Kahtoola KTS Footwear Traction Devices

Product Information

Name: Kahtoola Traction System (KTS) Footwear Traction Devices
Maker: Kahtoola Inc.
http://www.kahtoola.com
Year of manufacture: 2004
Product Type: Footwear traction system for non-technical uses
Options: None available
Ships with: Storage sack, hangtag, brochure, instruction sheet, Kahtoola sticker for your Land Rover

Size tested: Large
Size range: said to accommodate U.S. men’s 10 -15.5
Measured dimensions (approximate, collapsed for storage): 3.5x3.5x8 in (9x9x20 cm)
Stated weight: 19 oz (540 g) per pair
Measured weight: 18.8 oz (531 g) per pair
Weight of tote sack: 1.8 oz (45 g)

Tester Information

Tester: Rick Dreher
Email: redbike64(at)hotmail(dot)com
Male
Height: 6 ft (1.83 meters)
Weight: 175 lb (79 kg, 12.5 stones)
Shoe size: U.S. 11.5 (Euro 46)
Age: 50
Location: Northern California, USA
Years backpacking experience: 37
Backpacking skill level: Mid to advanced
Style of backpacking: Lightweight

Introduction

Sometimes, shoes and boots alone aren’t enough. Snowy, icy conditions can defy navigation in our normal walking and hiking footwear. Soles fail to grip glare ice and refrozen snow; lugs don’t bite on slopes. This might be a plus if you’re seeking a research grant from the Ministry of Silly Walks, but can be brutal if you’re trying to get from point A to point B. Our footwear sometimes simply isn’t up to the task.

As one solution, the Kahtoola Traction System (KTS) traction devices are strap-on aluminum spikes made (in three length ranges) to fit any shoe or boot as an aid to walking on snow and ice. The KTSs are similar in appearance and function to climbers’ crampons, but have significantly shorter and less-aggressive points. As a result, KTSs are much easier to walk in compared to crampons, making them of use to us common folk. Climbers might very well find them useful in “non-technical” conditions too. A misstep or fall while wearing a pair of KTSs poses far less threat of a self-inflicted injury or shredded gear than while sporting an aggressive set of crampons!

The KTSs are designed to fit shoes and boots ranging from low-top running shoes to full-on snow and hiking boots. They’re intended to fit even the most flexible soles and are marketed to everyone who has to travel across, or work or play on, snow and ice.

Field Test Report

I doubt the good folks at Kahtoola had this in mind when they designed the KTSs, but one day I found myself imitating (poorly) a contestant in the logger’s Olympics. I’d been circling a snowy alpine lake and came to the log-choked outlet stream. From the shore the tangle of downed trees seemed solid enough to offer a way across, and with the Kahtoolas and my trekking poles I felt confident that I could stay atop the things on the trip. The first couple of logs were solid and provided easy footing, but then I stepped down onto a log that went U-boat on me—sinking into the water and submerging my leg almost to the knee. Chagrinned but now committed to completing the crossing, I ignored the very cold water as best I could and stepped onto another “floater” with my other foot. Like walking on so many cartoon crocodiles I made my way to solid logs and then to the other shore.

There is no doubt in my mind that had I not been wearing the KTSs I would have slipped off one of these logs and tumbled into the drink, possibly whacking myself silly in the process. I’m definitely not recommending using them for foolish exploits “just because,” but knowing what they’re capable of is an eye-opener.

In a more traditional vein I’ve used the KTSs on snow both level and steep, and on a limited amount of ice during my testing. This has been a very warm spring in northern California and the Tahoe Sierra weather has been quite mild (warm) every time I’ve taken them out, limiting my on-ice experience.

They’ve ridden outside my backpack while I was snowshoeing—either inside the stuffsack or strapped into place (points out) without the bag. Which method I use depends on the pack I’m wearing and how many gear straps it’s equipped with. Keeping them outside makes them easy to retrieve for use and stow after taking off. When I’m out snowshoeing and the snow became firm, thin or broken by stretches of exposed ground, I switch from the snowshoes to the KTSs and continue on my way. To don them I pull them open and unfold the back binding, slip the boot toe into the front binding, then place the heel into the rear one, clip the buckle and tighten the straps. It takes about two minutes to have both on and ready to go (this presupposes they’re preadjusted for the boots or shoes I’m wearing).

My KTS test has included a lot of excursions onto rock, dirt and brush. They seem to grip all these surfaces well, although I’ve not yet wandered onto steep, wet granite slab and I’m not sure I want to in any case. More to the point, on steep snow slopes they grip, and grip well. It’s amazing to me that with the added confidence they give me, I relax and my walking technique improves, lending an added margin of safety in tricky conditions. Forty and even fifty-degree slopes have been no particular problem to maneuver: I can go straight up or down, side-slope, change direction and circle with relative ease (again, using trekking poles). My (estimated) pack weight has been as much as over 30 pounds (15 kg) with the snowshoes strapped on. This potentially unbalancing load hasn’t been a problem while wearing the KTSs.

