As a New Englander, I'm no stranger to the slippery trail conditions that can crop up in the winter months. That's why I say having ice spikes for your boots is absolutely essential. With the right gear, you don't need to resign yourself to staying inside all winter long. My spikes have allowed me to continue hiking in the coldest cold while enjoying magical, quiet, snowy trails. They even come in handy doing errands when parking lots are slippery!
I have basic ones from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H4BL4KL?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1&tag=amaflico-20 but there's a wide variety of brands!
Do you have ice spikes? What brands do you recommend?
Agree with this 100%! I'm never caught on the trails from October to May without spikes in my bag! This has saved me on so many trips!!
I use these crampons or YakTraks for everyday use. Here are the brands I wear:
Yaktraks:
https://www.yaktrax.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorFFcSeGyTzlzCaMka1B9vu0WOeaeSoXn2wXLPJwV2xPT91EpWn
Crampons
I use these microspikes for mountain climbing:
I'm not a pro when it comes to recommending brands. Someone else on this thread may have some recommendations.
+1 for Kahtoola. I've yet to find spikes that perform better or last longer. I was just wearing mine yesterday on a dog walk, thinking, "d**n, these things are sweet."