Black Diamond Distance Spike

blackdiamondequipment.com

Black Diamond built the Distance Spike for trail runners, and the priorities show: minimal weight, low stack height, stainless spikes on a welded chain under a thin elastomer harness that pulls on like a sock. On a sidewalk that translates into a device you barely feel through the sole, which matters if a commute mixes ice with long dry stretches.

It is the wrong tool for heavy insulated boots, since the harness is cut for running shoes and light hikers and stretches poorly beyond that. Snow can ball up in the open midfoot, and short spikes mean less purchase in deep crust than a full chain system. For someone who jogs to the office or walks fast in trainers all winter, the low profile is worth more than raw bite.