Ice cleats for road running have miniscule tungsten carbide spikes, which work well on hard-packed or icy tread. These are comfortable underfoot and can accommodate the higher impact of a running ...

These lightweight, compact cleats are versatile and stable enough to go from icy trail to rocks to dry asphalt. They cost about twice as much as our top pick, though, and their steel spikes may be ...

It might not all come down to super spikes, however. After comparing them to new-generation running shoes, Burns’ team measured similar running economies even with their heavier weights.

Here’s a quick rundown of my four favorite slip-on spike traction devices for running shoes available today. You only need one pair of fun-enabling winter animal claws to access your regular trails.

As you'd imagine, wearers may run into difficulties wearing the cleats outside of the soccer field, given their raised spike soles. Now, Nike plans to solve that issue with its upcoming Cryoshot line.

"A lot," says Wilkie, "we're showing that shoes matter and particularly that spikes of some brands performed better than others. Historically, we can expect to see differences of less than 0.5% in ...