Walking outside in a snowy winter is like treading on thin ice, like literally, and that makes it very slippery. A pair of spike boots will take care of that. But here’s the thing: you may be walking on non-icy paths, but you’ll be heading indoors eventually. This is where Pajar’s ice-gripper technology comes in.
Now, this isn’t new. These retractable ice-grip soles were launched in the early 2000s by the Canadian bootmaker. It is not the first, either, nor is it the only one of its kind. But for now, we will talk about this version by this good ’ol Canadian brand.
At a glance, Pajar winter footwear featuring Ice-Gripper looks just like another pair of rugged boots. But if you look at the outsoles, you will find they are embedded with a patented retractable cleat system. When deployed, the small metal cleats offer secure traction on ice and snow. When icy surfaces aren’t a threat anymore, such as when indoors, you can flip the cleats out of the way to restore them to regular outsole. This way, you can continue walking with the same pair of boots without destroying the mall’s floor.
Boots with Ice-Gripper soles are seam-sealed, waterproof, and often rated for extreme cold (down to –25°C/–13°F). The retractable cleats can be found at the front and back of the outsole. You can choose to flip out either or both to suit the surface condition. The cleats are specially developed to handle Montreal’s unforgiving winters.
The Ice-Gripper technology from Pajar is available in a choice of models for men and women, with prices starting from US$295.
Images: Pajar.
