Winter Tires for Your Feet

I loved running at a patch of ice to slide across it like a surfer as a kid. Nowadays, this millennial would be content to be able to lift and carry my child out of the car and walk across the parking lot without taking a spill. My kid loves his hugs and insists that I carry him. Having my arms tied up and carrying his extra weight makes me fear that my legs and arms wouldn’t be able to dance around to recover from a slip if I hit a bad patch of ice. When I go to bend & lift him up and out of the car, I worry a bit about slipping, to the point that I’d slide my foot on the ground to test the slipperiness before I get my squat position ready to lift my Mini-Me.

Conveniently for me, the research segment of Toronto Rehabilitation Institute test how well boots can grip ice (RateMyTreads.com). The boots that had the best grip against ice were enhanced with either metal spikes, crystal spikes, or a textured outsole that feels like fine grit sandpaper.

Personally I bought a pair of running shoes with the textured outsole. They’re comfortable, waterproof, and light, which allow my feet to feel the pedals when I’m driving or feel the snowy sidewalk when walking. The only drawback I found was a lack of insulation, which made my feet get cold after 15 minutes outdoors.

My friends know that I’m frugal, so it’s no surprise that I bought with 30% off during boxing week which made the price similar to a typical running shoe. It’s made my life easier in general, but especially when lifting a 30 pound VIP out of a car, and carrying him like a large sack of onions across a slushy parking lot. Even if you don’t have to lug a minion around like a big bag of potatoes, having grippy boots still helps to avoid getting brown slush on ourselves during an embarrassing fall.

Have a look at what tested well at RateMyTreads.com. And with Black Friday or Boxing Week sales, these boots with enhanced outsoles might not cost much more than conventional boots.