YAKTRAX for Hunters and Ice Anglers

Carrying a loaded firearm over ice and snow is an inherently dangerous situation. Stalking elk or bear up an icy, snowy ledge leaves no room for slipping. A December pheasant hunt often means skidding atop icy, wind-blown snow. Ice fishing is about fishing on ice. A hunter with a loaded gun or an angler on ice needs the certainty of surefootedness for safety.

After a year of successful market testing, YAKTRAX, a Washington state company, has announced that its popular shoe traction device is available to sportsmen and women. Called YAKTRAX, the design is based on footwear used by Himalayan Sherpas who, for centuries, have scaled the world’s highest peaks in footwear made from the leather of yaks, not steel crampons. Small metal coils on the bottom provide traction on compact snow and icy surfaces. It is the first practical and effective traction product for consumers on the market.

YAKTRAXs have 360 degrees of gripping force. Their unique double-diamond design and opposing coil systems keep the user from sliding side to side and front to back. The simple design means the product is extremely affordable and does not change the user’s walk in any way. Because YAKTRAXs are made with injection moulded plastic, they stretch easily, making sizing a snap.

The product was tested at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics where 1,000 personnel wore the devices. Simultaneously, the product was distributed in Minnesota where it received praise and local media attention.