Foot Traction Device needed for winter Grand Canyon?

Hi David

That 10-stud overshoe – what weight?

Cheers

400 grams per pair.

Roger:

184 grams. 6.5 pounces. Per pair.

I’ve pondered making some serious rubber bands from inner tubes and putting some rivets through them.

some serious rubber bands
GUT feeling: too stretchy. I THINK you need a fabric reinforcing inside the sole area at least.
You could try insertion rubber? Pop-rivet over the top.

Cheers

How do those studs compare in terms of grip with Microspikes? they look less aggressive. I’ve found the Microspikes to be very good in icy conditions.

While they don’t project much, aren’t very big, and there aren’t many of them, it does well on those 600 feet per mile sloped GCNP trails on solid ice.

Small points dig in more than big points.  Fewer points each get more pressure than many points.  Sometimes less is more.

David, I wear those things – that you pictured – all winter in Fairbanks! Worst is the parking lot at work. They’re great and last a long time.

I wonder how they would do at the coast on rocks coated with extremely slippery seaweed, moss, etc. ???

That might depend on how smooth the rocks were and on how thick the seaweed & moss was. I suspect it might be very iffy.

Cheers

I do a lot of work for my wife in the rocky intertidal areas (Southern to Central Coast California).  I am pretty sure that micros pikes would have minimal benefit on algal fields.  Keep in mind that you also have the reverse effect out there as most of the rocks are covered with small barnacles (and they can be pretty sharp).    TEVA’s aren’t great, I typically just use scuba booties and watch my footing.   My 2 cents.