Boots for ice?

[Pharmacology]

I have these  H-H "Tanker Boots" that I absolutely love (even though I mistreat them :(), BUT these things might as well have teflon soles when I'm standing on solid ice.
Granted, I'm only on ice when I visit my fiance's family in Russia, but I slip and fall on my hiney an average of 5 times per trip.

I'm contemplating having these boots re-soled, so I thought I would ask the wizened denizens of APS:  What sole/boot for ice?

[zxcvbob]

I wear golf shoes when it's really icy.  They are not very warm...  Maybe you can get boot soles with cleats?

[Perd Hapley]

Like these?

http://reviews.uscav.com/UserReview.aspx?productid=5713


I've walked on a lot of ice with regular Vibram logger soles like these:
http://www.vibram.us/products/popup.asp?Product=109&Style=Fire

Never had much of a problem, but if I did, I would try something like YakTrax:
http://www.yaktrax.com/

[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

Yaktrax (sp?) are supposed to work well. The biggest thing is to stop walking on your heels and never, ever have your knees straight unless you are standing still. Bent knees and landing on the front of your foot tends to reduce slipping considerably.

[charby]

I wear YakTrax when I ice fish if the wind has blown the snow off the ice. Make sure to get the ones with the Velcro strap and take then off when you go inside. Why because on a hard floor you will fall on your ass like on ice and/or you will damage the floor.

[Perd Hapley]

The biggest thing is to stop walking on your heels and never, ever have your knees straight unless you are standing still. Bent knees and landing on the front of your foot tends to reduce slipping considerably.

I guess I do all of that, but hadn't broken it down in my head that way. I just think of it as "walking like the floor is really, really slippery."

Hey, Pharma, are there a lot of boardwalks over there?  Cause that's where I tend to slip and fall.

[BridgeRunner]

Screw some 3/4" sheet metal screws into the soles, the kind with a hexagonal head.  Better than YakTrax, and cheaper, too.

As discussed here: http://www.ultrunr.com/shoesnow.html

Alternatively, try these: http://www.maxigripstore.com/categories/Running-Shoes-Studs/

Or these: http://cozywinters.com/shop/stabilicers-lite.html?utm_source=base&utm_medium=cse&utm_campaign=merchantadv&zmam=61752597&zmas=1&zmac=2&zmap=stabilicers-lite&ctype=2&gclid=CN61jIikxKYCFYQUKgodGG69HQ

Or these: http://www.activeforever.com/p-25036-due-north-all-purpose-snow-and-ice-traction-cleats.aspx?cm_mmc=froogle-_-na-_-na-_-nadue-north-all-purpose-snow-and-ice-traction-cleats


YakTrax got most of the market share for reasons that I cannot imagine have anything to do with performance.  They feel somewhat unstable on bare pavement, they are slippery on bare ice.  They are good for packed snow or soft ice, but it's not that hard walking (or running) on packed snow in the first place. 

Personally, I just learned to walk and run with good biomechanics so I don't fall, and if I do fall, I fall easier and don't get hurt.  It's worked so far.  Honestly, I think a lot of the success that people have with YakTrax is due to the improved gait that the Yaktrax encourage.  With all those round coils strapped to your feet, unless you're on packed snow, you figure out pretty quick that it feels very unstable to heel-toe it, or overstride. 

[Jocassee]

YakTrax got most of the market share for reasons that I cannot imagine have anything to do with performance.  They feel somewhat unstable on bare pavement, they are slippery on bare ice.  They are good for packed snow or soft ice, but it's not that hard walking (or running) on packed snow in the first place. 

Personally, I just learned to walk and run with good biomechanics so I don't fall, and if I do fall, I fall easier and don't get hurt.  It's worked so far.  Honestly, I think a lot of the success that people have with YakTrax is due to the improved gait that the Yaktrax encourage.  With all those round coils strapped to your feet, unless you're on packed snow, you figure out pretty quick that it feels very unstable to heel-toe it, or overstride. 

I like my yaktrax but yeah, what she said.

[Pharmacology]

Ahh, I see; thanks for the cool advice, everyone!

Yep, those are my boots, Fistful.
I've walked over one wooden bridge, I guess, but no boardwalks that I can remember


I'm pretty good at falling well (my dad's judo training certainly helps there), but falling even perfectly in the brown snow slush of a Russian street is less than desirable. :)
I have no idea what it is about walking on bare ice that turns me into such a klutz.  My fiance rockets along at her usual pace, while I'm carefully tip toeing about.
The screws are a great idea, but in certain places (yekaterina's palace, for instance) such footwear would get me a ban.
Perhaps I need to focus on the software portion, and less on the hardware.

