Trail Runner

Trail Runner

Running in winter in cold climates with ways to naturally deal with snow and ice – there's really not alternative outside the setting tedious miles on the treadmill. Until this year, I just avoided running in adverse conditions, but even on good days the sidewalks in my area usually have a coating of ice crisp, finding the traction is always a problem. The trails are even worse, like skiers, snowshoers and snow Mobileri tend to fly in snow pack slippery drive. There are a number of traction devices on hand to help walk in winter, from Yaktrax (have not tried these) to "Screw Shoes" which are a do-it-yourself solution to the problem of winter traction.

I recently had the opportunity to try a series of Hobnails La Sportiva, which are like small screws that you drill in the sole of a shoe for better traction on snow and ice. What I like is that the Hobnails seem less intrusive than YAKTRAX, and there is less chance they can break your shoes and hit the foot as the "Screw Shoes" (I no idea if this could actually happen, but it does worry me). The Hobnails are designed with a relatively flat, wide top, so they screw without any kind of point to your foot. This design also ensures that they will stay put while embedded in your shoe. They are manufactured from a resistant "wear, corrosion resistant WIDIA elevated mood tungsten alloy, and the design was apparently taken studs on the tires car rally – which might explain their relatively high price of $ 45.00. I decided to integrate the Hobnails in an old pair of Brooks Adrenaline 8, and take a ride to see if they could help me in my winter running sore.

After 4 + miles on varied terrain in Winter (road, icy sidewalk, a path crusty), I was very impressed by how the Hobnails made. No slippage at all on any of the terrain I ran, and contrary to my expectations, they did not feel uncomfortable when running on dry pavement – at most, I felt like I was driving on a gravel road, so a run mixed terrain (road / track) works perfectly in them. There was also no appreciable wear on the tip studded After the race, suggesting that they will not wear out on the roads (which is logical if the design and materials are from nail car tire). The hobnails remained closely integrated in my shoes throughout the race and I did not lose one, I've heard can be a problem with the screw-yourself shoes. Overall, I highly recommend the La Sportiva Hobanails if you are looking for a race in winter traction solution – I foresee myself using this frequently on my own winter series.

The author of this article, Peter Larson, writes a blog, Runblogger, that provides thoughts and tips on running and living an active life. More information on the La Sportiva Hobnails, including images and video, can be found at: http://www.runblogger.com/2009/12/runblogger-runcast-3-running-on-snow.html

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