Microspikes in PA?

[Orange Time]

I’m considering leaving the microspikes at the house for the next few weeks through PA. Good idea?

[Slo-go'en]

Depends on if it rains and is then immediately followed by a polar vortex. Which is a good possibility. PA rocks are bad enough dry, put a coating of ice on them and will be deadly.

[Gambit McCrae]

I would say you would be ok to leave them at home. If you end up needing them, There are pairs for $25 on amazon and with their 1-2 day shipping free options that would be hard to pass up not having to carry them. That being said there are a very few select areas where you may run into difficulty but certainly not for a large portion of the time.

[Tipi Walter]

When in doubt go ahead an carry them. I think they only weight 12 ozs which is nothing.

[Slo-go'en]

If you end up needing them, you need them right away, not in 2-3 days. You don't want to wake up one morning and find you can't leave the shelter.

[Tipi Walter]

If you end up needing them, you need them right away, not in 2-3 days. You don't want to wake up one morning and find you can't leave the shelter.

You can negotiate an icy trail without microspikes---on your butt. I call it The Bung Abseil---but microspikes are so much easier.

BUT---They don't work in wet snow---even just a half inch of wet snow---(or a foot)---because the spikes pack snow underneath and you're walking on 5 lb balls of snow under your boots---on each boot. Result? Falling. And you can't "kick out of it" unless you stop every 2 steps and dislodge it.

[Slo-go'en]

Yea, hiking in marginal early winter weather is a pain.

[Traveler]

If there's a doubt, there is no doubt.

[QuietStorm]

This will be my fourth season using them. I generally carry them from November through March.

[Dogwood]

I’m considering leaving the microspikes at the house for the next few weeks through PA. Good idea?

What kind of shoe do you rock? Traction may be adequate with the shoe alone depending on weather. Not big on using Microspikes or Hillshounds crampons for thin ice on PA rocks. Sure they have over shoes ice models(so does Yak Trax, Stabil Izers, etc) but there's a less expensive much less wt and bulk approach for NOV for those just in case weather doesn't cooperate scenarios.

https://www.rei.com/product/125946/l...s-traction-kit Like THIS but DO NOT BUY THIS.

Get some stainless steel hex head/slot head screws of varying length up to about 5/8" long depending on your footwear's sole and a T bar UL wrench. This makes the screws removable. Total cost about $4.You can find them at sporting Goods stores like Academy.

[Malto]

I only need microspikes when I’m not carrying them. I only carry them when I don’t need them. Something is wrong with my strategy.

[Puddlefish]

Early winter hiking is annoying. You can hike for miles on dry land, turn a corner, change elevation and encounter ice. Bring the micro-spikes, and bring a sit pad so you can put them on and take them off comfortably.

[Yahtzee]

Microspikes? In Pennsylvania? In November?

Leave them at home. Enjoy.