Black Diamond Access Spike Traction Device

Brand: Black Diamond Distance Spike

Access Spike is Black Diamond's all round traction device, built with the same logic as its climbing crampons but scaled down for walking and trail running. The spikes are heat treated stainless steel, around 8 mm long, short enough to stay stable on bare rock and concrete yet long enough to hold on hard packed snow and ice. An elastomer harness pulls over the shoe without hardware and the whole thing packs small.

Useful if the same pair has to cover an icy neighbourhood in the morning and a frozen trail at the weekend. The middling spike length is a compromise: it feels calmer than a full crampon on cleared pavement, less aggressive than 10 mm chain spikes on rutted ice. Price sits in the upper bracket, and availability is patchy, with some sizes and colours out of stock mid winter.