Kahtoola MICROspikes
Icy packed trail in shoes you already own
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Comparison · Traction
Kahtoola Microspikes vs Yaktrax
Updated October 5, 2026
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Buy Kahtoola MICROspikes for icy trail. Buy Yaktrax for sidewalks and parking lots. Taking Yaktrax onto rocky trail shreds the coils and slips where spikes would hold.
Decides on → Packed trail ice vs Sidewalk ice
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| Kahtoola MICROspikes | Yaktrax Run | |
|---|---|---|
| Best surface | Packed trail ice | Sidewalk ice |
| Rocky trail | Usable | Poor |
| Weight | A bit more | Lighter |
| Durability on rock | Better | Coils shred |
| Steep alpine ice | Still no | No |
| Price band | Mid | Budget |
Kahtoola MICROspikes
Chains with small spikes that turn a hiking shoe into a better ice walker.
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Yaktrax Run
A lightweight coil for sidewalk ice, not for a mountain trail.
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Verdict
If the trip is a hike, buy the Microspikes. Keep Yaktrax in the car for town ice.
What the published specs say
Kahtoola MICROspikes
Use them on packed snow and moderate ice. Take them off on dry rock so you do not skate or damage the chain. They are not crampons. If the route is steep enough to warrant an ice axe, turn around or bring the real tools and the skill. Size them to the shoe.
Who should buy it. Shoulder-season hikers on icy trails.
Best for. Icy packed trail in shoes you already own
Limitation. Not for steep ice or hard water ice
About 13 oz a pair · Mid
- Stable on packed ice
- Fit over hiking shoes
- Widely understood
- Wrong tool on steep alpine ice
- Wear out if worn on pavement
- Type
- Microspikes
- Use
- Packed ice
- Not
- Mountaineering crampons
Yaktrax Run
Yaktrax belong in a winter car kit for icy parking lots. On rocky trail the coils break and the grip is worse than microspikes. Do not let the low price talk you into a trip that needed Kahtoolas.
Who should buy it. Neighborhood ice and emergency car kits.
Best for. Icy sidewalks and very mild trail
Limitation. Coils shred on rock and slip on steep ice
About 8 oz a pair · Budget
- Light
- Cheap
- Fine on sidewalks
- Poor on rocky trail
- Coils break
- Type
- Coil
- Use
- Sidewalk
- Not
- Backcountry ice
FAQ
Are either crampons?
No.
Can I run in Yaktrax on trail?
That is the product people regret.
From the related pages
These summaries come from the linked roundups, so the facts match across the site. Nothing here is a new test or a new score.
Best microspikes
For icy packed trail, buy Kahtoola MICROspikes in the size of the shoe you will actually wear. Hillsound Trail Crampons are the more aggressive option for longer firm-snow approaches. Yaktrax are for sidewalks. None of these are mountaineering crampons.
Hikers on spring and fall trails that ice up. Not steep alpine ice.
Picks are chosen for how you will use them, not by a private lab score. Weights and ratings are the manufacturer’s published figures and can change with the model year. Prices are not listed. Open the current listing before you buy.
Default on that page. Buy Kahtoolas unless you already know the approach is long and firm enough to want Hillsounds. Leave Yaktrax for the parking lot.
Traction and gaiters
Microspikes for icy trail. Gaiters for snow and scree. Neither one is a mountaineering crampon.
Microspikes add confidence on packed snow and garden-variety ice. They skate on hard water ice and they are the wrong tool on steep alpine snow. If the route needs an ice axe, you are past this category.
Gaiters keep rocks and slush out of the cuff. They are not waterproofing for a soaked shoe. A short gaiter is enough for dust. A tall gaiter is for snow that is deeper than your ankle.
- Buy spikes that match your shoe size and practice putting them on with cold hands.
- Do not run Yaktrax-style coils on rocky trail. They shred and they slip.
- Take spikes off on dry pavement so you do not ruin the chain or the floor.