Chinese microspikes

If you can do a hike without traction devices but it would just suck a bit then go for it.  If you are relying on traction devices for safety then pass; your life is worth more than $40.

True, I wouldn’t try to save $40/pair (need two pairs for my wife and me) and compromise safety, but also have no interest in paying a big markup for a Chinese-made item that simply is branded by a US firm.  I think this is the case for a great many items.

I guess I’m trying to find out if name-brand microspikes are made in China and the ones on Ebay are the exact same thing, if the Chinese-made ones are high-quality copies, or if they are cheap knock-offs not worth bothering with.

I suppose I many never find out, in which case I’ll probably skip them (or maybe purchase a pair and test them out in non-critical situations, at $13 it’s not much of an investment).

I thought Microspikes were made in Korea for Kahoola (based in AZ I think).  Of course I may have dreamed this.

My Chainsen’s are made in Korea.

Got to say, I find it’s a bit of an exaggeration to say your life could be jeopardized by what you pay for microspikes, or where in Asia they are made… good grief, it’s a pretty simple technology. Buy a pair, try them out. If they are Chinese throw-away’s you’re only out $13.

A relevant quote from a similar thread:

People around here are generally smart enough (except me) to avoid the cheap ones, but just in case someone is tempted, I will say to avoid the cheap ones.

We had the first decent winter in a while early this year in the SoCal mountains, and I bought a cheap pair on eBay for $15 just to throw in my daypack in case I needed them, and I did. They actually did the job the first few times, got me a through sections that I needed to with good traction on very slippery ice. But after using them a few more times, the chains started coming apart after maybe three miles of total usage. I took pliers and a vice and crimped them back together, and I might use them again if I get snowed on in Mammoth or something casual like that. But I won’t use them for any situations where I think I might have to depend on them for safety.

The chains were of a smaller gauge and they were no doubt lighter than the Microspikes (I ran into a few people using them).  I also suspect that the metal used is not as high quality.

Bottom line is that if we have another good snow year, I’ll probably invest in the Micro spikes.

I seem to remember a thread on here somewhere about off brand microspikes and, as you mention in your OP, the issue being the polymer wasn’t quite up to snuff. If I remember correctly, where the chains were joined to the polymer kept breaking, making the spikes useless.

But I can’t find the thread, so it must have been quite some time ago. FWIW.