Kahtoola micro spikes?

[SDHNTR]

Anyone use these? Do they stay on while climbing steep country? Or rip off?

 

[Nick Muche]

These are basically the same thing and have been working fine in terms of hiking, ice fishing and just in general the past year. The rubber worries me a bit and I see both the Kahtoola's and the Hillsound are the same in that aspect... I am taking these to Kodiak because I do not want a full on crampon, these are lighter, easy on/easy off and was told these would be perfect by two guys who bowhunt there every year. If they go tit's up, will try something else next year.

http://www.amazon.com/Hillsound-Tra...12700848&sr=8-3&keywords=kahtoola+microspikes

 

[fillthefreezer]

yes i use them. they work well for what they are. they stay on and give you much safer traction. sometimes i even use them in the steep heather if i have them along.
i have heard of the rubber failing, but mine have been ok.

 

[DaveS]

I've tried a few different traction devices and the Kahtoola micro spikes are the best I've used. They stay on and provide good traction on ice and packed snow. I've never had them rip off. All the others I tried came off at some point. Some came off fairly quickly.

 

[Violent Hippie]

I have only used full on step in crampons such as BD sabertooth or grivel a few dozen times and when in place they can securely take you a lot of places . When on they are awesome in ice terrain up to vertical. I like them a lot. They are easy to get on and off but this is only if you typically wear a full mountaineering boot (this is what I prefer) . They weigh about 3 x what the Kahtoolas do though. I have never used Kahtoolas and dont know how secure they are.

 

[BlackWidowTackle]

I like the hillsound trial for the frozen streets when I am at the fire station and for fishing on the streams.

 

[Buster]

The rubber eyelets broke after a couple uses, so I sent them back and upgraded to to their kts aluminum crampons. (Kahtoola was great to deal with). Never looked back since. They are a thousand times better. I wear them a lot, and they are wearing out, so I'm debating on trying their steel K10 option.

 

[Violent Hippie]

Another consideration is whether you will have or benefit just using snowshoes which have pretty good spikes for climbing as well. I find myself using snowshoes WAY more do to the varied conditions I routinely encounter and have charged up some pretty icy and steep stuff with em. NOT for technical climbs but give pretty good purchase on angled snow and ice. Just depends on the terrain your gonna be in and if encountering many pockets of deep snow the snowshoes work as a multi use piece of kit. If no snow than I obviously wouldnt bring em.

 

[kodiakfly]

A lot of us here use them. It depends on where and how you'll be using them. They ARE NOT a replacement for proper crampons. I've always worn full Grivel crampons for climbing, but for hunting and most moving around on Kodiak or SC/SE AK, they're just too much, get in the way and are heavy. But they're rock solid and there to stay on a mountaineering boot.

But for basic walking, hiking and hunting, I use Microspikes and they work well. If you get too vertical or too intense on them, they may slip, but I've not yet had an issue with the rubber blowing out or failing. They pack small and light too. Until I start roping up for goat hunting, I'll use my spikes for hunting and my Grivels for vertical and hard ice.

 

[Nick Muche]

Happy to hear that kodiakfly. I need something simple, yet effective. I would guess that in other areas of Alaska, a full on crampon would be my best option, but I am thinking what I have will work just fine on Kodiak.

 

[Buster]

Once the kahtoola hiking crampons are adjusted the first time, they do go on quickly after that. I am seriously considering the k 10's once my aluminums wear out, as they are only a 3/4 inch spike (same as the aluminum), and only $35 more than the micro spikes. I started a thread a while back on the options out there. A couple guys from Alaska recommended them.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I use them and love 'em. They are definitely not for every application, but have worked very well for everything I've needed them for. I've never had a problem with them slipping off (or moving around on my boot, as long as I put them on correctly).

 

[justinspicher]

There was a good right up on them in the latest Eastman's Bowhunting Journal. I am hoping to check a pair out in the near future.

 

[luke moffat]

The rubber eyelets broke after a couple uses, so I sent them back and upgraded to to their kts aluminum crampons. (Kahtoola was great to deal with). Never looked back since. They are a thousand times better. I wear them a lot, and they are wearing out, so I'm debating on trying their steel K10 option.

Having used, the KTS steels, the K-10s, Kathoola Microspikes, Hillsound trails, and Hillsound Cyrpess 6 for me they all have their pluses and minuses......an article on what I think it best for what use will be coming out in the next couple months now that my hunting season is winding down (hopefully have one more caribou hunt left) and I should be around more to type up some articles on the backlog....

 

[Ed T]

I love the MicroSpikes. Have used them all and MicroSpikes work the best for me and my hunting. I'm still on my original pair from their 1st year. I think they did have some problems with the rubber a couple years back but that seems corrected,

 

[Rossi]

If anyone is looking at buying some Microspikes, Campsaver has a coupon code (TRAKS14) for 20% off them plus free shipping good until 11-11-14. I just paid $51.96 for a pair.

 

[Trr15]

If anyone is looking at buying some Microspikes, Campsaver has a coupon code (TRAKS14) for 20% off them plus free shipping good until 11-11-14. I just paid $51.96 for a pair.

Thanks for the heads up on this. I just put an order in.

 

[kodiakfly]

Just watch them on wet snow...I was using my this week up a hill to get around on a goat and I could not keep the things from balling up. I was kicking snow off every few feet, which is not ideal when you're trying to make best time around a mountain. Next day I bought some YakTrax "Extreme" or whatever they were with anti-balling plates...that did ok in snow, but as soon as I got into a snowy/grassy mix, they balled up too. In dry or light snow, they're fine. And this is where as I said before, they're not a replacement for proper crampons with proper plates.