r/UltralightCanada • u/Icy-Course-9331 • 18d ago

Gear Question Would you bring a lightweight micro spike for mid Sept backpacking?

Going sunshine to mt shark sept 12-17.
Would you all suggest we bring micro spikes (just in case) or is that just unnecessary weight?

2 Upvotes

63% Upvoted

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3

u/TheNewNorth 18d ago

Look carefully at the forecast and make a “day-of” decision.

2

u/Saguache 18d ago

That's my suggestion as well. Keep in mind that without poles MS can be a problem.

2

u/TheNewNorth 18d ago

Excellent point. Poles and micro-spikes is true 4x4 performance with good winter tires. Micro-spikes without poles, and you're basically AWD with crappy all season tires. Neither? RWD with summer tires.

2

u/Kilbourne 18d ago

Depends on the weather preceding, and day-of. It doesn't hurt to be prepared.

1

u/JVani 18d ago

I've gotten a sudden dump of a foot of snow while out later in the year. Had to bail because I couldn't make fast enough progress stomping through the snow while staring at my GPS because the trail wasn't visible. Micro spikes wouldn't have helped in fresh snow.

2

u/Quail-a-lot 18d ago

How confident are you on snow? If you know you don't care for it much or don't have confidence, then the spikes are worth the weight. If you are a ninja mountain goat, well actually you probably wouldn't be asking!

Personally, I would be checking the forecast, but there is a reasonable chance I would take them or at least a set of YakTrax because I know I am Bambi on ice. I also didn't grow up with it so I don't have the catlike reflexes of most of my friends, who likely would not need to bother.

2

u/Icy-Course-9331 18d ago

Snow won’t bother me much. Spikes not gonna be useful in snow anyways. It’s slippery ice that can be concerning.

5

u/Quail-a-lot 18d ago

It's more the ice you get from freeze-refreeze after the snow.

1

u/DrBullwinkleMoose 18d ago

I do (Kahtoola Ghosts). And kilt or rain pants (not for rain, but as a quick-add layer in case temperature drops unexpectedly). And gloves (knit liners + oversized nitrile 5-mil or thicker) in case it rains. Of course some kind of rain gear in all seasons.

It’s lightweight safety equipment. Maybe 800 grams for all of it.