros for running regularly.
Some Downsides
The Yaktrax Pro is not all peaches and cream. There are some downsides and inconveniences with this product. Perhaps my biggest issue is donning and removing them. The Yaktrax Pro are not meant to be worn inside a building, so it can become tiresome when constantly having to put them on or remove them when entering or exiting a building.
The second problem (although not a problem yet, per se) is the long term durability of the YakTrax Pro. It uses an elastic band that wraps around the foot to attach itself. While this band has held up well thus far, I can see it becoming degraded with use, and eventually snapping from stretching it too much.
The third issue is that the Yaktrak Pro doesn’t always like to stay put. They do not always stay firmly on one part of your footwear, and can sometimes slip around, resulting in an uneven distribution of the the traction links. This may also apply uneven pressure to different parts of the foot. This has not yet proven to be a huge issue, and it rarely happens. Regardless, it can be annoying to have to re-adjust them on a hike.
YakTrax Pro Review: The Roundup
The Good
- Affordable! At $30, they are the budget minded option.
- Offers great, no slip traction on ice and snow when walking, hiking, and running
- Lightweight and packable, making them ideal for backpacking.
- Fits snugly on any shoe or boot.
The Bad
- Long Term durability may become an issue, especially when compared to its more beefy competitors.
- Can often slip around on the shoe, refusing to stay put.
- Can be inconvenient to constantly remove and reapply when entering and exiting a building.
TrekkerTimmy’s Rating: 4/5 Stars
Buy: Yaktrax Pro
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