The Best Winter Running Shoes for Snow and Ice

I have spent the past 20+ years running through Minnesota and Alaska winters, so I am no stranger living and training in cold weather and less-than-ideal running conditions.

In Minnesota the challenge is often the sub-0 temperatures and the brutal winds–and I’ve written at length on how to dress for a variety of different temperatures, which you can read in this post.

In Alaska, it is cold, but the bigger challenge is the footing all winter. The roads stayed covered in ice and/or snow almost all 6 months of winter, and if we did get a ‘Chinook’ wind (warmer front) to come through, it often caused everything to melt, rain would fall, everything would refreeze, and the entire city of Anchorage would turn into an ice skating rink. (School was closed more often for ice than snow or the cold.) But over the years, I discovered shoes and different traction devices to help with these conditions, so I wasn’t stuck on the treadmill all winter long. While I will use the treadmill from time-to-time, I do prefer to run outdoors if I can.

I primarily use two different traction devices when running on the snow and ice. I prefer the carbide studs (left picture) when running on icy surfaces, and I find the DIY studded shoes with screws (right picture) grip better on the snow.

CARBIDE STUDS
These shoes with carbide steel studs are the biggest kept secret in the running world when it comes to winter running. Now, I don’t think anyone is intentionally gatekeeping, but I am surprised how many people don’t know about these shoes. I know many winter runners, but they have no idea about these type of studded shoes that grip insanely well on icy surfaces.

When you purchase these shoes, they have 12-20 carbide steel studs per shoe already in them to grip on snow and ice. Some of the shoes have moderate tread that will help with gripping in the snow as well as the ice, but I primarily use this type of shoe when running on icy surfaces. I feel so confident running on the ice with these, and even the slipperiest black ice is no match for these shoes. I can take corners at 90 degrees, and have no fear falling while wearing these.

My first introduction to these shoes was through the Icebug brand, but there are now a handful of different brands. I have only worn Icebug, but I would trust any of these brand/models for running during the winter.

Icebug – This Swedish brand has a wide array of studded running shoes and studded boots. (When I worked at the local running store in Alaska, I used to sell a ton of studded boots to those who wanted extra stability when walking.) Some of the running shoes have more cushioning while others have less. There are also GTX lined shoes to help keep your feet dry and warmer in the cold weather. One of my pairs of Icebugs has the BOA lacing system, which is nice because you don’t have to take your gloves/mittens off to tighten the laces, but I do prefer regular laces because you can get a more customized fit. [Women’s studded shoes | Men’s studded shoes]

Hoka – I was happy to hear Hoka now has a studded running shoe for the winter. They took their beloved Speedgoat added a GTX lining and 12 carbide studs to make the Speedgoat 5 GTX Spike [Women’s Speedgoat Spike | Men’s Speedgoat Spike]. This is still a trail shoe with the added traction on the bottom, so this may be one shoe you could do between the roads and the trails more easily.

Norda – Norda is a brand I just learned about this winter and one I am interested in trying. My biggest complaint with my Icebugs is that the foam is quite stiff and not very cushioned, and I have been told that these are much more cushioned. The price-point is quite a bit higher, but I heard they are a very durable shoe, so I bet they would last several winters. [Women’s 001 G+ Spike | Men’s 001 G+ Spike]

Salomon – The Speedcross is a popular trail shoe, so Salomon took the Speedcross, added studs/spikes, so you now have the Spikecross for winter running on the trails. The lugs on the bottom of these shoes are more suitable for the trails versus roads, so I would only advise you to wear these on the trails, unless you often ran through fresh snow. [Spikecross 6 Gore-Tex (unisex)] They also have this Winter Cross Spike with a built-in gaiter)

VJ Shoes – I don’t know much about this brand other than the sizing can be tricky, but I am confident that if you figured out your sizing, they would be a great option for winter running. [Women’s Ace | Men’s Ace]

While these shoes are designed for the snow and ice, you can wear them on dry pavement too. When running on clear, dry pavement, you can feels the studs, but it isn’t too uncomfortable. If my route is going to 50% on dry pavement, and 50% on snow or ice, I still opt to wear the studded shoes as I would rather not risk falling. Also, the carbide studs are very durable and really do not wear down–the cushioning will break down before the studs wear down.

DIY STUDDED SHOES
The studded shoes with screws in the picture on the right (above) have ten 1/2-inch sheet metal screws drilled into each shoe (20 screws total between the two shoes). I took one of my regular road running shoes and drilled the screws into the bottom with the head of the screw sticking out of the shoe. When drilling them in, I space them out with six screws in the forefoot, 4 screws in the heel, and I position towards the outer edges of the shoe.

These sheet metal screws can be found at your local hardware store for a very minimal cost. I’ve linked some HERE on Amazon, but it is a pack of 100, which is a lot. I also came across there Icespikes for studding your shoes. I have never tried them, but they look promising. I also have a Reel on my Instagram account here if you want to watch this process in action.

These screws are longer than the carbide studs, so they will grip into packed snow better. And since you are wearing your own shoes, you can get a good, comfortable fit. The screws will wear down after a while, so you may need to replace them one time during the winter. But then once spring comes, you can take all the studs out and continue to use the shoes on the clear pavement again.

Like the carbide studs, these studded shoes are not the most comfortable to wear on the clear, dry pavement. But you can! Since the screws aren’t able to sink into anything soft, you can feel the screws when you’re running–not the sharp end (unless your shoes are really thin!)–but just the fact the screws are in your shoes. Once again, it isn’t that uncomfortable, but I do notice them.

While the screws do really well on snow, they do not grip into the ice, so avoid wearing the DIY studded shoes on sheer ice.

There are a couple other options for getting traction on the snow and ice. I have been able to justify having special shoes for the snow and ice conditions as I run outdoors in these conditions on a weekly basis, but I know some people may only encounter these conditions a few times a winter. So if that’s you, here is an option for your situation that doesn’t mean buying a new pair of shoes.

Yaktrax – A lot of people have heard of Yaktrax, but honestly, they are not my favorite. The coils on the bottom of the Yaktrax definitely won’t grip into the ice. They do an okay job in the snow, but the coils were very uncomfortable to me if you didn’t have snow to run through. I also tweaked my knee using the YakTraxs as they altered my gait on a long run. The studs on the front of the Yaktrax run version didn’t grip that well either in my opinion. I think these are an okay option if you have/want just one pair of running shoes and won’t be running very much or very long on snowy surfaces.

Nanospkes – The traction device I would recommend over the Yaktraxs are the NANOspike by Kahtoola. These traction devices are going to be more comfortable underfoot, they grip well on the ice, and they are more secure on your foot because of how it wraps over your shoe. You also don’t risk breaking the straps underfoot because of the design. This could be a good option for you were going to be running on icy conditions just a few times a winter, or if you were going between icy and dry surfaces, then you could easily put them on/take them off if necessary.

I hope this motivates you get out the door more and helps you feel confident running in these conditions. We all know it can be harder to motivate ourselves during the winter, but I’ll bet you will still never regret getting out for some fresh air, clearing the mind, and rejuvenating the soul!