RunningAHEAD - Topic: Shoes for Winter

mikeymike

posted: 10/25/2008 at 2:19 PM

Quote from EGH3 on 10/24/2008 at 11:44 AM:

Minor threadjack... What about socks? I'm in Boston area and will be training for first marathon this winter. Cchanging shoes is not an option since I'm soooo sensitive to shin splints. So the Yaktrax are a good idea but I might need some better socks to stay warm in my Mizuno Inspires. I love my Thorlos.

I'm also in the Boston area and I wear the same shoes/socks year round with no yaktrax or screws or anything. Keep your core warm and your extremities will be warm. Mostly I wear the Wrightsocks Ultrathin low socks. Traction? Eh, I just slow down on ice and snow and never have a problem. If I lived somewhere where I'd have to run entirely on hardpacked snow/ice for most runs, maybe I'd do the screw shoe method but I've never felt it worth the trouble for the reasons hastead stated. After a winter or two running in New Enland you pretty quickly start to wonder what all the fuss is about. The dark is the biggest hassle so get a reflective vest.

Runners run

lakerunr

posted: 10/26/2008 at 8:23 PM

Quote from zoom-zoom on 10/23/2008 at 9:37 PM:

Yeah...but YakTrax are a good thing to add traction to an existing shoe. They got me through many snowy MI miles last Winter.

Hey Zoom, did you give up on the NB901 spikes? Seems like you were interested in them last winter... I bought a pair. Liked the spikes, although they didn't last long. But the shoes themselves had very little stability or cushioning. I think they were very hard on my ankles. I can't use YakTrax, the springs under foot, and the side-slipping on top of the springs are very hard on my feet. I've tried them several winters and they always hurt the soles/arches of my feet. This year I'm thinking about trying the Stabil-Icers. They have spikes in them, but slip over the shoes like Yaks, so they can be put on or removed easily. Most of my winter runs are a mix of bare/plowed pavement, packed snow and ice. Anyone had experience with Stabil-Icers??

Run To Win

#2867

posted: 10/26/2008 at 8:55 PM

Quote from lakerunr on 10/26/2008 at 8:23 PM:

Anyone had experience with Stabil-Icers??

I like them, but I only use them on my boots now since I don't want to put screws directly into them. Basically, you get the same traction as you would from screw shoes, except that the screw replacements cost a lot more, and the frame that goes around your foot gets filled with snow and is heavy and can come off without you noticing (and if you do notice, it's really annoying!) For just running on ice, though, they work really well.

Run to Win
25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

zoom-zoom

rectumdamnnearkilledem

posted: 10/26/2008 at 9:01 PM

Quote from lakerunr on 10/26/2008 at 8:23 PM:

Hey Zoom, did you give up on the NB901 spikes? Seems like you were interested in them last winter... I bought a pair. Liked the spikes, although they didn't last long. But the shoes themselves had very little stability or cushioning. I think they were very hard on my ankles.

I liked the shoe (or at least the concept) and the spikes...BUT the heel fit was not good. I got a very bad raw spot on my right heel, kind of on the side. I'm actually going to try unloading them on eBay soon, since I think I only managed maybe 20 miles on them before giving up. I LOVED how warm they were, though. This year I'm giving the NB 1100 Gore-Tex trail shoes a try...partly for trail runs, but mostly as something warm and dry to use with YakTrax and maybe even with snow shoes later in the Winter for some cross-training. Just watch, we will have an unseasonably warm and dry Winter with minimal snow--unlike this past one where we nearly hit records. Our county road commission ran out of money and pretty much stopped plowing everything but the roads within village limits by about mid-February. That was fun (not).

Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

~ Sarah Kay

r2farm

flatland mountaineer

posted: 10/26/2008 at 9:13 PM
modified: 10/26/2008 at 9:14 PM

I end up running in my trail shoes alot in the winter. The soles are flatter and grippier and don't trap snow in the "horseshoe" on the heel. They also have a little tighter weave and don't let the wind through as easily but still breath more than a gore tex shoe.With my sweaty feet gore tex is a recipie for cold feet although dw gets along with gore tex. I tried yak traks and they rub the tops of my toes although I will use them on my workboots. As far as socks I have found no equal to smartwool, lots of different weights. I generally just wear a lighter weight in running shoes, and heavier ones snowshoeing or working outside in cold temps.

The whole world said I shoulda used red but it looked good to Charlene in John Deere Green!!

Support Ethanol, drink the best, burn the rest.

Run for fun? What the hell kind of recreation is that? quote from Back to the Fut III

RunB

posted: 10/26/2008 at 9:14 PM

Quote from zoom-zoom on 10/23/2008 at 9:37 PM:

Yeah...but YakTrax are a good thing to add traction to an existing shoe. They got me through many snowy MI miles last Winter.

