Yak Trax™ for Running on Winter’s Icy Streets and Trails
Overall Performance (5 out of 5)
Running and even walking on packed snow and ice might seem like an impossibility of reasoning. There are many who treat outdoor running as a three season fitness endeavor and move indoors to utilize the home or gym treadmill. For many, this is the wisest course of action. The inevitable icy conditions of winter make running dangerous with the risk of spraining or breaking an arm, wrist, or ankle much higher. If you know how to fall well like they teach at Army Airborne School than some big patches of black and blue may all you need concern yourself with when you hit the ground running.
However, the purpose of this article is to present to you a great product which tremendously reduces the chances of any of that happening although I’m putting this disclaimer in loud and clear to let you know that a mishap could certainly still occur. So, if you’re a hardy and rugged soul prone to a little thrill-seeking behavior, there is an excellent traction device which you stretch around your running or hiking shoes called Yak Trax™ which will allow you to take to the streets or trails even in the worst of conditions.
Yak Trax™ are a coiled device that simply wrap around your shoes by means of a sturdy rubber-band like material. They’re kind of like a skeletal galosh which provides a great deal of confidence on the ice because the coils are like tiny crampons reducing the chance of slipping. They’re a breeze to slip on and off. Personally, I find that with these on my shoes I can still run in any conditions a Montana winter can throw at us and I’ve never actually fallen although I have slipped a few times and wind-milled ungracefully back to a firm footing both on my way up to local peaks and thru the streets. I modify my running technique a little bit, to adapt to the conditions, by keeping a lower center of gravity and consciously planting more of my feet on the ground with each stride. The Pro is the best model for running.
Yak Trax™ are more than likely available at your local sporting goods store and here are a few Web sites where you can order them. First off the company that manufactures them, Yak Trax™ Some of the most competitive prices (around $ 25) at the time I wrote this were at REI and Cozy Winters.
Sources
Yak Trax™ at https://www.yaktrax.com/yakfacts.aspx