Winter Walking with Spare Spike {Review & Giveaway}

Sometimes necessity is the mother of all invention. That is certainly the case with Spare Spike, an ingenious solution to slipping on ice.    This all-traction footwear product is an easy and affordable way to gain traction in the ice and snow. This traction comes from 16 carbonized steel studs which are easily replaced. Weighing in at only 4 ounces per foot, it can easily be stored within your pocket or purse when not in use.

Spare Spike also works with all types of footwear including boots, athletic shoes and even high heels! With the rear pull tab you can quickly take them on and off in thirty seconds.

Living in Minnesota, I know how dangerous walking outside in the winter months can be so I was thrilled when I had the opportunity to try these out. My husband was equally excited when they sent him a pair as well.

As soon as the package arrived my husband immediately wanted to try them on a run. Training for marathons outside isn’t easy when the sidewalks aren’t cleared and the roads become treacherous at night. He does have a pair of expensive waterproof shoes but while they work great for the snow, he can loose his footing often on the ice. He slapped these onto a pair running shoes still in good condition but practically no traction left on the sole.  He came back excited that he didn’t slip once and even ran fast up an icy hill! His only issue was the size. He felt that his size 12 shoe would have been better for a size L versus the XL as suggested simply because while running a tight fit is preferred. Keep in mind these are meant to be able to fit over the boot and this wouldn’t be a concern for just walking.

I had them only a couple of days before the perfect opportunity presented itself. We had freezing rain and the following morning we decided to make a trip to Target. The sidewalk and driveway were super slick.  And by that I mean get out your ice skates it is time to go skating kind of slick. I was able to  easily add them to the bottom of my shoes and felt no slipping whatsoever on my way to our van. It is hard to describe but you can actually feel your feet getting traction and gripping to the ice without impeding your ability to walk. All my husband and I could talk about on the way to Target was how awesome these Spare Spikes are.

If you want to see them in action, check out this video!

These would be fabulous for anyone who lives in an area that sees true winter conditions and perfect for that hard to buy for person on your list. What an extra thoughtful gift for the elderly, disabled or for someone who works extensively outside during the winter months.

DISCOUNT: Spare Spikes retail for $25.95 and are available at  www.winterwalking.com. You can receive 10% off with the code “LOVINGMAMA” at checkout.

{ Giveaway }

I have FIVE pairs of Spare Spikes to give to FIVE of my readers!

MAIN ENTRY: Tell me how this product would help you survive the winter months or why you’d like to win!

Want more entries? (Come on? Do you really want to slip and slide outside?) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Tell me an embarrassing slip or trip on ice story (2 entries)
-Become a fan of Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow my blog publicly
-Subscribe to my feed in a reader or by email
-Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway

Win one of 5 pairs of the Spare Spike, a simple solution to stop slipping on ice @babylovingmama http://tinyurl.com/yahtob5 #giveaway PLS RT

-Add my current button to your blog
-Add my BLM turns 1 Feb. event button to your blog
-Blog about this contest and link back here and to Winter Walking (3 entries)

This contest will end on 2/9/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S. residents only. The winner will be drawn via random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: I received a sample for the purpose of this review . This has no bearing on my completely honest review above and was not influenced by any type of monetary compensation. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.