State of the Screwboot
Always in search of the latest in Ecology and Aisle-Destroying Footwear, here is my latest incarnation, featuring a combination of
MF44 "Ultimate" and "360" Ice Racing screws (and a few carbide
Klymaxx studs) The screws were designed by Marcel Fournier, a Quebec ice racer.
The threads are huge, even larger that the
Holiday Screws which I used all last season without losing a single screw. The "Ultimates" are not available in lengths shorter than 1", so you may need to grind 1/4" or so off for screws that are in the forefoot ( where the sole is generally thinner). Seating the screws between the lugs when possible seems to be the ticket. Some soles are better than others for retaining the screws, a moderately stiff and thick, but not too hard, sole seems the best. Squishy-soft, thin soles like with shallow treads (like
North Faces "Lifty 400", for example), are not as good of a candidate for screws.
I haven't updated my
Screwboot Page in awhile, but there is some more info there for anyone feeling curious (or possibly bent on mercilessly destroying innocent, and possibly endangered, indigenous ice patches throughout the Northeast.)
Once you have tried them, there's no going back. I personally think the always-on traction they provide is a huge safety margin over going back-and-forth with crampons (and no, they are NOT a
substitute for crampons), and have been on enough group hikes to witness that dynamic in action. Unlike Stabilicers or Microspikes, there is no slop, squirming, or chance of breakage - the worst you can do is lose a few screws.