Review on STABILicers Snow and Ice Walking Traction Cleats (1 Pair) by Patrick Cox

I originally bought treads from another brand but when they arrived I wasn't impressed. They looked like I would fall if I walked on ceramic tile or regular concrete. After some thought, I haven't even tried them. Instead, I bought these Stabil-Icers. When I received them I definitely thought they would keep me on my feet that much better. But I was worried because they were metal spikes. And metal on concrete. not much. The great thing about these metal studs is that the metal is rounded. So if you ride public transit (like me) you don't have to worry about punching holes in the bus floor. I'm a BIG guy. 400 pounds, 6ft 1in and I try to be conscientious about my weight and size wherever I go. I wear them all February. Through snow, sleet, ice and rain. Temperatures from minus to 37 degrees Fahrenheit. In deep snow, they only slid until they hit hard. They grabbed the snow with my crotch and moved a little, but only because they had nothing to catch. As soon as my foot hit something hard, they grabbed it and I didn't slip anymore. I could walk on dry, packed snow and ice without slipping. When I was skating on dry ice, I was able to get a good grip on the ice with the clutch. There are no failures at all. Of course, I tried not to just take long steps like normal walking. With fresh snow, it's like walking on normal asphalt. No slips or anything like that. I could walk normally on almost any surface. Although, as I said. I wasn't trying to walk normally on smooth ice. There are two worst things to walk on in winter. One of the really useful things about them is that they have soft rubber pads around the edges that give me a pretty good grip to help or counteract the spikes in some cases. For example when I'm on clean sidewalks which can have very little ice due to refreezing after shoveling. The rubber portion of the tread gives me a firmer base to stand and walk on. First all the snow is cleared from the streets and finally the sidewalks. This is a substance that mixes with sand and makes traction difficult. On the way to work, I have to cross several streets with my Stabil-icer, which are rarely well cleared in the inner city. It's a combination of sand, ice and snow that makes it hard to stay upright. I've found that no matter what I do, I slip a little. I mean a bit though. I can only slip an inch or two before they grab. So far I've never fallen while wearing it. Then comes what we're all worried about. wet ice. The reason so many people call instead of trying to get to work. I will never run with my stabilizer glasses. First, look at the comment above about being a BIG guy. Second, I'm too old to take stupid risks. (fifty). As they say, I have to go to work. This winter I sometimes had to walk on wet ice. In those first few days on wet ice, I lost all confidence. What I did was get on the ice and put my foot on it. Then I move on to the ice and put my foot down. I've done it all over the ice and I've never slipped. Although it took me ten minutes to get up about twenty feet. After doing this twice, I regained my confidence a bit. Now I take the first step and rest with my foot. Then I go onto the ice and take shorter steps. I don't slide at all. The last thing I will address is the hills. I can walk mostly flat terrain with a slight 5 degree incline to get to the bus stop if I want to take a longer route that doubles my walking distance. From the house uphill to the bus stop. Descent from the bus stop to the house. However, my usual route is a 25-27 degree incline uphill to the bus stop, or downhill from the bus stop at the end of the day. Needless to say, these are my scariest routes. Walking uphill to the bus stop was the first thing I did regularly. On the way home I took a smoother and longer route just because I didn't trust the slippery ice. Two days ago, after another three inches of snow had fallen, I decided I didn't want to talk about the long drive home. Before the cold snap it was 17 degrees. I was so happy when I got home. No slips or falls. Hard snow under fresh snow, and not once did I feel my grip slipping. I don't know how long they will last. Seems to be holding up well. The size I bought was men's 9.5 to 12. I wear size 11.5 tennis shoes. They were a bit tight to put my shoes on and still are, but I'm fine with that because they stay put when you put them on. I've found that they shift a bit under my shoes after wearing them more than 10-15 times. By movement, I mean they appear to be going in one direction, but I don't think that's the stabilizers' fault. That's because I walk with my feet sideways against the 25 degree incline of the street and our parking lot at our apartments. So I blame gravity for the slide, not the stabilizers. But that also means they won't slide back into place once I'm back on level ground. A bit annoying because I feel like I'm walking on the edge of my tracks when I'm back on level ground, but it's not so bad that I lose traction or my shoes get damaged or whatever. It's like walking on uneven ground. If I don't mind reaching down to flatten them, they can be pushed back with a little effort. Hope that helps. I haven't had any issues with them wearing out but to be honest if they only last one winter I'm fine with that. I would spend $20 a year to stay on my feet.