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Screw-in boot studs?

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,855
9,560
AK
For what? Lots of people on the mtbr fat board have experience using them in tires. I don't, since I use studded tires, but if you are talking about for boots/shoes, I've found some hiking/work style boots are absolutely horrible on the snow/ice, while others are good. They issue us Keen boots at work and they are the most horrible I've ever experienced, just walking half a block to go get coffee. For hiking/climbing on surfaces where you need something but full on cramp-ons would be overkill, Kahtoolas are excellent and I highly recommend them, but they aren't quite for the more casual just walking on the city block.

I use special winter-rubber compound running shoes in the winter and there's no need really to use cleats/spikes except in the most crazy conditions. Saucony and Salomon make some good winter running shoes. Lots of good winter hiking boots that have tread that actually grips on ice.
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,289
5,029
Ottawa, Canada
For what? Lots of people on the mtbr fat board have experience using them in tires. I don't, since I use studded tires, but if you are talking about for boots/shoes, I've found some hiking/work style boots are absolutely horrible on the snow/ice, while others are good. They issue us Keen boots at work and they are the most horrible I've ever experienced, just walking half a block to go get coffee. For hiking/climbing on surfaces where you need something but full on cramp-ons would be overkill, Kahtoolas are excellent and I highly recommend them, but they aren't quite for the more casual just walking on the city block.

I use special winter-rubber compound running shoes in the winter and there's no need really to use cleats/spikes except in the most crazy conditions. Saucony and Salomon make some good winter running shoes. Lots of good winter hiking boots that have tread that actually grips on ice.
Thanks for the feedback!

It would be for my wife. She slipped on ice and broke her leg just before Christmas. She usually walks to work. It's about a mile or so. But this winter has been brutal for snow and ice. The sidewalks are a skating rink right now. She wants to walk in, to get in shape again, but we don't want to risk her slipping again...
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,289
5,029
Ottawa, Canada
Also, why no love for the Keens? My buddy is a letter carrier here and says they're the best boot out there....
 
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canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,192
19,158
Canaderp
Also, why no love for the Keen? My buddy is a letter carrier here and says they're the best boot out there....
I have above ankle Keen hiking/winter boots and they have been pretty awesome. Sure on pure ice they don't have much grip, but I've hiked in all sorts of crap in them and they've always kept me warm and dry. Been using them for fat biking on flat pedals all winter and it has been awesome not having to worry about my feet.

I think these are the ones.. https://www.keenfootwear.com/p/M-DURAND-MID-WP.html?dwvar_M-DURAND-MID-WP_color=1011550&cgid=mens_footwear_boots

Now the $100 Keen sandals that I purchased last summer when I busted my shoulder are falling apart; stitching is coming out all over. Going to try to return them to Mec tomorrow...
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,855
9,560
AK
Also, why no love for the Keens? My buddy is a letter carrier here and says they're the best boot out there....
Rubber compounds on shoes, bike tires, car tires, all have to be different if you want them to work in the cold. Some of the fat-tires that have summer rubber compounds are like pushing concrete in the snow due to this. Not only do the winter-rubber compounds make the soles of my winter running shoes soft, but they give me a ton more grip on the ice. And when it comes to boots, those Keens are terrible on the snow and ice. For whatever reason, they do not have a high silica content compound and they slip like crazy on the winter surfaces. I'm not kidding when I'm saying I risk breaking a freaking leg wearing them just to cross the parking lot to the next building to get a coffee or whatever. It's problematic because I keep them at work and when I ride my bike in, I wear them during the day. We have some strap-on cleat things that we were also issued and they are absolutely necessary for these boots. I do not recommend the Keens for winter stuff at all (where you might be on frozen surfaces). I'm not saying they don't make a nice boot, it's just not a good boot for frozen surfaces. The one's I got are hiking boots that appear like they'd work ok down to some pretty cold temps (not like the ones I wear when it's -20 obviously).

You'd be amazed how well stud-less winter-tires can do on straight ice. Not as good as studded, but still pretty damn good and miles beyond what a summer-tire will do. It's like the difference between good disc brakes and cantilever pieces of crap.

Generally with studs, the further they protrude, the easier they will break get tugged out or break off. You don't want very long studs usually. You do usually want a decent number of studs though so the pressure is distributed somewhat.

Like posted above, there are a variety of strap-on stud type options out there for shoes. You don't see a lot of people using them here, but they are useful for older people or when the conditions get real nasty.

For what is being discussed, yeah, I'd get something with cleats, falling on ice is no fun at all. But I'd also say give a little thought to the shoe itself as well. Ones that are not winter-compounds may not be helping the issue at all and may be making it more dangerous.
 
