Winter Running Shoes

Joanna2012B

Hello All!

What shoes do you wear in the winter? I am in the market for a pair!! I need something that will keep my feet dry and have some grip in the snow and on ice.

LeanButNotMean44

I used to use trail running shoes, since their bottoms have better/deeper treads. Alternatively, you can buy YakTrax (there are others sold under different brand names), which slip over your shoes and provide extra traction. I also know runners who use short screws on the bottoms of their shoes to improve traction.

BrianSharpe

I use my regular running shoes (it's usually cold by dry here, for times when it's slushy I have a pair of gore-tex trail shoes) with a merino wool sock for warmth.

I've tried YakTrax and found they screwed up my gait, haven't tried the machine screw in the soles yet. I shorten my stride and keep my feet under my body and usually only take a tumble once or twice a year (and most of the time that's been during my walking cool down on my own street) Having said that, I won't run right after freezing rain.

Joanna2012B

Thanks! I have read reviews on YakTrax and the general consensus is they are good, but not for long. I think I will just get myself a good pair of wool socks. I may have to invest in some gore-tex trail shoes if we are gonna have a long snowy winter.

7lenny7

It seems like most of the time when I check one of these threads and @BrianSharpe has responded already, I agree with him. It's no different this time. Everything he says, I agree with here, except I don't have Gore-Tex shoes and I have used screwed shoes.

80% of my winter road running is with my regular road shoes. Last Sunday we had just received 8 inches of snow and it hadn't been plowed so I wore my trail shoes.

For slushy times, or when it's really cold I'll put duct tape over the upper to keep out the wind and moisture. It works well enough.

I have no interest in using anything like YakTrax, mainly because I haven't found a need for them, and this is running in Minnesota winters.

The only two times I've used screw shoes was when I was trail running and the temps had warmed up enough to give the packed snow a slippery glaze.

curlsintherack

I wore out my summer road shoes I plan on destroying my trail shoes in the snow and slush then replacing both pairs in the spring. I don't plan on putting screws in the soles of my shoes because we drive on the same roads I run on and my luck would be to lose a screw from my shoe and find it in one of the tires I just bought.

Joanna2012B

Thanks guys!! I may just have to accept the fact that I'll need to slow down in the snow. Last year we got next to nothing for snow, so this will be my first season of running in the snow. I still prefer to be outside rather than run on a dreadmill!! I have use of an indoor track...... boring!!!!!

mreichard

I got the Asics Gel Arctic for running on ice. They were much better than Yax Trax and other similar products. They don't do much in snow because the spikes are short, but for running on ice you can't beat them.

7lenny7

@Joanna2012B what sort of surfaces are you expecting to run on? I either run on trails or streets. Most of the time the trails are packed from the snowshoe folks and other runners so my usual trail shoes are fine, and our city does an awesome job plowing and salting so running in the street presents little problem for regular road shoes (so long as I'm well lit and reflectored). If I had to run on something different, such as unshoveled and little used bike paths, my answer might be different.

Joanna2012B

@7lenny7 I run on the trail on the weekend and that's fine!! During the week I run on a combination of the road and sidewalk as I run at 5am before work. There are parts of my run that I have to be on the sidewalk as our snow clearing isn't quite as good. The unfortunate part is that many people still don't clear the sidewalk in a timely manner! So I will run on slush, snow and ice. @mreichard I will check out the asic arctic shoes!