The Kahtoola Microspikes Ghost is a winter traction assist that’s optimized to be used with path runners which have a gentle sole and a collapsible toe field. They’re about 40% lighter weight and extra packable than Kahtoola’s unique Microspikes, which is their declare to fame. However that belies their chief profit, which is comfy interoperability with path runners. On this respect, they’re comparable favorably to Black Diamond’s Distance Spikes, which serve the identical function, however are inbuilt a really completely different approach.
When you’ve ever tried to put on of pair of Kahtoola’s unique Microspikes with path runners, it feels such as you’re strolling on nails and that somebody is stepping in your toes, each on the identical time. Kahtoola’s unique Microspikes work greatest with footwear, often boots, which have a thicker sole and a inflexible toe field. These are the problems that any winter traction assist for path runners, wants to handle.
Design and Match
The Kahtoola Ghost is an elastomer based mostly winter traction system that has twelve spikes for every foot. The spikes are grouped collectively in pairs and riveted to the elastomer harness, as an alternative of being suspended from chains on the unique Microspikes. The highest floor dealing with the only real of your footwear is flat, so that you don’t really feel the person spikes or the elastomer harness for that matter poking into your foot from under. I examined this out with path runners which have very skinny soles (Alta Lone Peak 9) and people which are maximally cushioned (Icebug Jarv RBX). The Ghost was comfy to put on with each.
The rear of every Ghost has a rubber tab that you just grip to drag the elastomer harness onto your shoe. That is tough to do carrying gloves and also you’ll wish to use naked fingers to do it.
The entrance of every Ghost has pre-curved elastomer arms which wrap are formed to return in touch with the entrance of your shoe, however to not press down on it from above. They’re riveted to the entrance of the harness, coloured crimson, which distributes downward stress on the toe field broadly on high and across the sides of the toe field, in order to not pinch or stress the toes inside. It really works fairly nicely, even on path runners with very gentle toe containers (once more, just like the Lone Peak 9).
That’s the problem with traction units just like the Ghost, since any downward stress on the toes can restrict blood move, so that they’ll really feel colder, or worse, end in blisters from the elevated friction.
Packability
The Ghosts folds up fairly compactly, making them fairly straightforward to retailer in a pack. They arrive with a small storage sack that you need to use to guard your different gear from the spikes. However I want hooking them onto the outside of my pack with a carabiner. The elastomer harness doesn’t make any noise and this supplies you with a technique to carry them after use, even when they’re moist and coated with snow.
Path Efficiency
I’ve used the Ghosts on quite a lot of surfaces from ice and slush to powder and compacted snow. They’re not crampons, so overlook about utilizing them on any steeply angles or vertical ice, they usually have the identical vary as the unique microspikes, in that regard.
Regardless of the shorter spike size, their traction is noticeable on ice and slush and non-existent on powder, which you’d count on. They carry out greatest on damaged out and packed trails, the place you may profit from the mixed motion of the Ghost’s spikes and your footwear’s lugs. Sadly they do ball up a bit greater than unique Microspikes on snow that has a excessive moisture content material, typical of Northeastern snow. This happens as a result of there’s much less play in harness underfoot in comparison with the looser chains on unique Microspikes. However that’s not the top of the world, simply one thing to take heed to when traversing trails that don’t have a agency bootpack.
Suggestion
When you use path runners in winter circumstances and want a light-weight, comfy traction machine that packs down small, the Kahtoola Microspikes Ghost is a robust selection. It balances consolation and efficiency nicely for day hikes on icy and packed trails, and is much extra comfy than carrying Kahtoola’s unique Microspikes. I also can see the Ghost being very engaging for thru-hiking, the place its packability and compatibility with path runners might be an ideal asset in conditions the place a full crampon is just not required.
Disclosure: Kahtoola donated ghosts for assessment.
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