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jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
19,800
8,383
Nowhere Man!
Rubber compounds on shoes, bike tires, car tires, all have to be different if you want them to work in the cold. Some of the fat-tires that have summer rubber compounds are like pushing concrete in the snow due to this. Not only do the winter-rubber compounds make the soles of my winter running shoes soft, but they give me a ton more grip on the ice. And when it comes to boots, those Keens are terrible on the snow and ice. For whatever reason, they do not have a high silica content compound and they slip like crazy on the winter surfaces. I'm not kidding when I'm saying I risk breaking a freaking leg wearing them just to cross the parking lot to the next building to get a coffee or whatever. It's problematic because I keep them at work and when I ride my bike in, I wear them during the day. We have some strap-on cleat things that we were also issued and they are absolutely necessary for these boots. I do not recommend the Keens for winter stuff at all (where you might be on frozen surfaces). I'm not saying they don't make a nice boot, it's just not a good boot for frozen surfaces. It's crazy how it's far safer to ride my bike in these places than walk.

You'd be amazed how well stud-less winter-tires can do on straight ice. Not as good as studded, but still pretty damn good and miles beyond what a summer-tire will do. It's like the difference between good disc brakes and cantilever pieces of crap.

Generally with studs, the further they protrude, the easier they will break get tugged out or break off. You don't want very long studs usually. You do usually want a decent number of studs though so the pressure is distributed somewhat.

Like posted above, there are a variety of strap-on stud type options out there for shoes. You don't see a lot of people using them here, but they are useful for older people or when the conditions get real nasty.
if the rest of the snow melts and we get another deep freeze. I am looking forward to more super grippey frozen dirt riding.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,855
9,560
AK
if the rest of the snow melts and we get another deep freeze. I am looking forward to more super grippey frozen dirt riding.
We usually get a good stint of this in November before the snow falls. Not quite as grippy as optimal hero-dirt conditions, but still pretty darn grippy and great fun to ride, just like summer, only much colder. I'll take it over mud or dew over hard polished trail any day.
 

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
19,800
8,383
Nowhere Man!
We usually get a good stint of this in November before the snow falls. Not quite as grippy as optimal hero-dirt conditions, but still pretty darn grippy and great fun to ride, just like summer, only much colder. I'll take it over mud or dew over hard polished trail any day.
The frozen bombtrack has mostly melted. It gives me hope. A big storm in February or March will quickly erase those gains....
 

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,504
In hell. Welcome!
We usually get a good stint of this in November before the snow falls. Not quite as grippy as optimal hero-dirt conditions, but still pretty darn grippy and great fun to ride, just like summer, only much colder. I'll take it over mud or dew over hard polished trail any day.
Why? Studded tires + ice = super fun.
Mud sucks, plus mud Nazi (a national movement in the US).
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,855
9,560
AK
Why? Studded tires + ice = super fun.
Mud sucks, plus mud Nazi (a national movement in the US).
Why what? The hard polished trail I'm referring to is extremely hard-packed glacial silt (mud) that forms some of our trail surfaces, it dries out in the spring, but lots of riding can pack it down super-hard, at which point it no longer holds moisture and actually gets "muddy", causing an off-camber corner to be slick even with no moisture. I went down hard a few times last season when I hit something off-camber (like a little rut/bump) in slick conditions, shit is like ice. Water doesn't absorb into it, just sits on top. Yeah, I thought about using studs on that hardpacked dirt. Straight ice is usually not too bad, trail design becomes somewhat important, as some sections can send you right off the side of the hill unless the camber and flow is right, but I'd rather have that and run my studded tires than the slick ass polished dirt with a little moisture.
 

oldfart

Turbo Monkey
Jul 5, 2001
1,206
24
North Van
I use something similar here in Whistler for my hiking boots. One thing with the studs is that on the smooth concrete in my garage they are slippery. I only use 9 per boot so that I still have rubber down too. They work really well though. You can easily unscrew them once the snow and ice melt away too. I think I lost one and broke one last season but not this season. I screwed them in a bit farther this year but of course they don’t bite quite as well. Mine have a longer threaded shaft that is smaller in diameter than the ones shown above.

My wife has Icebug boots with studs in them already which she likes but not on hard smooth surfaces like the garage or grocery store. I’ve seen another type that has a folding thing on the sole with studs so you can flip the flap and have studs or not.
 

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,504
In hell. Welcome!
I am thinking about perhaps adding a few to the tips of my winter boots to aid riding on frozen lakes and surface water, for moments when you need to put a foot down.