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IceShanty Main => General Ice Fishing Chit Chat => Topic started by: Nessmuck on Feb 07, 2019, 09:44 PM

Title: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: Nessmuck on Feb 07, 2019, 09:44 PM
Haven’t put them on the boots yet...but they look good....and won’t fall off. When we got asked for our license on the lake last week...I noticed the CO was wearing them....I said to myself, if Fish and Games use them,they must be good. Anyone have any comments about them ? Thanks !
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: TimK on Feb 07, 2019, 10:06 PM
I am on my second set after having the first for 9years.  Only reason the first pair went is I nicked the rubber with my auger blades 4 or so years ago and it gradually ripped over time.  I was impressed with durability though, and I fish a lot.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: Kevin23 on Feb 07, 2019, 10:10 PM
Best ones ive ever used. Broke my first set, not sure how.. they sent me a new set, a bag, and an apology letter. Then a year later I got a letter in the mail saying they were again sorry that I had an issue with their product and it had a card in it for I think 25% off their online store. Amazing company and amazing product. The COs around here all have them also, so they can run on the ice if need be.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: RyanW on Feb 07, 2019, 10:16 PM
I absolutely love my Microspikes. I feel more stable on ice with them than I do standing in my living room in my socks. Great investment. Just don’t leave them on your boots and you shouldn’t have any issues with them. I take them off and rinse them in clean water after every use. This is my 3rd season with them as I couldn’t imagine using anything less.

What sold me on them was a video I watched where a guy had a golf cart with chains on the tires out on the lake. Another guy wearing Microspikes held on to a rope attached to the golf cart. The Microspikes held the golf cart in place while it went on to dig holes into the ice with the chains. Microspikes for the win! After that I ordered a pair.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: Monticatgeek on Feb 07, 2019, 10:36 PM
Micro Spikes are all I will use. best spikes out there. expensive but worth it.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: Badder on Feb 07, 2019, 11:18 PM
Bought my first pair of Micro Spikes 3 weeks back, and man O man they are some bad mama jama's.
I've been keeping them in the cab of the truck, with all the freezing rain we've been getting in Michigan I'm not
taking any chances.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: Unclegillhunter on Feb 08, 2019, 03:11 AM
Great product Great company to work with.
Keep it safe! JDL
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: Maddog on Feb 08, 2019, 04:33 AM
One of my top investments. Going on 6years with mine.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: Jeffrey on Feb 08, 2019, 06:05 AM
I tried a pair from tire chain.com that fell apart stretching them over my boot the first time, what a joke!
Invested in a set of Kahtoola's and are very impressive. The fit was so tight though I thought they were going to break as well so I leave them on my size 14 Mucks. I can also tell you that Kahtoola VS auger blade is no match! The first
Hole I cut and BING it cut half way through my brand new strap. I was so pissed you could have used my head to melt
3 more holes in the 3 feet of ice that day! Well anyhoo, year two and still holding up. When it does break I will get another set because they are awesome.




Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: lowaccord66 on Feb 08, 2019, 06:19 AM
They suck.  I just replaced mine with the LL bean cleats with the boa.  The rubber on my micros stretched in cold weather and became useless.  One side broke completely.  When they worked the traction was excellent.  If there was wet snow they were useless, they clog up and I took some good diggers because of it.  I'll hit up kahtoola regarding the issues.  Then I will come back to this thread and give away the replacement if they hook me up.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: ICEHOLE on Feb 08, 2019, 06:25 AM
They suck.  I just replaced mine with the LL bean cleats with the boa.  The rubber on my micros stretched in cold weather and became useless.  One side broke completely.  When they worked the traction was excellent.  If there was wet snow they were useless, they clog up and I took some good diggers because of it.  I'll hit up kahtoola regarding the issues.  Then I will come back to this thread and give away the replacement if they hook me up.

3rd season, no issues...
only thing i dont like about them is they are so NOISY! i take them off when chasing pike...so like always
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: Huntindave on Feb 08, 2019, 06:30 AM
They suck.  I just replaced mine with the LL bean cleats with the boa.  The rubber on my micros stretched in cold weather and became useless.  One side broke completely.  When they worked the traction was excellent.  If there was wet snow they were useless, they clog up and I took some good diggers because of it.  I'll hit up kahtoola regarding the issues.  Then I will come back to this thread and give away the replacement if they hook me up.

Just have the replacements sent directly to me.  ;D ;D
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: RStock521 on Feb 08, 2019, 06:55 AM
Absolutely love mine.  They are a little noisy, I sound like I'm wearing spurs when I'm walking around.  I always take mine off at the end of the day as well.  They are a little tight on my size 14 Baffin's, but after I adjust them a little bit, they fit great.  They sometimes get a little too tight on the toe of the boot as I'm stretching them over, but it only takes a second to redistribute the stretch so that they are on correctly.  Buy nice, not twice!
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: lowaccord66 on Feb 08, 2019, 07:15 AM
3rd season, no issues...
only thing i dont like about them is they are so NOISY! i take them off when chasing pike...so like always

I was 5 trips deep.  -12 seems to change the composition of the rubber and made it stretch and it had no more elasticity.  One of the long straps on the side broke.  I lost my spud that day too!  Haha it was a good day...
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: markrazzy on Feb 08, 2019, 07:41 AM
After some bad mishaps with Yaktraks a while back, I went with Kahtoolas about 8 years ago.  They lasted until last year until somehow when I went out at 2am to get my spot for eyes, I must've been so tired I put one pair on inside out.  No idea how I got them on and I didn't even realize it until about 100 yards in, I realized I wasn't getting as much traction from one foot and one of my chains had ripped through the rubber.  I will say that the first winter, adjusting to them from yaktraks took a few trips.  I thought I was going to tear an ACL on my first flag as I ran to the tip up and expected to slid and just had my boots stick. 

When I'm walleye fishing, I wear them to drill all my holes and get setup, and then I take them off when I can.  On too many occasions, I've worn them walking to a slowly spinning tip up only to watch it stop spinning as I get close and miss the fish.  They are loud - but they do the job. 
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: DR.SPECKLER on Feb 08, 2019, 07:45 AM
4 years with mine.best cleats out there.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: hays47 on Feb 08, 2019, 07:47 AM
Kahtoola spikes is a great company and especially their customer service. My first pair worked great. Getting them on my size 12 xw Mickeys was a little tedious. So I left them on. That fall the plastic material had all dry rotted. Evidently not supposed to leave on while in storage. I just chalked it up to my bad.

Posted on forum here about what had happened. Nothing snarky just the facts. I had never contacted the company. Next thing I know I get PM from Kahtoola. Asking for my mailing address so they can send me a replacement for FREE. Evidently someone at Kahtoola checks this site. Three days later they are in my mail box. They even paid for shipping.

To me that was above and beyond normal CS. To me it was stellar.


Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: shiveringjoe on Feb 08, 2019, 07:53 AM
I love my micro spikes. My ice boots are huge (size 15) so its quite a stretch to get them on. I can't drive in those boots so I just leave the cleats on all winter. Got 5 seasons out of my first pair with the black rubber, on season 3 with the red rubber now. Definitely felt like I got my money's worth with the first set so I didn't bother trying to get a replacement. Plus one of the cleats is still good so I keep it in my bucket as a backup. 
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: Rugburn on Feb 08, 2019, 08:15 AM
Kahtoola spikes is a great company and especially their customer service. My first pair worked great. Getting them on my size 12 xw Mickeys was a little tedious. So I left them on. That fall the plastic material had all dry rotted. Evidently not supposed to leave on while in storage. I just chalked it up to my bad.

Posted on forum here about what had happened. Nothing snarky just the facts. I had never contacted the company. Next thing I know I get PM from Kahtoola. Asking for my mailing address so they can send me a replacement for FREE. Evidently someone at Kahtoola checks this site. Three days later they are in my mail box. They even paid for shipping.

To me that was above and beyond normal CS. To me it was stellar.


Wow that is stellar customer service! 3 years on mine and going strong. For some the rubber does seem to be the weak link, perhaps another material here in the future?
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: SLAYERFISH on Feb 08, 2019, 08:20 AM
Got 5 years on my $20 Eagle Claw chinese knock-offs and I always get a chuckle when I see people over-pay for  this stuff.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: iceman260 on Feb 08, 2019, 08:25 AM
My micro spikes are 8 years old still as good as the day I bought them. Rubber is still soft and pliable I leave them on my mucks all winter. They are the black ones.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: Bucket Rump on Feb 08, 2019, 08:45 AM
No complaints with my Kahtoola's - they've worked and held up well for me.  Only issue I ever had was having them pop off my boots once while climbing up an icy hill.  Had to give a little extra tug on the tow rope of my flip shanty to get it over an exposed tree root and in doing that I must have did a little twist with my feet causing them to pop off.  A few buddies who were along with gave my high marks for my backside surfer skills.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: RyanW on Feb 08, 2019, 09:12 AM
Got 5 years on my $20 Eagle Claw chinese knock-offs and I always get a chuckle when I see people over-pay for  this stuff.

