Choosing the right winter shoes for running can be difficult. It depend on where you live as the climate varies and also the temperature. If you live far south, there is more rarely snow and ice and you can do well with a regular cushioned shoe with better grip and a warmer sock. If you live in the middle of the country, the challenge is getting wet and cold as well as “hard-to-see” ice spots. the risk of falling and stretching and further up it is snow, ice and cold.
Here are some good examples from Salmings, Altra, Inov-8 and VJ’s trail series:
Keep your feet warm and dry in winter
Common to where you live in the country you want to keep your feet warm (and even dry)
• Unlike orienteering or swimrun, it can be nice to have dry feet in winter. It can then help to have a Gaiter that protects from snow penetration from above.
• To keep your feet warm and comfortable, you can use a sock or sock from Sealskinz or Dexshell.
• Choose a shoe with a membrane surface.
• Preferably choose a thicker stocking in merino wool.
Running in snow:
To get a grip on snow is not that difficult and works well with a pair of trail shoes. What is preferred are studs that do not sit too tightly to clog them. Also get a good gaiter so the snow is kept away from getting into the shoe and getting stuck in the shoelaces.
Run on ice
If there is a risk of ice on the run, metal studs are the only safe solution. Common orienteering shoes like Spirit7, VJ Integrator, Falcon and VJ Dvilworks good with the supplement of a warmer sock.
Winter running on varied ice, gravel, snow and asphalt
Here there are shoes with a little more forgiving studs. Icebug has its system with BUGrip where the studs flex and VJ has their Sarva Xero.
Special shoes for winter conditions
There are also some shoes that are completely made for winter running. They combine rough outsole with metal studs, water-repellent materials and extra heat. A good example of this is the Inov-8 which has an Arctic Claw Thermo and Salming iSpike.
Don’t forget to be visible
When darkness comes and you run in traffic make sure to be visible. A simple headlamp and a reflective vest, a reflex belt or the smart Tyto make a big difference.