Is hockey the only way to enjoy being on the ice with your dog?
Sing it!
I know I just got it stuck in your head. In fact, stand up and do the running man — but only if you’re on stable ground! If you’re on the ice, you may slip. This week we’re talking about how to keep you on your feet when you’re walking your dog on the ice.
Have you ever fallen on the ice? Or even slipped on mud while you’re walking your dog? Yikes! Right now, you could play an NHL game on any Canadian sidewalk. You know that your dog needs her daily walks, but you’re terrified you’ll hurt yourself.
Can we PLEASE leave the deck today?
Last year, my friend broke her ulna when she slipped on an icy sidewalk. Not only was it painful, it required surgery, physiotherapy, and lots of time off work.
Here’s how to get a grip on those icy trails and sidewalks.
The answer is Traction Cleats.
What are they? Coils of wire or metal spikes/cleats that attach to your winter boots via a stretchy rubber frame. The first time you try them will blow your mind!
Traction Cleats
There are lots of different styles of traction cleats. My current pair of Yaktrax are about fifteen years old. When they were new, I could easily slip them onto any pair of boots (including an extra-large pair worn solely for insanely deep snow.) They even fit on my hiking shoes during the springtime. Yep, there’s still ice in Canada in the spring!
In their prime, my Yaktrax were fine to put on inside on my runner mat. I could stretch them over my boots, move around on the carpet (grabbing last minute items — a second poop bag, maybe a third, just in case…I think I need one more layer of mittens…), and then head outside to walk the dog. Fast forward about twelve years when the wires began uncoiling, and I quickly learned that I had to put the traction cleats on outside. The wires, now poking out this way and that way, snagged on the carpet and I almost fell flat on my face. More than once. Lesson learned…eventually.
Since I’m all reduce, reuse, repurpose, I am still using that same pair of Yaktrax three years later. The rubber has snapped, leaving me with wire coverage only on the front half (okay, third!) of each boot. I have to put them on outside, which is uncool when it’s freezing out, but hey, I’m saving the planet. Haha!
Last year was the first time I ever fell while wearing them! I drove to a trail, parked the car, pulled on the Yaktrax (what’s left them, anyway,) and carefully extracted myself from the front seat. I collected Magic from the back seat without any problem. She seemed to have enough traction on the skating-rink of a trail, so I decided to proceed. If we could just make it across the skating rink (AKA parking lot), we could tromp through the snow beside the trail, and eventually pop out into a clearing and play some fetch. Never mind that the first hundred feet of trail is completely uphill and flanked by trees. We got this! I want my outdoor time and Magic wants hers too.
Two steps away from the car, my feet came out from underneath me and I understood (finally!) why everyone who didn’t grow up in Ottawa is so afraid of ice. “So, this is what it’s like,” I thought, sitting up. Thankfully, I hadn’t hit my head. More importantly, I hadn’t hurt Magic when I bailed. I sat there thinking about of my friend’s broken bone and decided to go find a clear sidewalk to safely walk Magic. It simply wasn’t worth the risk.
I knew it was time for some new traction cleats.
I did the research. I just haven’t bought them yet.
And it’s February…of the following year. In my defence, this winter has been quite mild. I’ve only needed cleats twice, and the old pair worked just fine.
The good news is, I’ve had plenty of extra time to do even more research. I would LOVE to hear your feedback about which pair I should buy!
I’ve asked dog walkers and runners what they prefer in terms of coils (like Yaktrax) vs. spikes (like ICETrekkers Shoe Chains) vs. steel studs (like OutStar Ice and Snow Grips Over Shoe.) It really depends on whether you’ll be walking or running and whether you’re doing these activities on ice or on snow.
The runners maintain that the wire coils don’t bite into the ice as well, but taught me that the studs actually wear down much faster than the coils.
The dog walkers are divided. They like the coils for snow and the studs for ice.
The biggest takeaway message is: If you’re walking on sidewalks that have icy patches and also exposed pavement, you need to be careful no matter which cleats you pick. The same rules apply if you are going to wear them across a slippery parking lot and then walk inside a store or shopping mall - take the traction cleats off BEFORE you go inside. Yes, I have been that person who whooshed into the mall. “Which way to the Bambi auditions? Of course I’m doing this on purpose. It’s research.”
If you’re walking in deep snow, or ice-crusted snow, some cleats may come off your boots. It’s the same predicament we have with dog boots always coming off. Many traction cleats have attempted to solve this problem by adding a strap across the top of the foot.
The most recent reviews I’ve read online warn that the newer Yaktrax fit smaller than they used to. How many sizes up will I need to buy for my size nine winter boots? I’ll let you know, if I ever get around to replacing them.
Alyssa
Photos by: Taylor Friehl (hockey player with dog), jiayuan zhao (dog on deck), Patrick Schneider (traction cleats.)