Anyone not familiar with winter in New England may find it hard to appreciate the need for additional traction on your feet. We get ice on top of snow, we have solid ice and we have black ice, all of which make walking a nightmare. Â Often the conditions will change so rapidly that you don’t realize you’re on the ice until you are on your way down after having your feet slide out from underneath you. FreeSteps6 are a great option for making life easier and safer in icy climates. Â Ice fisherman will likely appreciate them, as well.
The HillSound FreeSteps6 are crampons that slip over footwear. Although we had a very long winter with snow lasting in spots till the end of April, I was not able to evaluate the effectiveness of these particular crampons on ice. But I was still able to put them on and walk around to check their functionality and the ease of use.
I put the Freestep6 on two different pairs of my cold weather hunting boots; a set of Irish Setter 800gr rubber boots and a set of Cabela’s 1200gr rubber boots. The size I tested were LG and the package said that they were good for shoe sizes 10-12 US. Even with the added bulk of the insulation on my Size 12 boots, I was able to easily and quickly get the crampons on. As I walked around the yard I did not notice any pinching on the boots from the rubber harness nor did I notice the crampons on the bottom of my feet.
These also look very well made. The rubber harness is thick and durable and claims to stay elastic in freezing temps. The chains are stainless steel and welded for additional durability.
I look forward to being able try the Hillsound FreeSteps6 Crampons out once the freezing temperatures return this coming winter.