While I’ve fitted the KTSs to three different pairs of footwear, all my hikes have been on Nike Air Tallacs. These and the Kahtoolas make an effective pairing for snowy conditions. My suspicion is that the KTSs, because of their relative flexibility, benefit from shoes or boots with a certain amount of sole stiffness. For lightweight hikers, the Nikes are fairly stiff and springy without being heavy.

I’ve not had to don or remove the KTSs while wearing mittens. Lightweight gloves have not been an impediment to doing this.

Design, Materials and Construction

The KTSs will look instantly familiar to anyone who’s seen or used crampons. Each comprises two sets of spikes--forefoot and heel--connected by a flat springy stainless-steel bar and fitted with a binding system. All spikes--ten per shoe--are about three-quarters of an inch (19 mm) long. There are six forefoot spikes, two on either side and two that jut from the toe at about a 15-degree angle. This toe plate has a built-in “rocker” i.e., it is curved in shape to facilitate a natural walking gait. The heel plate has four vertical spikes. The connecting bar (“LeafSpring Extender Bar” or E-Bar) is a sandwiched pair of long springy metal pieces spot-welded together at the heel end to form a simple leaf spring (not unlike the pair found under every pickup truck). The E-Bar is designed to flex with the foot, and the two pieces are lubed with thick oil between them, evidently to help them bend smoothly (and prevent rust). The E-Bar’s heel end is perforated with a line of seven holes for length adjustment, an adjustment process that requires no tools. There are left and right KTSs, stamped “L” and “R”.

The rear binding has a hinged metal heel support fitted with a plastic “Heel Grip” which holds the polyester webbing ankle strap. The heel support assembly folds flat for easier storage. A hook on the ankle strap attaches to a shoelace to allow the KTSs to be used with low-top shoes without sliding up onto the wearer’s instep. The strap has a quick release buckle and a strap end keeper to secure flapping strap ends. The front binding is a crisscrossed webbing strap with a plastic Strap Guide where they cross. A single buckle where the strap crosses the forefoot is used to adjust strap length. The strap is held to the toe plate on either side by a D-ring attached by a welded, flexible metal tab at the ball of the foot, and loops through the plate on two sides at the toe end. Silicone rubber(?) strap keepers are provided on all the main straps to control flapping strap ends. The straps are long enough that some trimming may be in order, depending on the user’s foot size and boot bulk.

The KTSs appear carefully crafted. The aluminum spike plates are cleanly stamped and cut (probably using a CNC milling machine) from thick 7000-series aluminum and anodized a rich red. All points are clean and even, and there’s a small flat cut across each tip so that they aren’t dangerously sharp and won’t dull as quickly in use. The E-Bar is made of stainless steel, as are the side strap guides and heel support rod. The webbing is polyester to minimize stretch, water absorption and freezing solid. Buckles appear robust and the snap buckles operate smoothly.

The KTSs collapse into a tidy bundle. The heel supports fold flat against the heel plate and the toe plate, in turn, slides forward on the E-Bar until it touches the heel plate. Stacked one atop the other, the KTSs slip into the tote sack. The sack is made of tough coated Cordura-style nylon, has a drawstring-and-toggle closure and a webbing belt loop.

Fitting to Boots and Shoes

Initial fitting requires extra steps that don’t need repeating when simply putting on the KTSs. Loosen the forefoot straps and approximately center the Strap Guides by pulling them back from the toe, towards the instep. Raise the heel support assembly from its stowed position, and unbuckle and loosen the rear straps. Pull the toe and heel plates apart by sliding them outward along the E-Bars. Adjust the KTSs to match your shoe length by pulling the adjuster pin outward and sliding the heel plate until you select one of the other six adjustment holes. The spring-mounted pin snaps into place to lock the length. After sliding the shoe toe into the toe binding, center the Strap Guide by sliding it along the straps. Once centered, tighten the straps and tuck away and secure the strap ends (under the strap-keepers).

Adjust the ankle strap length and center the lace hook, should you need to use it.

It takes me two or three adjustments for each pair of shoes or boots to get the straps and Strap Guides adjusted just right, and the length correct. No further tweaking seems necessary unless there’s a change of footwear. Once the basic adjustment is done, it’s easy to slide into the KTSs, tighten the forefoot straps and buckle the ankle straps. Taking them off is as simple as loosening the front strap, unbuckling the rear and either stepping out or pulling them off.

I’ve successfully fitted my Nike Air Tallacs and my leather Danner hiking boots into the KTSs. The Danners are wider than the Nikes and have stout Vibram soles, requiring me to bend the strap tabs at my insteps. Kahtoola notes that these are designed to take this sort of abuse, because the KTS’s basic sizing adjusts for length, not width (i.e., the foot and heel plates are the same, only the E-bar length differs).

