By Physiologist Travis Schiller-Brown
Let’s face it, running in the winter is tough! As soon as the snow flies, and the ground ices up unless you want to be stuck inside on the treadmill for the next few months, you need to adapt your footwear to run safely and effectively outside!
In this post we are going to cover some of the options out there, and then determine what solution is best for you!
Road Shoes vs. Trail Shoes
Outsole compounds
Like summer and winter tires for your car, the different rubber compounds of each of these types of shoes can greatly affect your traction. Road running shoes are made to have rubber that is harder, and therefore more durable for running on smooth surfaces like pavement, while trail running shoes are made with a softer rubber to give you more grip. However, when the temperatures dip below freezing, this means that in a lot of cases the road shoe’s rubber firms up, and it loses its traction. The result? It can sometimes feel like you are trying to run with a pair of crazy carpets! Because the rubber on the trail shoe is softer, they offer more traction in colder temperatures.
Tread Pattern
The other big difference between road and trail shoes is the tread pattern. Trail shoes generally have a more aggressive outsole pattern with more pronounced lugs. These lugs are great for gripping soft surfaces like mud, and fresh or hard packed snow, but can decrease traction on icy surfaces due to their lower surface area. Road shoes on the other hand tend to have less aggressive outsoles, and therefore more surface area (but with less grippy rubber) so in certain situations can still hold their own, especially on bare pavement with the occasional patch of ice.
With the softer rubber, and the grippier lugs, so far trail shoes have the edge over road shoes for winter running. With neither being ideal for icy conditions. So how do we deal with ice? That’s where traction aids come in.
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Traction Aids: Removable vs. Permanent
If you are finding that your trail shoes just aren’t cutting it, the next option is to move into a specific winter running traction aid. These generally fall into two categories: permanent or removable. Permanent traction aids usually involve spikes or studs embedded directly into the rubber of your shoe, and can either come pre-studded by the manufacturer, or you can buy specific screw-in studs to add to any pair of shoes.
Find out how to install your own grip studs to an existing pair of shoes! (VIDEO: How to: Install studs in your running shoes)
Conversely, removable traction aids slide on over your shoe, and add spikes or studs only when you want them. This gives you a bit more flexibility because you can take them off or put them on depending on the conditions. Best of all, you don’t need to dish out the extra cash for a dedicated set of winter running shoes. Removable traction aids come in many different shapes and sizes, from small studs that work well on icy pavement, to larger spikes (somewhat akin to crampons), which are much more aggressive, and better for trail use.
Bottom line
As a general rule of thumb, if you are running mostly on pavement with a bit of ice, a road shoe will serve you just fine. Throw some fresh or packed snow into the mix, and a trail shoe is a better choice. Finally if you encounter ice and technical terrain on a regular basis, then some traction aids will make sure you stay on your feet. Finally, permanent studs are great for icy conditions, with minimal pavement or dry trail, when you want some extra grip. But removable ones come in handy when you are running in mixed conditions, want something more aggressive, or want to bring them as a “just in case” option.
In the end, the best traction solution all comes down to personal preference, and personally I like to have a few options so I can really tune my shoes to the conditions each time I lace up and head out the door.
Here are some of my favorites:
Permanent Shoe Studs: Grip Studs
Minimal Traction Aids: Kahtoola NanoSpikes
Maximal Traction Aids: Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultra
Lightweight Traction Aids: Nortec Micro Trail Crampon
Travis Schiller-Brown
Travis has a Masters Degree in Exercise Physiology, and is Personal Peak’s Head Physiologist. He develops training programs and administers testing for every Personal Peak Athlete.
To learn more about Travis, click here
Email:coaching@personalpeak.ca