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Goose

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Yak tracks, Ski tracks, cat tracks , skiscootys, etc

I thonk the first couple are one in the same. Skicootys seems to be a bit newer though more expensive. Anyway, do you use them? What are some (if any) other out there worth considering?

Im ordering new toe and heel peices for my boots (family of 4) just so I have them while the boots are relatively yound enough because a few yeasr later and then you cant get them anymore. But Im thnking we need to protect the soles via those parking lit walks not to mention the step grates that just seem to chew them up. My sons boots are the worst fromt probably too much foot dragging as he walks. No kid by any means . Size 12 and 22 yrs old 62 212 pounds. He beat up his toe sole pieces pretty darn good in just a couple seaspns.

Anyway what experiences does anyone have with the protectors? Which ones are most practical and convenient? Are they all a a pain in the butt? where do you store them while skiing? especially after walking through muddied lots etc..? Maybe you just get new boots every couple years and dont have the problem but thats not most folks who ski.

So which ones are good, bad, ok, whatever? are they worth it? etc,etc,, whatever you want to share
 

RuleMiHa

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I have both Yak Trax and Skiscootys. I find the skiscootys a bit too bulky. The Yaktrax are too bulky for pockets but I started leaving them tied to the ski rack and so far no theft.
 

Wade

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Yak Trax have been significantly better for me than Cat Tracks. More durable, stay on better and easier to walk in. They are a bit bulkier, but I I just double them over so that the toe sits inside the heel, and then just tuck them inside the gaiter on my pants so they rest above the elastic and against my boots. I never notice them when I'm skiing.
 

eok

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I've tried a number of sole protectors and Skiscootys remain my favorite. For me, they are much easier to get on & off than the others - plus they seem more durable. A bit bulkier, but not too bad.
 

Tony S

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I have both Yak Trax and Skiscootys. I find the skiscootys a bit too bulky. The Yaktrax are too bulky for pockets but I started leaving them tied to the ski rack and so far no theft.

The ski rack trick has worked very well for me for years at local areas here in the NE. Unfortunately it doesn't cover the situation where you're up high and need to hike, or else walking around at a different base area, far from where you left your tracks.
 

nemesis256

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I've got cat tracks. They are a bit of a pain to put on at the end of the day, you eventually figure out a method of doing it. I store them in a plastic ziploc bag while I ski, small sandwich size. About your mud problem, taking a few steps on the snow before removing them should take care of that.
 

Philpug

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I just go with either a Gripwalk or some sort of vibram type sole..I hate dealing with trying to put the other ones on and dealing with storing them and where while i am skiing.
 
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Goose

Goose

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I just go with either a Gripwalk or some sort of vibram type sole..I hate dealing with trying to put the other ones on and dealing with storing them and where while i am skiing.
yea but now your talking soles plus bindings and cost factor. Plus you still have ware on the heel/toe peices anyway which would have to be replaced anyway. This topic (as I posted) is more about saving the boots soles to last for some years.

Technically I suppose I could just buy a couple 2 sets of spare peices and not use any protectors but just replace things a couple times over
 

Philpug

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yea but now your talking soles plus bindings and cost factor. Plus you still have ware on the heel/toe peices anyway which would have to be replaced anyway. This topic (as I posted) is more about saving the boots soles to last for some years.
You don't need to swap to Gripwalk unless you have a compatible bindings. There are grippier sole options for solid lug boots or having a replacement set of lugs are an option for the others for down the road.
 

Doug Briggs

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I use SkiTrax with my Atomic Hawx XTDs. Even with the GripWalk sole, I like the added rocker and keeping pebbles out of my sole contact points. I leave them on a rack except when I know I want to exit other than where I arrived.

I used the skiskooty claw (of course I'd go for the claw ;) and liked the crampon but the heel and toe contacts at either end didn't hold up forcing me to retire them sooner than expected.
 

eok

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yea but now your talking soles plus bindings and cost factor. Plus you still have ware on the heel/toe peices anyway which would have to be replaced anyway. This topic (as I posted) is more about saving the boots soles to last for some years...

This is exactly why I use boot sole protectors: to protect the boot soles from wear. Ski bindings and boot soles are designed to conform to very specific standards so they can work together as a system, reliably and predictably. Boot soles with excessive wear - particularly in the heel and toe areas - can affect how bindings release. Excessive wear can also effect "performance" - if the wear is so bad that there's some added "slop" in the sole/binding interface.

In my case, I'll carry my boots to the lodge in a boot bag (or over my shoulder) if I can. If I have to boot-up in the lot then on go the skiskootys. Most my skiing is on PNW volcanoes. The volcanic cinders used in the resort parking lots (for traction) really do a number on boot soles.
 

Kneale Brownson

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168389002.jpg
I've got cat tracks. They are a bit of a pain to put on at the end of the day, you eventually figure out a method of doing it. I store them in a plastic ziploc bag while I ski, small sandwich size. About your mud problem, taking a few steps on the snow before removing them should take care of that.

I poke holes in the pull tabs on cat tracks and loop short pieces cut out of old ski pass lanyards through the holes. Then I tie big knots on the ends of the lanyard material so they can't pull out of the tabs.

Now if I could only get rid of the impediment around my waist that makes it so hard to reach the pulls!
 
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Goose

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FYI not that I would count them out but just to note from reviews elswhere Im hearing cat tracks have often enough broke at the adjoining piece between the two sections.
 

dbostedo

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^^^^
I have the YakTrax (SkiTrax), and one of mine has had a tear (across part of the mid section) for maybe the last 10 times I've used them. I keep waiting for it to snap the whole way, but it doesn't seem to be getting worse. I'm surprised, but I guess they're tougher than they look.

SkiTrax.jpg


BTW, people were talking about storing them... that silver thing it's on is the nice drawstring pouch they come with for storage. A nice little advantage of buying the SkiTrax (or YakTrax Ski, as I thnk they're called now).
 

ted

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I'm a Yaktrax fan. Sure they are a little bulkier, but with the built in rocker sole and the shock absorption provided by the material I can run in my ski boots! Not that I do, but it's just such a smooth stride that they are worth it if you have to walk any distance.
 

John Webb

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Cat tracks stink. In the 50 or so years they have been around they've never made one that fits
a boot larger than US size 10. Yaktrak's come in larger sizes but are bulkier.
 

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