If you have ever been hiking in the mountains in the winter, you will know that ice cleats can be invaluable. On a recent family hike, we outfitted everyone with slip-on microspikes for hiking and it made a real difference. We got our MaxxDry GripOns ice cleats in Canadian Tire, but you can find similar models online and in many outdoor equipment stores. They made such a positive difference in our hiking experience that we decided to write a review – the first product review we have ever published in Wander Woman Travel Magazine.
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Table of Contents
Microspikes for Hiking Costs
On a search of Amazon you will find that ice cleats generally range in price from around $10.00 up to $50.00. We purchased our MaxxDry GripOns ice cleats in Canadian Tire for $9.99 on a Black Friday sale. The regular price for these microspikes for hiking is $21.99, which is very reasonable. We found the GripOns to be good value for the money and would recommend them for winter hikers.
Related: Looking for a great place to use microspikes for hiking? Check out our post about the Grotto Canyon hike in winter.
User Friendly
We put the MaxxDry GripOns over hiking boots, running shoes, and winter boots. The microspikes for hiking fit over the toe and over the heel of the boot. They easily fit over each type of shoe that we tried and they were easy to put on and to remove.
The MaxxDry GripOns ice cleat was light weight and hardly visible when attached to the shoe. In fact, on several occasions during our hike, members of our party thought that someone else in our party had lost an ice cleat off of their boot. Upon closer inspection it was still attached.
Important Tip – Get the Size Right
We had a couple of people in our group who had large microspikes for hiking when they really required mediums. A couple of times their GripOns fell off the heel of their boot. It was easy to get them back on, but it was a little frustrating for those people.
The tie down strap we applied solved the problem when the ice cleat was too large for the boot. Follow the sizing guide carefully. When the ice cleat was properly fitted, we had no problems.
A Great Place to Use Ice Cleats: One of our favorite places to use ice cleats is on the Johnston Canyon and Ink Pots Winter Hike.
Ice Spikes vs. Microspikes for Hiking
We saw many people on the trail with large, clumsy looking ice cleats that did not look comfortable to hike in. The MaxxDry GripOns have smaller cleats that attached firmly to the bottom of the boot and that made them more comfortable for hiking. No one in our group had any problem with traction on the packed snow and ice that we hiked on.
Final Thoughts
Our hike was 11.35 kilometers long. We had previously attempted this winter hike without ice cleats and it did not go well. We all agree that microspikes for hiking made a real difference. The MaxxDry GripOns were worth the cost, were light weight and unassuming, and did a great job of keeping us safe on our hike. If you follow the sizing guide, I can easily recommend this product for your next winter hike.
If you’re interested in getting these ice cleats, head to Canadian Tire (and maybe look for a sale). Or you can find very similar ice cleats on Amazon. The ice cleats below are almost identical to the MaxxDry GripOns we purchased at Canadian Tire and the price is about the same on Amazon.
Amazing Ice Bubble Photography: Read our post Abraham Lake, Alberta – Ice Bubble Heaven.
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