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marty1983
01-31-2012, 00:34
I just received my microspikes from REI today and was wondering if they are different for the left and right foot. I wouldn't think so but on the front of each it says "front" and on the back of each it says "L" which originally I thought to mean left but when I noticed both had "L" on the back I was curious if maybe they packaged two left foot spikes into my box. I can't see any difference in them but was just curious. Thanks again Whiteblaze!

marty1983
01-31-2012, 00:36
Also, do you think I need them in Georgia or should I just send them to Fontana Dam so I have them in the Smoky Mountains? I am leaving February 23rd.

ChinMusic
01-31-2012, 00:40
Also, do you think I need them in Georgia or should I just send them to Fontana Dam so I have them in the Smoky Mountains? I am leaving February 23rd.

It doesn't take much ice for you to wish you had em with ya. With that early start you could have ice almost anywhere.

marty1983
01-31-2012, 01:04
Good call ChinMusic....no sense in having to go home early due to bad fall.

jcazz
01-31-2012, 01:28
No difference left/right only front/back matters. The front has a thin wire across in addition to the "Front" written on the rubber.

peakbagger
01-31-2012, 08:48
If you are new to microspikes, one suggestion is to set up a strap that runs over the top of your foot from the left side to the right side of the microspike. This keeps the chains tight and keeps the rubber strap up away from the edge of the sole. If the rubber gets caught between a rock and the sole of your shoe, it is more likely to fail. The other reason for the strap is that after hiking with them for awhile, you sort of forget you have them on and its possible that you can lose one and not know it for awhile. It really is a pain if you have to go back up the trail to search for a missing microspike.

Migrating Bird
01-31-2012, 09:30
If you are new to microspikes, one suggestion is to set up a strap that runs over the top of your foot from the left side to the right side of the microspike. This keeps the chains tight and keeps the rubber strap up away from the edge of the sole. If the rubber gets caught between a rock and the sole of your shoe, it is more likely to fail. The other reason for the strap is that after hiking with them for awhile, you sort of forget you have them on and its possible that you can lose one and not know it for awhile. It really is a pain if you have to go back up the trail to search for a missing microspike.

Good point, I was hiking with a guy in the lead who lost his snowshoe, hard as it is to believe, he didn't realize until I caught up to him. We had just gotten on a packed section of the trail. The "L" on the back most likely refers to the size. I'll have to check mine.

kayaker4ever
01-31-2012, 10:04
I'm not familiar with these but could it be that you wear them so the L is in front when you have that one on the left foot and R in front when you wear that one on the right foot. Just a thought. Like I said, I'm not at all familiar with them.

Slo-go'en
01-31-2012, 12:45
That confused me for a minute also. Turns out they come in different sizes. "L" is for "Large". I had to take mine back, cuz it turned out I needed "XL". And the front side is labeled "FRONT".

MamaBear
01-31-2012, 13:11
Slo-go'en is right, the "L" indicates Large. We own two pair, a Medium and a Small, and I got the pairs mixed up without knowing it one time. No wonder the chains were loose on one foot, and after checking when I got home, sure enough, I had one small and one medium! Sigh. Surprisingly, I made it up and down the Kinsmans without incident.



It doesn't take much ice for you to wish you had em with ya. With that early start you could have ice almost anywhere.


No joke. As far as taking them with you, they weigh far less than snowshoes or crampons, and would be a good thing to have if you need them. If you don't, you'll wish you did. I'm not sure what the ice/snow conditions are in the south, but I've worn microspikes and crampons more than snowshoes so far this winter in the Whites. We're finally getting enough snow to snowshoe - yay!

Creek Dancer
01-31-2012, 15:51
Whatever you do, don't get them anywhere near a campfire. A friend of mine wore them around the campfire one evening and accidently melted a piece of the squishy red plastic rendering them useless.

I used my Microspikes during an April hike through the Smokies after a snow storm and was very happy to have them. They are a good product.

bamboo bob
01-31-2012, 17:33
I love microspikes. I use them in Vermont and I used them on a PCT thru-hike. I think they are really overkill for the AT. Maybe walking down Blood Mountain? And then immediately mail them home.

ChinMusic
01-31-2012, 17:42
I just did a 3-day trip in Indiana. It was very slippery from the mud but no snow/ice. A buddy of mine had his Microspikes with him and living large. I was envious and on my butt a few times. Microspikes were def not overkill for these rather benign conditions.

msupple
02-02-2012, 22:10
If you are new to microspikes, one suggestion is to set up a strap that runs over the top of your foot from the left side to the right side of the microspike. This keeps the chains tight and keeps the rubber strap up away from the edge of the sole. If the rubber gets caught between a rock and the sole of your shoe, it is more likely to fail. The other reason for the strap is that after hiking with them for awhile, you sort of forget you have them on and its possible that you can lose one and not know it for awhile. It really is a pain if you have to go back up the trail to search for a missing microspike.

Excellent advice. I lost the tail end of my MSR snowshoes once and had to backtrack an extremely annoying distance to find them. Microspikes are awesome btw....just whish they could be made lighter.