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Reviews > Snow Gear > Traction Aids > Yaktrax Pro 2009 > Test Report by Nathan Kettner
YAKTRAX PRO
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TESTER INFORMATION
I'm a medium weight backpacker, meaning my pack usually weighs 30-35 lb (13-16 kg), and I generally hike a moderate pace and mostly in mountainous terrain. I almost always use a tent (lightweight when backpacking, wall tent when hunting). I'm a weekend backpacker and make lots of day trips and single night outings, plus a few week-long backpack trips. All of my outings have been in the beautiful and rugged Rocky Mountains of Colorado and Wyoming since I started backpacking in 2004.
INITIAL REPORT
PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS
Manufacturer: Yaktrax INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
The Yaktrax Pro packaging is simple and the box is large enough that the Yaktrax can easily be returned to the box for storage, if desired. When I pulled them out, I immediately wanted to try them on and see how these neat little devices would work. At first I had a little trouble figuring out which end was which, but after a quick inspection, I found that there are convenient markings on the toe and heel as seen in the photos below. READING THE INSTRUCTIONS
The instructions are printed on the packaging and provide step-by-step directions for "installing" the Yaktrax, including detailed diagrams. Of course, I didn't bother to read the directions and figured out how to put the Yaktrax on without too much trouble. When I did read the directions, I found that I made one mistake by looping the performance strap around the small rubber guide instead of the thicker piece of rubber on the side of the Yaktrax, however, I doubt it would affect the utility of Yaktrax. One final note is that I found another set of directions on the Yaktrax website that say the metal loops on the performance straps should be on the outside (left side of left foot, right side of right foot), but again, I don't see how that would affect performance. TRYING IT OUT The Yaktrax are not for use indoors and I don't have any snow/ice in my neighborhood, so my initial impressions are limited to what I could do in the backyard. The fit seems very good - tight all the way around. The weight is almost negligible - I couldn't tell any difference in the weight on my feet. SUMMARY - January 23, 2009
So far, they have met my expectations for fit and ease of use and exceeded my expectations for weight. I'm excited to get out and try the Yaktrax Pro. FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
I wore the Yaktrax Pro during several trips to the Incline on Pikes Peak, just west of Colorado Springs, CO. The Incline is 2000 feet (600 m) elevation gain in just 1 mile (1.6 km). The hike up is on an old cog railroad (the tracks are gone, but the ties are still there and make decent steps), and the descent is a 4 mile (6.5 km) run down the much gentler grade of the Barr Trail. The temperature ranged from approximately 25 - 60 degF (-4 to15.5 degC). The condition of the Incline and Barr Trail varied widely, from mostly dry gravel to hard-packed icy snow to slush. PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
The Yaktrax Pro are ideal for hard-packed snow. The traction provided with the very low additional weight on my feet was fantastic. The small spiraled metal digs in just enough and over such a wide area of the sole of my foot, that I felt as sure-footed as a mountain goat. In deeper snow, they just don't do much, as expected. On hard ice, the Yaktrax Pro do provide some traction, but they don't put enough pressure in any one spot to actually dig into the ice and really provide a lot of grip. SUMMARY - 4 April, 2009
The Yaktrax Pro are ideal for specific conditions. They are very lightweight and provide plenty of traction on the surface they were designed for, packed snow. In other conditions, such as ice or slush, they provide some amount traction which is better than my rubber soled shoes alone, but in deeper snow the Yaktrax Pro are not of much use. Lastly, as specified in the manufacturer's instructions, they should not be used on gravel as it accelerates the normal wear and tear. LONG-TERM TEST LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS I used the Yaktrax Pro on two more trips up the Incline in mid-April after our late Spring snowstorms. The conditions were fairly similar to my previous ascents (see Field Report above), except that there was slightly less snow, and more packed ice in the shade, and slush in the more exposed areas. PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD The Yaktrax Pro performed just as well during the last trip up the incline as they did on the first trip. The only difference being that I did not wear them on the descents because after one of my previous trips I noticed some significant thinning of the rubber strands, as I noted in my Field Report above. SUMMARY The Yaktrax Pro work well for many cold weather trail conditions such as ice or slush, and are nearly perfect for packed snow. Plus, they are very lightweight, which makes them ideal for bringing with on hikes or along in the car for those days when you just aren't sure what conditions you might encounter. However, they are not designed to withstand the abuse of running on mixed surface trails (snow and dry conditions interspersed), and indeed do not hold up under that kind of punishment. CONTINUED USE
I've already put my Yaktrax away, along with my windshield scrapers and tire chains, for the summer, but I'll definitely use them again next winter when the wind turns cold and the white stuff starts falling again. Read more reviews of Yaktrax gear Read more gear reviews by Nathan Kettner Reviews > Snow Gear > Traction Aids > Yaktrax Pro 2009 > Test Report by Nathan Kettner |