I hate Yaktrax. I once took a flip in the middle of an intersection because of them. The coils on the bottom get worn out and sometime break into smaller coils. While I was running I had the coil of one foot catch with the coils of the other foot. It caused my feet to fly backwards into the air and my head first towards the pavement. Luckily my arms moved fast enough to catch the fall. I tried screws. They work OK but you can't remove them if you get a stretch of clear pavement.

RunB

posted: 10/26/2008 at 9:17 PM

When it gets really cold, I feel that my shoes get stiff and loose their cushioning. Anyone experience that or am I just imagining things? I wonder if softer soles would be best in winter.

invisible

posted: 10/28/2008 at 8:04 PM

Quote from hastead on 10/23/2008 at 7:47 PM:

With a Canadian winter approaching, I would like some advice on choosing shoes. I need the shoes to repel water, and have decent grip on snow and ice. Cushioning is also very important. Thanks,

The North Face Arnuva 100 TR GTX got me through last Winter in Quebec and all my trail running since. Ice is a different story. It's a matter of technique on flat ground on a slow day and Yaktrax on icy inclines or for anything other than slow running on ice. If you have the Yaktrax on, you absolutely have to avoid running on pavement.

90 percent of the game is not giving up.

Teresadfp

One day at a time

posted: 10/28/2008 at 8:14 PM

I run on bare pavement with the Yaktrax because I don't have any choice (some spots are icy but a lot is not). Haven't had a problem with it.

zoom-zoom

rectumdamnnearkilledem

posted: 10/28/2008 at 8:25 PM

Quote from RunB on 10/26/2008 at 9:17 PM:

When it gets really cold, I feel that my shoes get stiff and loose their cushioning. Anyone experience that or am I just imagining things? I wonder if softer soles would be best in winter.

Nope, you're not alone. Worst Winter shoe I've worn (granted, this is only my 3rd Winter of running) was the NB 767. Best has been the 902. It has a less dense, softer midsole. I still feel it lose a lot of squish in the Winter, but not nearly like the 767 did. The outsole also stays "grippier."

Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

~ Sarah Kay

invisible

posted: 10/28/2008 at 8:34 PM

Quote from Teresadfp on 10/28/2008 at 8:14 PM:

I run on bare pavement with the Yaktrax because I don't have any choice (some spots are icy but a lot is not). Haven't had a problem with it.

The 'Pros' are $40, here and running on pavement shortens their life.

90 percent of the game is not giving up.

Teresadfp

One day at a time

posted: 10/28/2008 at 8:39 PM

Oh, they're only $30 here. If I'm going to run on Maine streets in the winter, I don't have many options.

MrFinn

Prince of Fatness

posted: 10/28/2008 at 10:04 PM

Quote from mikeymike on 10/25/2008 at 2:19 PM:

I'm also in the Boston area and I wear the same shoes/socks year round with no yaktrax or screws or anything. Keep your core warm and your extremities will be warm. Mostly I wear the Wrightsocks Ultrathin low socks. Traction? Eh, I just slow down on ice and snow and never have a problem. If I lived somewhere where I'd have to run entirely on hardpacked snow/ice for most runs, maybe I'd do the screw shoe method but I've never felt it worth the trouble for the reasons hastead stated. After a winter or two running in New Enland you pretty quickly start to wonder what all the fuss is about. The dark is the biggest hassle so get a reflective vest.

I'm with Mikey here. I used to be a wuss and skip days when it was snowy. Now I just go out. I just wear my regular running shoes, too. My development doesn't have any through streets, and has a one mile loop, so when it's real bad out I can stay close to home and not worry about traffic. The only thing I really worry about is black ice, either from snow melt or a quick freeze after a rain storm. It's tough to see in the dark .... took a couple of spills last year.

Not at it at all.

MissPratt

uncontrollable

posted: 10/28/2008 at 10:04 PM

It's not the ground/snow/ice that I have the issue with - it's when the snowbanks are a good size & you're forced more in the road with the coo-coo careless drivers. When there's no or low banks & a crazy is cutting it close or aiming right for you ... you can easily hop off road but when the banks start getting tall it's a little scary. But then again, I am on the country roads up here - no sidewalks.

peace

cgerber

posted: 10/28/2008 at 10:37 PM

When it's really nasty out I wear my Kahtoola crampons. They are actually great for the steep packed snow we tend to get in the foothills and they run surprisingly well. I've found that the YakTrax are ok, but they wear out faster, tend to come off easier, and are pretty sketchy on the steep stuff.

Has anyone run in Kahtoola's new Microspikes? They look pretty intriguing... like a hardcore version of YakTrax.

Shoes for Winter - Snow and Ice (Read 1006 times)