Note that E-Bars are easily changed (with no tools needed), and Kahtoola sells all three sizes (small, medium and large) separately, meaning that one pair of KTSs can be fitted to practically anybody.

Wear and Tear

The KTS’s points and extender bar are a little scraped up, certainly from the off-snow travel they’ve done. The straps look as new, as does the tote sack. I’ve not yet seen any need to dress any of the points with a file.

Specific Observations

* I fitted the KTSs to several pairs of boots and shoes at home, but have only hiked in the Nikes. As noted, the pairing is a good one. The binding straps haven’t pinched my feet or caused discomfort and the combined weight of boot and Kahtoolas isn’t excessive. I expect to also wear them with low-top trail sneakers during this test.
* The KTSs are fairly easy both to put on and take off. I’ve never had to do so with really cold hands, but with gloved hands in snowy conditions it proves to not be difficult. The forefoot binding is the more challenging of the two to adjust, but once adjusted, the Kahtoolas seem to hold their fit for extended periods.
* The KTSs allow a natural gait while walking on the flats. I’ve not been in conditions that lead to icing up, so have been pleased at their ability to shed snow or ice.
* As noted, the KTSs handle slopes as steep as fifty degrees (in fairly soft snow). They support up, down and side-hill maneuvering with confidence-inspiring ease. They seem to “front-point” okay on steep ascents, but I’ve not faced really hard, compacted snow or severely icy conditions.
* The KTSs are easy to carry outside a backpack and, therefore, easy to access and stow as needed.
* The KTSs have worn well so far. There has been no damage requiring attention or repair.

Conclusions

The Kahtoola KTSs fill an important gap between plain, unadorned shoes and boots and crampon-clad climbing boots. They provide a wealth of additional traction and security to walkers and hikers in snowy and icy conditions. I’ve used them as a “bridge” between snowshoes and plain footwear. They should also prove to be a big benefit in early season hiking this spring and early summer. Kahtoola might consider making a wider KTS for folks with truly large feet or who wear very wide footwear (such as insulated winter boots and overboots). While the KTS binding attaches using bendable strap anchors, they are somewhat lost on very wide soles. Note that this hasn’t proven to be a shortcoming during my testing, but I didn’t wear my (very bulky) cold weather boots in the field portion of this test either.

In sum, the KTSs are easy to put on and use, are effective in difficult terrain, are relatively light, wear well and (I have to say it) look cool. It’s that red anodized aluminum and the stainless steel bar.

If the KTSs have competition, it's probably the six-point forefoot "crampons" sold for similar non-technical backcountry use. They're even lighter and more compact than the KTSs, but wouldn't provide as much utility either (especially going downhill). It boils down to selecting the right tool for the job.

Further Testing Ahead

We’re now in the “shoulder” season between high-country winter and summer. This means muddy, snowy forays before the snow all melts off. These mixed hiking conditions should offer me some excellent further test opportunities for the KTSs. My backpacks weights will both drop (springtime day hikes) and rise (early season overnights). I can’t wait!

Snow Travel Experience and Brief Backpacking Bio

Living daily with snow is something I’ve not faced since my distant Iowan past. The occasional sloppy Seattle snowfall was a time for sledding and snowball fights, not skating on a veneer of ice on the way to the supermarket or school. And not even a trace of snow has ever graced my California lawn. So it’s into the mountains for snow and ice for us. In my Cascade and Olympic backpacking days, snow-covered routes were frequently encountered season long. They’d get dicey too, especially when leading into cols or down to creek crossings. Sometimes I’d carry instep-crampons to help keep from sliding, but these only helped in certain conditions. Because heavy Vibram-soled boots were de rigueur at the time, it was often possible to toe-kick and heel-kick when climbing and descending, so long as the snow wasn’t too icy. It was also possible to slip and fall great distances. I’ve also used climber’s crampons on mountains like Baker and Adams. My snow country day-trip pack generally weighs about 15 lb (6.9 kg) with food and water. Overnight snow trips require packing at least twice that amount of bulk and weight.

I learned camping and hiking in Boy Scouts, tramping the Washington Cascade foothills (lugging canvas pup tents, Trapper Nelson and BSA aluminum-canvas backpacks, kapok sleeping bags and always an axe). From these beginnings I eventually learned backpacking as a singular pursuit and found a home away from home in the Cascades and Olympics. Now living in northern California, most of my hiking is in the Sierra Nevada with trips ranging from overnight to weeklong excursions. I occasionally hike in the coastal ranges as well. I’ve been fairly successful shedding pounds and ounces from my pack the last three or four years. I’ve been doing this for several reasons: traveling easier and farther, freeing myself from as many trappings as I’m comfortable discarding, and extending the duration of my backpacking career. My total pack weight for three-day summer excursions, including food and water, is now roughly 25 pounds (12.5 kg), and a recent eight-day trip starting weight was a bit over 30 (14 kg).

My thanks to Kahtoola and BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to participate in the KTS field test.

RTD 05.08.04