Are Yaktrax right for you?

Yaktrax are for you if you answer “yes” to any of the following questions:

  • Are you an avid runner or walker who wants to exercise outdoors all year long?
  • Do snow and ice-covered roads send you indoors or slow you down because you struggle to keep from slipping and falling?
  • Does training stop altogether when snow and ice hit because you don’t have access to a treadmill?

If this is you, consider using Yaktrax Pro Footwear Traction ($27) or Yaktrax Walker Footwear Traction ($18). Yaktrax provides an inexpensive option for anyone wanting to walk or run outdoors in the winter on icy and snowy roads.

YakTrax Walk

What are Yaktrax?

Yaktrax slips over your shoes to allow for walking and running on ice and/or snow-covered roads. They provide 360 degrees of winter traction that allows natural movement on snow and ice.

The biting metal coils on Yaktrax grip snow and ice. Runners and walkers can continue enjoying their activities without having to change how the activity is done.

What are the benefits of Yaktrax?


  • Increases opportunity for year-round training.
  • The stability that allows for regular completion of an activity.


Woman Putting Yaktrax On

Are they easy to use?

Putting Yaktrax on is easy. After putting on your running shoes, merely hook Yaktrax over the toe of the shoe, then stretch them to cover the entire bottom of the shoe. Next, securely fasten the heel tab to the back heel of your shoe.

After putting on Yaktrax, make sure they are securely in place around the perimeter before pulling the performance strap over the foot and looping its end under the guide loop in the front.  Finally, bring the strap over the top of the shoe and fasten velcro securely.

Yaktrax comes with picture directions that are easy to follow. They also provide maintenance information that includes periodically pinching coils to help maintain original shape and angle.

What do users have to say about Yaktrax?

Runners of varying distances extol the usability of Yaktrax because they provide reliable grip and traction even on long runs. Runners also note the significant difference in overall stability among those wearing Yaktrax and those wearing only athletic shoes.

Avid runners also say they would not recommend Yaktrax for long distance runs or walks on roads not covered with snow or ice. Many heavily-traveled roads clear more quickly than others. Running on these open roads in Yaktrax for long distances does not work well and can damage the Yaktrax. However, even on clear streets, there is often room on the side of the road to run where there still is ice and/or snow for the Yaktrax to grip.

Man Running In YakTrax

What else do I need to know about Yaktrax?

Lightweight and compact, Yaktrax fit over almost every type of shoe. They are also highly durable to -41 degrees, abrasion resistant and coated with zinc for rust prevention. They are also spikeless for safety.

Yaktrax are not intended for indoor use, and wearers should avoid surfaces like marble and other hard, smooth flooring. Yaktrax products should be removed before walking on hard indoor flooring because ironically they’re very slippery on these surfaces.

Yaktrax provides a simple and inexpensive solution for avoiding painful falls while walking and running outside during the snowy and icy winter months.

For more advice on being active outside in the winter, check out these posts: