Before stepping out onto hard-packed snow or ice–particularly if you’re elderly, carrying groceries, or would just rather not break your neck on the way to the train–you might want to pull on some Yaktrax Walkers.
Yaktrax are like snow chains for your shoes, thanks to hundreds of little snow-gripping steel coils wrapped around a rubbery “sole.” But they’re much lighter than snow chains and easier to put on; we were able to do it with one hand. One warning, though: Take them off as soon as you get inside; they turn surprisingly slick on hard floors.
Yaktrax Walker ($19.95) and Pro (with a stabilizing foot strap for more active outdoor pursuits, $29.95) are sold at Moosejaw Mountaineering, 1445 W. Webster Pl., 773-529-1111; Uncle Dan’s, 2440 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-477-1918; and Running Away Multisport, 1634 W. North Ave., 773-395-2929 (Pro only). Other locations at yaktrax.com.
