Product Review: YakTrax = AWESOME!!!

As bloggers, we're all bombarded with product review requests.  I don't do them.  I mean, if someone gives you a free pair of shoes, aren't you kind of obligated to give them a fairly positive review.  Plus, a lot of manufacturers want to browse over your written review before you even post it.  If you really think something sucks, are they seriously going to stamp it with their approval and say, "Sure, go ahead and blast us ... we agree with your assessment???"  Nah, I just don't do them.

However, I have written a few unsolicited reviews on products I've purchased, good and bad.  And today's review my friends is 100% positive!  Because today's review is for ...

YakTrax are a heavy duty traction device for running, light hiking, and working on packed snow and ice.   For a while now, I've been reading Miss Zippy's positive comments about YakTrax, and she encouraged me to get a pair of them.  So with the recent snowfall in Lee's Summit (about 3-4 inches), and my gift certificate to Gary Gribble's Running Sports from my daughter on Christmas ($35), I decided to grab a pair today and put them to the test.  They were simply amazing.

YakTrax Pro model installed on the bottom of my Brooks Cascadia 6 trail shoes

Unless it's just ridiculously windy, I'll almost always run outside, anytime of year, regardless of the temperature.  So I've ran many times on snow packed sidewalks, streets, and trails.  And up until now, I've always just used my trail shoes or even just my regular running shoes.  As you know, running in snow flat out gives you a workout.  You really have to focus on form, lift your legs a little more than normal depending on the snow depth, and worst of all your feet slip and slide around with every step really giving your hamstrings a workout.  So I was anxious to find out what the YakTrax could do in about 3-4" of fresh snow that fell overnight.

I bought my pair of YakTrax Pro's from my local running store for $30.  I'm sure you can find them cheaper online.  They come in S, M, L, and XL.  I wear a size 12-1/2 shoe so I needed the Large.  When you take them out of the box, you find that they are basically a rubber web, that is intertwined with what looks like a metal spring.  I easily stretched them over the soles of my trail shoes and then tightened the adjustable Velcro strap over the top of my foot.

Hey look, another gratuitous photo of me running in the snow - oh well, I think it's cool

I couldn't walk around with them indoors or mama would've been all over me for scratching the floor.  So I waited until I arrived at my trail course.  When I put my trail shoes on, I could definitely feel a little bit of a difference, but it was noting distracting that made me alter my steps or stride in any way.  Also I noticed that the YakTrax fit really securely and seemed to simply become a part of my shoe. 

But the most impressive aspect of the YakTrax was when I started running on the snow packed trail.  I literally didn't slip and slide at all.  Every step felt solid and I could feel them gripping the ground every time I planted my foot.  Mind you, it was still a snow run and the typical reduced speed and minor changes in stride applied, but there was just no slippage, which was great.  I literally have nothing negative to say about them.

My only concern with the YakTrax at this point is how long they'll last.  With all of the mileage I log, shoes just don't seem to last as long as they do some folks.  I ran 11 miles today and really looked them over when I got home and they didn't seem beat or scared at all.  My guess is that as long as you stay on soft snowy surfaces and don't run on ice or non snowy roads, they will probably last quite a while.  We'll see I guess.  But the bottom line is at this point - I would highly recommend them.  They really seem to be a great product for runners.
... be great today!