• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Loadout Room

The Loadout Room

Professional Gear Reviews

Hardcore Gear and Adventure

Menu
  • Shooting
        • Pistol
        • Pistol Accessories
        • Rifle
        • Rifle Accessories
        • Shotgun
        • Machine Guns
        • Air Guns
        • Ammunition
        • Optics and Sights
        • Weapon Lights
        • Tips & How-To
        • Concealed Carry
        • Holsters
        • Suppressors
        • Precision Rifle Shooting
        • Firearms Training
        • skorpFull-Auto Fun — Shooting the full-Auto vz. 61 Škorpion
        • p320-full-leftSIG Sauer M17/M18/P320 Pistol Just Can’t Seem to Escape Safety Controversies
        • TISAS_10100520_1__98179Tisas 1911A1 U.S. Army Review: Best Budget .45 ACP WW2 1911 Clone?
        • Photoroom_20250531_143432Pyramyd AIR’s Springfield Hellcat Pro CO2 BB Pistol Is the Ultimate Dry-Fire Trainer
    • Close
  • Gear Reviews
      • Mission Gear
      • Camping Gear
      • Survival Gear
      • Medical Gear
      • Adventure & Travel
      • Knives & Tools
      • Overland
      • Disaster Preparedness
      • Footwear
      • Womens Gear & Clothing
        • Hunting in TexasThese 5 ATV Dealers Will Get You Ready For Hunting Season in Texas
        • ac65a540-2ef3-4598-8d11-afdf53f46e94.__CR0,0,970,600_PT0_SX970_V1___Streamlight ProTac Rail Mount HL-X: A Thoroughly Bright Review
        • Bluetti 2 handsfree power backpackBluetti Handsfree 2 Review: The Ultimate Power Backpack for Off-Grid Adventurers
        • The Gallagator 10 day pack on the shoreline next to a hiking trail.Day Pack – Mystery Ranch Gallagator 10 – The Best Yet?
    • Close
  • Men’s Lifestyle
      • Fitness
      • EDC
      • Eyewear
      • Watches
      • Electronics & Technology
      • Downtime
      • Mens Clothing & Accessories
      • Manly Skills
      • Style & Grooming
      • Gentleman Drinks
      • Crate Club
        • Tom and Blake Sell TeaHow Sasquatch Tea Is Revitalizing a Stagnant Tea Market With Veterans and Outdoorsmen in Mind
        • redcat-blackwidow-articleheaderWar of Words: In the Ultra-Competitive Defense Tech Industry, Storytelling is a Secret Weapon
        • Photoroom_20250525_074933Juggernaut Tactical Frame Review: The Best Upgrade for Your 365
        • craft holstersCraft Holsters Makarov Tuckable IWB Holster Report
    • Close
  • News
  • Video Demo
  • Buying Guides
  • Shop
  • Advertise
Footwear

Icebug Speed BUGrip Hiking Boots: First Impressions

April 5, 2015 by Vincent Sylvain Leave a Comment

Icebug Speed BUGrip Hiking Boots: First Impressions

When I hike, I don’t like wearing micro spikes over my boots. They always end up bunched up over the front or rear, packed with snow. They never stay in place. I recently had a chance to try out the Icebug Speed BUGrip hiking boots while on a multi-day hike over the Presidential Range of the White Mountains in New Hampshire. These boots feature carbide inserts on the outsole to provide grip on slightly iced surfaces. They are not mountaineering crampons, though; on fully iced-up trails, you will need more grip.

The weather on that trip proved to be ideal for testing these boots. It had been sunny with warm temperatures, so the trails had melted and become hard-packed—borderline icy in places when the temperature dropped later in the day.

So here I am with new boots, my rucksack loaded with all the kit I would need for three days. The first thing I noticed was that these are not made as mountaineering or heavier-type hiking boots. The sole is flexible, and they do not offer all the ankle support you might desire. Still, I figured I would test them to their limits.

Carbide spikes on the Icebug Speed
Carbide spikes on the Icebug Speed

The BUGrip boots gave me plenty of grip on that hard-packed snow, even on steep terrain as we hit the alpine zone of Mount Adams. At one point, I had to use my snowshoes because there was so much snow that had drifted into slabs, but even with the carbide spikes, they still fit my MSR Lightning quite well with no damage to the footrest.

The BUGrip boots are also waterproof, which is extremely valuable considering that wet snow such as that you might encounter in the early spring season tends to make your boots, well, wet. My feet remained dry during the whole trip. They are rated to 0° F, so using them at around 30-40° F meant I sure wasn’t getting cold feet.

These boots retail for around $150 and are offered in men’s size 6.5 through 13.

Even though I used them outside their intended use, I was quite satisfied with the performance these boots gave me during my trip. I recommend them to anyone wishing to get positive traction in bad weather without using add-on spikes on their boots.


Share This

More From The Loadout Room

Comments

About Vincent Sylvain

Primary Sidebar

Most Read

  • Mossberg 930: the affordable 12 gauge auto-loader
    Mossberg 930: the affordable 12 gauge auto-loader
  • SIG Sauer M17/M18/P320 Pistol Just Can't Seem to Escape Safety Controversies
    SIG Sauer M17/M18/P320 Pistol Just Can't Seem to Escape Safety Controversies
  • The Biggest Little Roundgun: The 3-Inch Kimber K6s
    The Biggest Little Roundgun: The 3-Inch Kimber K6s
  • West Coast Armor IIIA Plates Review: Lightweight, American-Made Protection
    West Coast Armor IIIA Plates Review: Lightweight, American-Made Protection
  • Vakarian Plate Carrier Review: Elite Comfort and Modularity for Under $300
    Vakarian Plate Carrier Review: Elite Comfort and Modularity for Under $300

Find Us on Facebook

Recent Comments

  • Winston Smiths on Mossberg 930: the affordable 12 gauge auto-loader
  • Jared Mize on The Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife: A Commando Blade That Changed Special Forces Forever
  • GomeznSA on MAC-10: The Wild History of America’s Most Iconic (and Overrated) Submachine Gun

Latest From SOFREP

News

Evening Brief: Israeli Demand to Keep Troops in Gaza’s Morag Corridor Threatens Ceasefire Deal with Hamas, Ukraine Detains Chinese Nationals Attempting to Smuggle Missile Tech

SOF

Special Operations Forces: People Are The Number One Asset

Editorial

The FBI Says Epstein Had No Client List and Definitely Killed Himself—And If You Believe That, I’ve Got a Bridge to Sell You

Featured

Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer On First Mission Saves 165 Lives in Texas

Military Content Group

© Copyright 2025 Military Content Group · All Rights Reserved.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Advertisers
 

Loading Comments...