Forums >Gears and Wears>Winter gear: down jacket, icebug shoes
Hey everyone. So today in Crass Materialism News, I have a gift certificate to the LRS and I'm looking at two winter running items: an Odlo running jacket with a very thin layer of down; or the Icebug shoes with the graphite spikes.
Does anyone have either (or both) of these items, and any feedback on whether they're worth it? I think the shoes have the most potential to improve my quality of life in winter - I was very lucky last winter that I didn't tear a hamstring during one of my several wipeouts on ice - but they are very expensive at 180 euros OTOH, they'd likely last 2-3 winters because I wouldn't be putting THAT many miles on them every year...
The jacket is superlight and looks like it might spare me a layer, but really I just want it because it looks cool.
Of course the most practical thing would be to get another merino wool shirt and maybe some more smartwool socks. Boring...
I don't have either, but I'll offer an opinion (need a distraction at the moment). I avoid down since it's not good when wet. At least it used to be that way. There are some high quality products but they're usually for the heavy duty winter conditions. For generic uses, there are synthetics, such as primaloft, that work almost as well but may not pack as small, which probably isn't an issue unless you're doing a winter ultra.
Icebugs, OTOH, are somewhat popular up here - equivalent of screw shoe, but, as I understand it, the studs retract on asphalt. It's a step below Kahtoola microspikes as far as contraction is concerned. I've heard they run narrow, and I've got a wide forefoot so haven't tried them. I do see more microspikes than icebugs, but I'm mostly on trails.
Funky Kicks 2019
I had a pair of Icebugs (they were a gift) and I liked them well enough. I put over 500 miles on them before I lost a spike. I had the pair that had the removable web of spikes. That was nice to be able to take the spikes off for days when the roads were clear.
Leah, mother of dogs
Thanks both I'm leaning towards the shoes, though if they run narrow it's not going to work out...and I think the jacket idea is over. I don't need a 150 euro jacket!
Is Odio the manufacturer?
Out there running since dinosaurs roamed the earth
Yes, Odlo is a brand (Norwegian, I think?) and, since AKTrail mentioned it, the jacket is primaloft, not down.