Traction cleats for boots?

[The_Dinkmaster]

Any mountain hunters ever used snow/traction cleats on their hunting boots? Considering buying a cheap pair off Amazon just to see if it helps with traction in steeper terrain. I dont hunt in snow, so it would just be and gravel/shale/rocky ground.

Any experience or tips would be appreciated. Am I wasting my time?

 

[Wrench]

I've used ice trekkers and crampons. When you need them....you need them.

 

[Mcnasty]

Not sure about gravel shale etc but for hard pack snow/ice I really like Yak tracks. They have saved my butt many times. They are light and you can get ones with a Velcro strap or fashion a top strap just so they don’t pop off.

 

[HighUintas]

Kahtoola micro spikes or hill sound spikes. However, these are mainly the best for hardpack snow and ice. I've worn them on rock, but it's nowhere near as secure as a sticky rubber sole.

If you're only planning on scree, rocky/boulder terrain then I would just get a pair of shoes with sticky rubber and really prominent lugs. La sportiva and salmon both make shoes with these soles. Inov8 has a couple. La sportiva mutants are about the best all mountain shoe I've used.

 

[HighUintas]

Haven't tried the sportiva cyklon but I'd bet it's as good or maybe better than the mutant with it's lower heal toe drop

 

[rcb2000]

Katoolah microspikes,, buy with confidence

 

[yfarm]

I used to run on fresh and packed snow as well as glare ice, found the carbide studded versions gave more security than the coil spring yak type. Both work but the springs gave an old feeling thru the soles of gore tex running shoes. As far as using on rock, concur with sticky rubber soles

 

[The_Dinkmaster]

Well I should clarify.....It wont be just rock. This is Arkansas with softer ground at the bottoms of the ridges that turns more into gravel-type hard ground at the tops of the ridges. Definitely wont be desert/western style rocky ground.

I find that I often slide on the top layer of leaves and pine straw while trying to climb or descend steep parts of ridges. Just kicking around the idea of trying to find something that might help with my footing.

 

[HighUintas]

Well I should clarify.....It wont be just rock. This is Arkansas with softer ground at the bottoms of the ridges that turns more into gravel-type hard ground at the tops of the ridges. Definitely wont be desert/western style rocky ground.

I find that I often slide on the top layer of leaves and pine straw while trying to climb or descend steep parts of ridges. Just kicking around the idea of trying to find something that might help with my footing.

Got ya. I'd still opt for shoes like I described. They're great for soft ground and mud as well. The problem with using micro spikes on that kind of stuff is that they'll pick up leaves or pack with mud a lot easier than deep lug soles, rendering them useless until you knock the debris out.

But, some surface conditions are such that almost no shoe or spike will give good traction like if that upper 2" of ground is soft/muddy and the stuff underneath is firm/frozen. Like super wet freeze thaw conditions in Midwest spring.

Inov8 x talon is probably the best soft ground shoe I've used that also has pretty good bare rock grip and if the style of shoe works ok for you (pretty thin and light) I'd bet they'd do very well in the terrain you describe. I used them a ton in southern Illinois Shawnee NF when I lived there.

However, if you want to try microsoikes, you could probably find a used pair or just resell yours if they don't work out without losing much money

 

[Mountneer]

I've found most of the YakTrax styles don't hold up very long when used on non-snow surfaces. The exception are the chain styles - which may actually work in your setting.
As above, the Hillsound and Kahtoola brands have held up over multiple seasons for us with pretty hard use on snow and dirt. For sure though, gravel and rock will shorten life of any of thse microspike styles.

 

[mtwarden]

I have a pair of Microspikes that are 3-4 years old and still going (probably 1000-1200 miles on them)- you can sharpen them w/ a file. They're tough. I did break the rubber rand on a pair that was probably closer to 5 years old—no complaints as I got my money's worth out of those.

I don't think I'd want them on outside of ice/snow though. The spikes are long enough they may be more of hinderance than a help- sometimes metal on rock can be very slippery as well.

I'd consider what others have said, a stickier outsole- La Sportiva is the logical choice in my experience for sticky soles—wide range of options from various trail runners, approach shoes all the way to stiff boots.

One exception to outside of snow/ice I read about here, guys in SE Alaska hunting steep country w/ a lot of bear grass—that stuff gets super snotty when wet and I can see microspikes being a huge help in those specific conditions.

 

[TaperPin]

Mountaineers have been hiking and climbing around steep stuff since Jesus was in 4H, and the simple hinged crampon has proven to be effective and worth the weight penalty for anything requiring a bit more traction. Duncan Gilchrist talked about crampons in one of his hunting books, one of the very few references to them in all the magazines and books I’ve read over the years.

Smaller spikes gum up, or don’t reach down into the mud, or snow far, although they may be enough for ice or simple slick rocks and logs (much like studded fishing boots or caulked logging boots).

Much of the best deer hunting mountains in western Wyoming is made up of mud layers in addition to sandstone/shale layers. After decent rain, gumbo mud makes walking up the steepest slopes impossible in places. Crampons go right up most muddy slopes. Add snow over the unfrozen mud and the crampons are also perfect for that.

I generally don’t wear them except where needed - it only takes a few minutes to put them on or off.

It should be said that crampons will get you up slopes that are dangerously steep.