Yaktrax Pro Product Review

Recently, the folks at Yaktrax, gave us the opportunity to try out their Yaktrax Pro traction devices. They are traction devices for running, light hiking and working on packed snow and ice. When we received them, they came in nice packaging, and looked very nice. The traction system is made with abrasion resistant 1.4mm steel coils and heavy duty natural rubber material. They can be worn in temperatures as low as -41 degrees Fahrenheit. They come in a number of sizes and are available at many retail outlets. Click Here for a link to Yaktrax’s website to learn more.

We tested the Yaktrax Pro in Yellowstone National Park. The Yaktrax Pro traction devices were tested on  the hike to Ice Lake. The conditions at the time of the hike had winds of roughly 10mph with temperatures in the mid 30’s (It was cold). Furthermore, at night the temperatures in the area were regularly lowering to the mid 20’s, which meant that any snow that melted during the day was refreezing as ice at night. The trail at the time of the hike was snow and ice covered and was a great testing ground for the Yaktrax Pro traction devices.

The Yaktrax Pro performed good on the hike. They provided noticeably improved traction as compared to others who were not wearing them while on the hike. We had three people on the hike and one person was the test subject who did not wear the Yaktrax Pro. They held up under the level snowy/icy conditions and you could see the steel gripping the packed snow and ice. They did not shift or slide in place and felt secure once on.  

One negative of the Yaktrax Pro was I found my pair a little more difficult to put on while standing up on the hike than I would have liked for it to be; however they were much easier to put on while sitting down or not wearing your shoes. They were very easy to take off. Another important thing is the price is good, at only $30 a pair. They are much more affordable than other traction devices on the market.  However, some of the bands did feel thin, which means there might be a question with longevity (how many years they would last), however we could not test that out with our review.

What we found is that these are not substitutes for snow shoes, if there is a lot of soft snow, you will sink right down through the snow and these will provide little help as they are meant to be used on ice or packed snow. Furthermore, they are no substitutes from crampons which would need to be used in mountaineering situations or on steeper rockier hikes with ice and packed snow. If you are on a winter hike with snow/ice and a good amount of elevation gain, we would not recommend these for that use. We would recommend the Yaktrax Pro traction devices for use by hikers on hikes with ice and packed snow on trails that do not have significant elevation changes.