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Review: Kahtoola Microspikes

January 10, 2023 by Chelsea Findling Leave a Comment

Showing a close-up of the Kahtoola Microspikes sitting underneath the black boot to the right. To the left the red stretchy part can be seen sitting on the boot.
Showing the Microspikes on the trail.

Product: Kahtoola Microspikes Traction Device – Unisex

Price: $89.95

Store: MEC

Kahtoola Microspikes are awesome to use when heading out on an icy adventure hiking around your neighbourhood or in the mountains. They might be a bit expensive for some outdoor hikers but are thankfully cheaper than one hundred dollars or more for hiking crampons. These microspikes are totally worth it as they are reliable and useful to feel steady on your feet. They are easy to put on and removed on various types of boots for both men and women. Many different sizes are available for purchase. Unfortunately, their smallest size is a six to nine for women’s shoes and don’t offer a smaller size for children. The company provides a small bag to carry the intertwined traction device in your hiking bag.

Table of Contents

  • Kahtoola Microspikes for Hiking
    • Stretchy Red Rubber
    • Bag to Carry
  • How They Were Tested
    • Sharp Metal
  • Overview of the Kahtoola Microspikes
    • Pros
    • Cons
    • Kahtoola Microspikes are Best for:

Kahtoola Microspikes for Hiking

A picture of our tester wearing the Kahtoola Microspikes on the snowy and icy pathway that is part of Maligne Canyon.
Walking along the snow pathways further along the hillside from Maligne Canyon.

It was super icy walking along the pathways to get into Maligne canyon. Even with the railings on the steep inclines, our tester was super happy to have Kahtoola microspikes to dig into the ice and provide grip on the hike. The microspikes worked well in the snow and ice combinations on the trails as well. These would also work while walking in a ravine or neighbourhood on icy sidewalks during family quality time over the winter months.

Stretchy Red Rubber

The red rubber stretches over different-sized boots. They have sizes available to fit your footwear. They generally stay on the boot, as long as they are pulled up equally at the front, back and sides of the boot. After multiple uses, they might lose their stretch and fall off the boot, especially if not distributed on the footwear properly.

Bag to Carry

They come with a handy small sturdy bag, useful for carrying the Kahtoola Microspikes that fold nicely into themselves and can be stored in a backpack if they aren’t needed during a hike. While backpacking Poboktan trail successfully, these traction devices would have been ideal in the icy and snowy conditions we encountered along the way. Being compactable to carry, we would have been able to find room to bring them with us. Unfortunately, they aren’t lightweight but could save your footing on icy inclines or descents.

How They Were Tested

  • Showing a waterfall melting at the base of Maligne Canyon where we walked.
  • Our testers standing in front of the iced over waterfall while wearing the Kahtoola Microspikes.

Our tester used the Kahtoola Microspikes on:

  • steep inclines and descents that were covered in ice and snow. Even with the railings that were suggested we hold onto, it made our tester feel much more confident to hike in this environment.
  • slick ice with running water on top of it from the melting ice on frozen falls
  • on iced-over water pools that lead deeper into the base of Maligne Canyon. On short ice descents, the grip on the ice provided stability as our tester walked and hung on to rocks to easily navigate getting to their final destination in the canyon without falling or getting hurt.
  • snow-covered ice pathways throughout Maligne Canyon’s extended hike up on the hillside.

Sharp Metal

The sharp metal provided traction and allowed the microspikes to dig into the snow and ice. As the name suggests, small spikes do the trick to dig into the ice and provide traction. Keep them away from your face or anyone else’s face to help prevent potential injuries.

Tip #1: Dry off your spikes once you’ve completed your outdoor adventure to prevent rust from forming on them.

Tip #2: Look down at your feet periodically to make sure you are still wearing both microspikes and haven’t lost them, as that can happen on occasion.

Overview of the Kahtoola Microspikes

Pros

  • The sharp metal allows the microspikes to dig into the snow as well as ice to provide confidence and stability.
  • They are easy to put on and stretch to fit onto your boot.
  • They come in different sizes.

Cons

  • They might slip off after multiple uses.
  • They can be expensive for some outdoor enthusiasts.
  • They don’t offer smaller sizes for children.

Kahtoola Microspikes are Best for:

  • Hiking in Maligne Canyon
  • Hiking on snow and ice-covered pathways around a neighbourhood or in nature mostly in the spring, winter and fall.
  • Providing confidence to walkers to attain their exercise goal for the day without getting hurt.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through my links, I might receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend companies and products that I’ve used and tested myself. If you’d like to support me, I’d greatly appreciate it! It will help pay for the costs to run my website.

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Hello! I'm Chelsea Findling. I grew up in an outdoorsy family and love spending time in the outdoors near and far from home. I created this blog to help you plan your next couple adventure in Alberta and British Columbia with camping recipes, reviews, tips and new adventures.

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