Item #1 in Snowshoeing

Item #1 in the top 100 in: Sports & Outdoors- Snowshoeing

Yaktrax Walker

Made by Yaktrax

Sales Rank on Amazon.com: 19914

Average Review: 4.5 stars

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See more items in: Sports & Outdoors: Snowshoeing

Amazon.com Reviews

Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

The following review received 36 helpful votes out of 37 total votes:
Review Date: 2005-12-27
"Don't bust a move or anything else"

Wow, I was very skeptical but there was a ton of ice and sleet outside (in the NC Mountains), and I didn't really feel like staying inside....slip on these "people chains" and off you go. No slip, no falls, no hassle.
One word of caution, they work great on ice, sleet and snow. Carpet and wood are fine but vinyl tile is NOT too good unless you feel like skating and doing a split or two. 5 stars

The following review received 26 helpful votes out of 26 total votes:
Review Date: 2006-12-05
"Things to consider before you buy:"

I bought these to wear to go to our mailbox and for clearing our gently slopping driveway which can be just slippery enough in the right conditions that I have lost my footing on it a number of times. I live just south of Buffalo, NY. I gave them a workout this morning clearing 6" of snow with a thin, shiny layer of ice (think "black ice")underneath that was there because the temp was only just below freezing. Here are my thoughts:

1. You really need the toe strap the Pro Walker provides because these will twist off when you pivot to turn a snowblower

2. They grip best when your full weight is on your foot or when you are digging in as in walking upslope. I was still taking cautious baby steps going down hill and did not feel as secure as I thought I would. Pushing a shovel perpendicular to the slope was fine, though.

3. Walking on snow that packs will build-up on the bottom of your foot as you walk behind a snowblower; you have to stop to stomp it off a lot.

All-in-all, I think these are helpful, but not fool-proof. I'm thinking most would be happier with the Prowalker to keep them on your feet or try the Get-a-Grips to maybe get around the packing-snow-on the-bottom-of- your-foot issue.

3 stars

The following review received 25 helpful votes out of 25 total votes:
Review Date: 2006-03-01
"Great Product!"

I needed something that would keep me from slipping on ice in Michigan during winter. I'm a full time nursing student and walk everywhere on campus, this has made me much more comfortable with walking in bad weather. The Yaktrax really does give you more stability and is antislip.
Highly recommended.
It also doesn't slip off so don't buy the more expensive version with the strap on top. Not needed. 5 stars

The following review received 15 helpful votes out of 15 total votes:
Review Date: 2007-01-23
"not for those who use them for long periods!"

I am a police officer in colorado, and this is our snowiest winter in a long time. I ordered a pair of Yaktrax and wore them for 4 shifts. During the shifts they worked awesome on ice and snow pack. A couple issues with them....

1. in my line of work i dont have time to put them on and off when going into a house or business. Because of that any hard surfaces IE tile or painted concrete are EXTREMELY slick, I almost threw out my back the first time I wore them on tile.

2. after 4, 10 hour shifts one of the rubber parts holding the coils together broke and I had to use a zip tie to fix it. Now after about 5 10 hour shifts the rubber has deep cuts and is stretching out of shape and I expect them to be useless in a couple more shifts. Also the rubber that wraps around the shoe to the upper bands rubs on the ground and wears out fast.

For the average person they are awesome though. Not for this line of work though...... 2 stars

The following review received 11 helpful votes out of 11 total votes:
Review Date: 2007-01-15
"Lifelong fear of ice overcome"

As a child I saw my mother slip on ice in front of our house and get knocked unconscious, injuring her back. Since then I have been terrified of ice and ultra-careful when walking on it. Yaktrax have set me free of this fear and this week (in an ice storm) enabled me to walk down an icy metal stairwell to easily walk my dogs with no worries. (After a neighbor put ice melt on the stairs and turned the ice to slush I felt a little less confident but still no problems.) I've become a Yaktrax missionary - especially to friends who are seniors, more fragile, and can't risk falling and broken bones. For the price, they are terrific preventive health care devices. An aside: I do not have the strap that goes over the shoe, but I wear only very sturdy leather athletic walking shoes outdoors. The Yaktrax fit snugly over the toe and this week I've just left them on all the time. No problem walking on carpet, but vinyl tile didn't feel as secure and I can see how you might slip. Someone else mentioned that they are OK for gravel - The Yaktrax website advises against that. 5 stars