Microspikes and their application are very good at polarising opinion when out in the hills in winter. On most winter skills courses there’s very little time spent covering them and if you breeze past a crampon clad party walking on an icy path with your hiking trainers and microspikes you might get the occasional look of dissaproval! The truth is that yes, there are many locations and situations in the mountains in winter that aren’t appropriate for microspikes, but if used in the right situation the’re a very useful bit of kit.

In this short blog we’ll explore what microspikes are, when might be appropriate to wear them and what questions you might ask yourself before making the decision to put them on or not.

Nearing the top of Mither Tap. What would be best here?

What are Microspikes?

Microspikes are small, downward pointing spikes, usually made of stainless steel, that are secured to your shoe by a flexible band. They fit onto most walking footwear: boots or trainers. Compare these to crampons, which have much larger spikes; often one or two are front pointing with the others downward pointing. They’re secured by straps and often a plastic clip and are specially designed to fit to stiff soled winter boots. For more information on crampons and winter boots, click here.

Top - Grivel’s version of microspikes. Image courtesy of www.grivel.com. Bottom - Different types of crampon on a stiff soled winter boot (C1 bottom left, C2 bottom right).

Why are Microspikes useful?

They’re lightweight and cheaper than crampons.
You need no real training or experience to walk in them.
They’re small and pack down well.
They fit onto most types of walking footwear.
They’re easy to put on.

Good Terrain for Microspikes

Undulating ground with low slope angles.
Defined paths and tracks covered in icy, compacted snow or a thin layer of ice.

What are Microspikes limitations?

The fit isn’t as secure as a crampon and they can come off.
They have a smaller footprint than crampons. Crampon spikes line up with the outside of your boot, allowing a wider surface area for maximum traction.
They aren’t as versatile as a crampon - there are many more situations in winter that suit crampons over microspikes.
Lots of options - make sure you get a pair from a reputable brand. Go into your local outdoor shop and ask if unsure.

Challenging Terrain for Microspikes

As the slope angle increases, it becomes more difficult to get the spikes to bite into the ground and gain traction. The chances of them slipping off increase too.
If the ground has more than a light dusting of snow, the small microspikes simply won’t be able to reach the hard surface beneath.
If there is lots of thick ice (think icy snow patch or some thick water ice), the spikes will struggle to penetrate the surface.

Front pointing with crampons on a steep slope.

Scenario

You’re sitting in the visitor centre car park at Bennachie, it’s mid-January. Earlier in the week the weather had been unseasonably warm and wet, but it’s been significantly below zero for the last few days. There’s a light dusting of snow on the ground, the paths are frozen solid. As you’re skating round your car to get to the boot, will you be popping a pair of microspikes over your summer dog walking boots, or will you be putting on your stiff soled winter boots and going ‘full on winter’ to test out your shiny new crampons that you got for Christmas?!

Looking north from Bennachie, Tap o’ Noth in the distance.

Questions to ask yourself

What route are you planning, and therefore what type of terrain are you heading into?
What weather and underfoot conditions are you expecting?
What is you and your party's experience?
Are the weather and underfoot conditions as expected during your walk?
What other equipment do you have with you?

A few centimetres of snow on the path, would microspikes work here?

What would I do?

In this situation, knowing that the terrain leading away from the visitor centre is a good, undulating path staying at a similar altitude, I’d most probably opt for microspikes initially. I’d be wearing my stiff soled winter boots and would be carrying my crampons. I’d have a number of route plans based on my expectations from the forecast and ground conditions and adapt according to what I find. If there is more snow, or I decide to head up a steep path, then this might be the time to think about crampons, or even just kicking steps in the snow with no crampons.

In short, always go for the ‘belt and braces’ approach; it’s much better to be overprepared than underprepared. Make sure that you understand the limitations of your equipment AND experience. If something doesn’t feel right, then that might be the time to change your approach!

Written by Edd Hamilton