Kahtoola Micro Spikes

www.kahtoola.com, 12.7 ounces (medium size)
Aside from the “basic” of hiking (boots, back pack, poles, etc.) I would highly recommend and encourage others to carry a sturdy pair of micro-spikes. I live and hike extensively in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and from September to June there are a staple of my hiking equipment. I wish I had a dollar for everyone that I’ve met on the trails that have encountered icy conditions and were in need of a pair of micro-spikes. I have even had offers of cash and equipment trades on the trail for them. They are an invaluable aid to hiking, trekking, and climbing on ice-covered rocky conditions, and have saved me from many, many falls.  They size between XS to XL, with corresponding shoe-size designations—and they fit like a dream. Just stretch them over your shoe or boot, and you’ve got instant, secure traction on snow, ice, and scree.
-Jeffrey W. Shutak