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From Fellrnr.com, Running tips
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==Screw in or Slip On?==
The alternative to screw in metal spikes is to have an overshoe that has additional grip. Common brands include Yaktrax or Kahtoola exospikes, and I've used both. The advantage of the screw in spikes is they work in all conditions, and the additional grip can be handy on some surfaces even in summer. The screw in spikes add little weight and are always there. Overshoes are relatively heavy, and have to be put on when needed, and that can be hard if the weather is cold. Stopping to put overshoes on snow covered shoes with cold hands is a grim experience sometimes. I've also had problems on mixed surfaces, where there's exposed rock and ice with Yaktrax falling apart. Overshoes are also heavy and bulky to carry, so I've given up on mine completely, and prefer screw in spikes. (If you need crampons, then you need crampons, and spikes won't help. I have Kahtoola microspikes, which are a half way to crampons that work with running shoes, but rarely use them as I don't like running when things are that bad.)
=Converting road shoes for technical trails=
I have converted a few road running shoes for technical trail use with mixed results. Other than the outsole grip, the main difference between a road and a trail shoe is how well the upper grips your foot. I've put the pyramid outsole on the Altra Torin which produced a remarkably comfortable shoe that has excellent traction and works really well for nontechnical trails. But when things get gnarly, the shoe isn't close fitting enough to give the agility you need. Converting a road shoe that has a Pebax foam midsole creates a hybrid that works reasonably well on hard, relatively smooth trails. The trails need to be close enough to asphalt for the bounciness of the pebax foam to work. On trails that are even vaguely technical, the bouncy foam becomes unstable and creates significant additional ankle stress. Of course, if you’re on a course that transitions between easy, firm, trials and asphalt, then the Pebax foam might work well.
