I was browsing clearance outdoor gear on DVOR (a sort of Drop [which has largely abandoned outdoor gear] for hunters run by OpticsPlanet) when I came across some really interesting winter traction options from Black Diamond, a brand I normally don’t pay much attention to:
First up is the Blitz, a minimalist device with spikes only in the front. The website claims that the weight of each device in size medium is 57g, but it also says that the weight of a medium pair is 45g per pair, so… Either way, my Snowline Chainsen Lights in size XL are 136g apiece, so it’s a huge improvement assuming the traction is sufficient.
Even more exciting is the Distance, which features a waterproof fabric toe cover to keep snow out. My number one complaint with using trail runners in winter is that snow inevitably ends up on top of the toebox, which is almost always well-vented mesh. The proximity of the snow not only chills your toes but melts through and gets them wet. Again, the math on the website is wrong, but it claims that each device weighs in at 115g in size medium. Even if they turn out to be heavier than the Chainsens, they’re functionally superior, and I’m looking forward to testing them out.