Where things get tricky is when it gets slippery. As a new runner going into this winter, I got kind of freaked out when it started snowing. At first, I did a bunch of my runs at the track, but like I said, BORING! So, finally I sucked it up and started running outside.
Along with winter clothing, one of my purchases was a pair of yak trax pro.
They're made of rubber and have little coils wound around the segments which cut into the ice. They're unisex and come in three sizes: small, medium and large. According to my shoe size of women's 10, I should have worn a small, but the medium started at a 10.5 and fit my shoe a lot better, so I got that.The first time I wore them, I was thrilled. There was a layer of snow on all the paths and I could feel that my traction was great. I even tested it on some icy spots, and my footing felt totally secure. It gave me the confidence to run even though the conditions weren't great, and I was very happy about that.
One thing I didn't like at all was running on bare concrete. They make a kind of clicky noise when you do and you can feel them on the bottom of your feet. They don't hurt, but they're uncomfortable. For this reason, I rarely wore them for my long runs. I actually found myself avoiding the bare patches in favour of running on snow covered spots. Of course, if I ran on long stretches of shoveled sidewalks, I didn't have a choice; I just had to put up with the feel on the bottom of my feet.
I also started to realize that I didn't need them as much as I thought I did. As I ran more, I learned that you can almost always see the icy patches. Yes, you have to pay attention, but that's a good habit anyways. I sometimes left the yak trax at home when it was mostly clear, and I didn't have any problems with running on the spots that still had snow and ice.
Having said that, I did enjoy having them as an option. They let me run at times I was otherwise a bit unsure of the sidewalks, and they always made my footing feel secure.
Until they broke.
I had them for about 3 months, and probably only used them about 12 times. I was preparing to put them on for a run and realized that one of the little rubber straps had broken. Then I looked and saw that one of the other coils also seemed to have detached itself.
Fortunately, I had bought them at Mountain Equipment Co-op, and they have amazing customer service. When I brought them back to the store, I was given my money back without any question. I didn't buy another pair. I question whether they're really designed well for running. Reading other reviews, it doesn't seem like my experience is unique. While they might be a good option for shoveling the sidewalk, I don't know that they can handle the additional load running puts on them.
I must admit that I miss having them, but I can't really recommend them. I'm on the look out for another traction device, although I don't think it's as vital as I used to. If you do buy them, I strongly recommend buying them somewhere that has good customer service and a good return policy...
How do you deal with icy sidewalks?