A days worth of gas, snacks, beverages, and bait isn’t far from a pair of Microspikes. It’s just money. Buy what you want. I always chuckle when people concern themselves with how others spend their own money. It wasn’t only until recently that there were even similar options to Microspikes without going full on crampon. So they filled a void in the market and priced it accordingly. It helped that it was a product that worked. That’s why there are copies now (probably had to wait for patents to expire or something). I do see how that can affect Kahtoolas sales.

My Microspikes are awesome. Love em. But I am intrigued by Eagle Claws offering especially given the price. SportsmenDirect offers a very similar cleat at a very similar price point also. Can’t beat Kahtoolas warranty and CS though (which is reflected in the price). I thinks it’s only a matter of time before Kahtoola has some major competition.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: lowaccord66 on Feb 08, 2019, 09:20 AM
Got 5 years on my $20 Eagle Claw chinese knock-offs and I always get a chuckle when I see people over-pay for  this stuff.

Had these...great grip...rubber broke making them unusable....

These won't break! (I hope)

https://m.llbean.com/llb/shop/90699?page=llbean-boa-footwear-traction-mens&csp=a?feat=ice cleats-srm_rrbottom&pn=pd&skCatId=90699 (https://m.llbean.com/llb/shop/90699?page=llbean-boa-footwear-traction-mens&csp=a?feat=ice cleats-srm_rrbottom&pn=pd&skCatId=90699)

Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: ICEHOLE on Mar 12, 2019, 10:08 AM
Got 5 years on my $20 Eagle Claw chinese knock-offs and I always get a chuckle when I see people over-pay for  this stuff.
i have given  eagle claw enough $$ to get me 2 sets of kahtoolas over the year. everything eagle claw i have owned sucks. including their cleats
glad a made the switch
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: jethro on Mar 12, 2019, 10:33 AM
Had these...great grip...rubber broke making them unusable....

These won't break! (I hope)

https://m.llbean.com/llb/shop/90699?page=llbean-boa-footwear-traction-mens&csp=a?feat=ice cleats-srm_rrbottom&pn=pd&skCatId=90699 (https://m.llbean.com/llb/shop/90699?page=llbean-boa-footwear-traction-mens&csp=a?feat=ice cleats-srm_rrbottom&pn=pd&skCatId=90699)

Wow, those look awesome! I like my Microspikes if the conditions are right. If it's glare ice they are miserable and I far prefer my Stabilicers Maxx.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: kc_ on Mar 12, 2019, 01:06 PM
I can personally tell all of you that Kahtoola or any of the other mirco spike creepers out there are a lot cheaper than the broken elbow that I have for not having creepers on this year.  The doctor bills would easily have paid for many pairs. Not to mention the fact that it has been over a month that I have not been able to fish.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: NateD on Mar 12, 2019, 01:36 PM
Wow, those look awesome! I like my Microspikes if the conditions are right. If it's glare ice they are miserable and I far prefer my Stabilicers Maxx.

Glare ice is kind of the only time I need spikes and they work well (I have knock-offs), with any kind of snow they just collect slush, freeze up, and I have to smash it off all day which is extremely annoying. So I'd say I like mine too if the conditions are right, and that condition is glare ice.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: missoulafish on Mar 12, 2019, 01:38 PM
Only thing i use on the ice, when I need something for traction. Also took them on a 3k vert  foot hike yesterday. Ice and packed snow, 10 degrees. They never missed a beat.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: PikeKing23 on Mar 12, 2019, 01:49 PM
I don't mind stomping the packed snow off. It far outweighs the piece of mind that I get from wearing them. I have tried many styles. The first time I put these on I was amazed at how I had been getting around before.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: NateD on Mar 12, 2019, 01:54 PM
I don't mind stomping the packed snow off. It far outweighs the piece of mind that I get from wearing them. I have tried many styles. The first time I put these on I was amazed at how I had been getting around before.

