Cheap Ultra Snow and Ice Cleats

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I have a very steep driveway and in past winters I averaged 2-3 falls a season, even wearing snow boots or work boots. I bought these after one such fall, when out of desperation I went internet shopping for some sort of ice shoe. I found the "Ultra Snow and Ice Grip", which pulls over any of my shoes (dress, boots, sneakers). The 6 metal nubs on the bottom are enough to keep me from slipping, but I don't feel (or sound) like I'm walking on cleats. You can hardly see them when they're on. Once I arrive at my destination, I just pull them off my shoes, roll them up into a small ziplock bag, and throw them in my purse for next time.

I highly recommend them for people of any age, but they would make especially thoughtful gifts for older relatives or friends. I ordered some for my sister and my 86-year old mother and know they'll love them as much as I do.

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After sustaining a rather severe knee injury slipping on the ice, I sought to take more care in my choice of footwear, including obtaining over-the-sole cleats. As I already have tungsten carbide studded bicycle tires, I was appreciative of the technology. Chicago often has rapid temperature changes, leading to freezing over of sidewalks and streets, which makes a simple walk a dangerous endeavor. Running across an icy street one day in February, I slipped on the ice and, in an attempt to maintain my balance, over-exerted my left quadriceps tearing the muscle right off the kneecap. When I arrived at the emergency room, I found that it was filled with patients who had fallen on the ice.

I had been researching over-the-sole cleats online for some time when I stumbled across the Get-A-Grip ice cleats in Walgreens. It was right around the time Chicago had a thaw and freeze over. It was a worthwhile purchase that provided immediate benefits. They dramatically increase traction on ice, are simple to use and are relatively lightweight. I wish I knew about them a year ago as I would have a avoided a painful injury and thousands of dollars in medical bills.

The Grip-A-Grip cleats are nice but not perfect. The rubber lattice structure holds them on the bottom of the sole fairly well but they can fall off. It would be nice to have an over-the-top strap that holds them more securely. Also, the plastic grommets holding the tungsten studs can break in extreme circumstances. I shattered two of them stomping on a ceramic tile to test the potential damage to finished floors. Suffice it to say, the tile cracked as well. The second pair of Get-A-Grip cleats I purchased came with two spare individual cleats so the company understands they are not indestructible.

More people should be aware of this type of product. I am glad that mainstream stores such as Walgreens now sell the Get-A-Grip cleats as many would benefit from wearing them when treacherous icy streets lead to injuries.

Pros

+Dramatically increases traction on ice

+Relatively lightweight

Cons

-Can fall off in some circumstances

-Individual cleat grommets can crack under extreme pressure

-Potentially damaging to finished floors

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Before purchasing, check out the "advanced" version: Get-A-Grip Advanced. It was the original version, and can be hard to pull on when they are new. (See my review over there.) This "ultra" version uses much thinner bands of rubber -easier to pull on, but also easier to wear out, break, and slip off your boot. Others I know have purchased this version -some like it, but one had it slip off her boot.

After 5+ years of using what is now called the "advanced" version, I have still not slipped on the ice while wearing them.

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I bought these for the entire family to wear on a trip to Tahoe. I found them helpful on the slippery ice. I would caution, however, that these sometimes slip off your shoe. (My husband lost one of them on a walk.) I wouldn't feel confident running using these (like I've seen advertised somewhere that runners could wear them), but I definitely felt more confident wearing them on the icy sidewalk than not having them on. I would recommend them.

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I was pleased to receive this product so quickly. Now that I have them in my possession it will probably be a mild winter here. I like the fact that the "cleats" are replaceable as in golf shoes.