bestbuy

February 4th, 2020 by Jan

In the end of the year review that I write each year — there is one question that I already have the 2020 answer to and we’ve only hit February!

The question is, what’s the best thing you bought this year?

My answer — cleat clips for my hiking boots!

These are rubber strappy things with metal studs, that get stretched around boots, making walking on icy roads and trails possible without doing the penguin waddle!

I tried them out yesterday for the first time and they work like a hot dam! The confidence they provided as I didn’t skate, shuffle, or fall across the parking lot, to trail head was worth the $19. price tag alone!

Climbing up one of the snowy trails was delightful. There was one less thing to worry about on my romp. The other bonus of these clips was the noise they made when I hiked. Click, click, click… No bear or courage could say they didn’t hear me coming. The sound was better than my singing voice and took less energy.

Yesterday’s romp had it all. Ice, snow, water, mud, and sun. MuMu and I had a great time, and when the sun came out, it started to melt the snow in the trees, for postcard beauty!

The one problem with the boot clips was…  I didn’t notice the sound change until I was about 3 km into my hike and looked down to see one of the strappy things had popped off.

Dang it!

I had just been telling myself how cool these cleats were and now, I’d lost one.

I turned around. I was willing to back track with hope I could find it.

Now, usually when I’m in the woods, I watch my step, but I also make sure to look up and enjoy the view. Now, I was on a mission. My head down and my eyes scanning the ground.

The foot prints I left gave me a clue. One had pokey marks, the other was a regular boot print. However, there was also a lot of water on the trail, and soggy mud mixed with ice. The clip thingies are black and could be hard to see on the forest floor.

One km back I found it! Yay!

It must have come off when I jumped over a big mud puddle.

I’m not changing my mind though. These cleats thingies, that keep me on my feet, will go down as the best thing I bought in 2020. Especially if I can keep them on my feet!

 

1 thought on “bestbuy

  1. LauraB

    Yup. They are the best, and I say this as a person who has broken both ankles (at different times) while NOT wearing them!

    Reply

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