But if you forget to they become slicker than skates. I prefer just screwing some hex heads in to my mucks lately.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: jethro on Mar 12, 2019, 03:03 PM
Glare ice is kind of the only time I need spikes and they work well (I have knock-offs), with any kind of snow they just collect slush, freeze up, and I have to smash it off all day which is extremely annoying. So I'd say I like mine too if the conditions are right, and that condition is glare ice.

They work awesome on glare ice, I just find them uncomfortable to stand on all day unless there is a little bit of snow cover. But my Baffins are some pretty lightweight boots, I bet if I used something with a stiffer sole I wouldn't feel them so much.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: perch chacer on Mar 12, 2019, 03:18 PM
I bought the XXL kahtoola micro spikes last year and they were great all season long.  I forgot to take them off my ice fishing boots at season end and when I went to get my gear ready this Winter one rubber strap on each micro spike had broke.  So remember to take them off your boots at the end of the season and let them relax.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: zwiggles on Mar 12, 2019, 03:24 PM
They work awesome on glare ice, I just find them uncomfortable to stand on all day unless there is a little bit of snow cover. But my Baffins are some pretty lightweight boots, I bet if I used something with a stiffer sole I wouldn't feel them so much.

That’s my only complaint about them. Tired feet.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: tdannhauser30 on Mar 14, 2019, 08:30 AM
Thats definitely awesome about The good customer service stories. Almosstt makes them worth the 50 or 60 bucks.. If you bought the khatoolas good foer you but if anyone reading this hasn't yet, just get the knock offs on amazon. I have had both and legit the same thing. Right now I am using the Uelfbaby brand or somethin weird like that. 20 bucks a pair and just as good, cant beat it.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: hounds on Mar 14, 2019, 11:04 AM
I've had mine for 7 years, and forgot to wear them once this year. They are the best thing I've purchased, and they are cheaper than a bill at the emergency room.  Forgetting to wear them out once in seven years help remind me of that.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: firegems on Mar 14, 2019, 11:39 AM
Sorry....hate to go against the posting majority....had to toss mine after three years..rubber torn on both making them unrepairable...I just figured natural lifespan of the rubber so I tossed them...I never approached the company after three years , the thought of defective never entered my mind after so many uses. My bad I guess.
 I Switched over to Stabilicers...much more durable (but heavier). Cleats are on the perimeter of your foot, not in the middle which I feel makes you more sturdy. I just replaced a few of the cleats on them (heal & toe) which makes the lifespan on them much longer than most..I really cannot see the harness or sole which holds the cleats ever wearing out.
Check them out....you might like what you see!
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: perch chacer on Mar 14, 2019, 12:54 PM
Sorry....hate to go against the posting majority....had to toss mine after three years..rubber torn on both making them unrepairable...I just figured natural lifespan of the rubber so I tossed them...I never approached the company after three years , the thought of defective never entered my mind after so many uses. My bad I guess.

Did you leave them on your boots in the off season?
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: Oldbear on Mar 17, 2019, 12:14 PM
Mine are only 2 years old and I like them very much.  They are about the 4th version of ice cleats I've had but went with them after hitting the back of my head and about taking my brains out.  Somewhere I read to wash  them in soapy water when you get done for the year then spray them with Silicone which I did.  Gonna hang them up for the year pretty soon and do the same.  They are pricey and heard the customer service is pretty good  but want to make them last at the price.  They do the trick.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: swnoel on Mar 18, 2019, 06:23 AM
I have a similar product, Hillsound Trail Crampon, https://hillsound.com/collections/crampons/products/trail-crampon-ultra?variant=14125749862511 and have very happy with them. I'm on my second year with no problems.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: bearnoob on Mar 18, 2019, 07:30 AM
Anybody know of a company making very small cleats for kids? I have had my 3 year old daughter walking out in her snow shoes even on glare ice because they have the spikes on the bottom. Can't find anything to add to her boots and there soles are too thin for hex screws. Haven't found any traction devices in kid sizes.
Title: Re: Just got some Kahtoola micro spikes !
Post by: swnoel on Mar 18, 2019, 07:38 AM
Pretty good deal on a set of Hillsound crampons. 20% off plus free shipping... https://www.backcountryedge.com/hillsound-trail-crampon-ultra.html