[Marnoot]

What about something like this: http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/clothes-workwear/mens/mens-shoes-mens-boots/39034.aspx?feature=product_39?

Full overshoe with spikes. You could wear your regular shoes, then put those on, then take them off when you  get to your destination to avoid destroying the floor.

Or an alternate to yaktrax that's just spikes, no coils: http://www.duluthtrading.com/86133.aspx?feature=related-products-50019-86133&ev3=recommended_products

[Hawkmoon]

I'm contemplating having these boots re-soled, so I thought I would ask the wizened denizens of APS:  What sole/boot for ice?

Nothing really works on ice except cleats or spikes. Learn to walk without allowing your knees to ever straighten completely. (Sailors will know exactly what I mean.)

[stevelyn]

These are the ones I use. I even wear them on duty when conditions warrant it. Even chased down a ner'do well off a fishing boat one night while wearing them. 

http://www.activeforever.com/p-25036-due-north-all-purpose-snow-and-ice-traction-cleats.aspx

[Triphammer]

Cleats, either part of the boot or strap on, for general purpose but there hard on the inlaws floors. Hard woven felt, if it's truly cold, glued/ sewed to the outside of the soles. Thy're usually sold as soles for fishing waders

[RoadKingLarry]

More important than what you where is where you wear them.
Mostly a couple hundred miles closer tot he equator will solve the ice problems.

[Jim147]

I didn't check any of the links. So they may have been mentioned.

 I used to have a bunch of strap on boot chains. They worked for my winter hunting needs.

jim

[Pharmacology]

Cleats, either part of the boot or strap on, for general purpose but there hard on the inlaws floors. Hard woven felt, if it's truly cold, glued/ sewed to the outside of the soles.

This is pretty much exactly what I had in mind. Where could I come by this felt?

(I also think if I goofed up the hardwood floors in the armory of the kremlin, OMON or MVD would be pretty displeased with me :))

[Triphammer]

Start here:
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Regular-Replacement-Felt-Soles/721031.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dfelt%2Bsole%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=felt+sole&WTz_l=Header;Search-All Products

[Boomhauer]

Cleats, either part of the boot or strap on, for general purpose but there hard on the inlaws floors. Hard woven felt, if it's truly cold, glued/ sewed to the outside of the soles. Thy're usually sold as soles for fishing waders

Felt boots are, IIRC, traditional Russian winter footwear.

[Pharmacology]

Thanks TripHammer, i may have to give that a try.

You know, Avenger, I saw those felt valenki a million times, but always just assumed they were house shoes. Heheheh.
I'll have to ask the fiance about those

[Pharmacology]

I had another question:
In Russia, they throw down something salt-like on the streets.  Needless to say, it turns the icy streets into brown mushy crap.

This crap, naturally, got all over my boots. The leather where the boot bends with my foot developed fine cracks as a result of this salt stuff, I think.

Is there any way to repair those?

[BridgeRunner]

Thanks TripHammer, i may have to give that a try.

You know, Avenger, I saw those felt valenki a million times, but always just assumed they were house shoes. Heheheh.
I'll have to ask the fiance about those

A greenie-crunchy-liberal friend of mine who has recently adopted a barefoot lifestyle made herself a pair.  They look pretty nice.  She said she is going to to finish them with a silicone sealer though, which seems like it would not do much for slip-resistance.

[brimic]

My favorite boots: http://www.lacrossefootwear.com/burlyr-air-grip-800g-hunting-boots-23312.html
I've worn these things year round for years. Very warm, waterproof, saltproof, excellent grippy sole- you won't slip on ice with these. They are also very comfortable and supportive, I can and have walked all day in them. If they wear out, I'm buying another pair.
to add: I have a pair of sorel pack boots that are a bit warmer, are just as good on ice, but are miserable to walk in, so I never wear them.

 

[Tuco]

Our mailman wears YakTracks.
He knows all about walking on ice.

[Pharmacology]

Bumping this thread to see if anyone has any solutions for the hairline cracks in the leather.

One person recommended the use of saddle soap, but I thought I'd ask the sage minds here first   

[Harold Tuttle]

i use olive oil on my cracked leather bike seats