Advice needed - preventing falls on ice and snow

Have any of you used those slip on over boots or shoes things called "Yaktrax, Stabilicers, Grippers, etc" to minimize falls when walking on ice and snow? Do they work? Do they hold up?

I'm looking to give some as gifts to my pregnant daughter in Vermont and my newspaper delivery friend as well as a pair for myself.

Thanks in advance for your help.

I have a pair in the car, at work the parking lot is cement and it gets very icy. They are a bit hard to put on as you have to stretch them over the soles of your shoes but they do grab onto the ice and prevent your feet from flying out from under you. I have used them a few times last year.

Thanks for your reply, Chris. What kind have you used?

I'd like to find some that I could wear into the grocery store , for instance, withour the removing them until I'm home again!

http://www.gardeners.com/Yaktrax-traction/WinterSafety_Cat,33-634,default,cp.html

These are the ones I have. They feel funny walking on dry pavement, sort of crunchy. I don't think wearing them into a store would be acceptable, sort of wearing golf shoes with cleats in the club house.

This message was edited Dec 3, 2010 12:56 PM

Great link, Chris, so many other midatlantians giving reviews, too. My daughter and I shop at Gardeners supply in Vermont almost every time I visit!

I love my Yaktrax PROs!!! they were about $10 more than the regular ones, but are heavier duty and have a strap that goes over the arch to keep them on better. And I wore them into stores a couple of times. Kinda depended on how long I was going to be there lol.

I have unstable ankles, so winter weather is a huge issue for me. These make me feel more confident.

have never worn any cleats but it seems to me the metal cleats that are great in ice and the darn packed slush we get, could be instead hazardous themselves on a linoleum type store floor.

Mornin-gayle, Those yaktrax pros look good to me, too, but have to agree with Sallyg that the metal coils are more slippery on smooth surfaces than the "gripper" carbon tunsten spikes I have used the last two years. The spikes actually make small pin holes in wood or soft linoleum/ tile just like they do in ice!

Thought this was cute! Ric
http://www.scoutgear.com/stabcla.html

I gave the yactracks to hubby and two sons last Christmas or the one before. Hubby reports loving his and says they have saved him from a broken bone several times. We live on a steep hill and he is responsible for hand shoveling our not short driveway. He would recommend. Haven't heard any reports from the sons.

Ruby