Do you run on packed snow and ice? Are you tired of slipping and falling? Matt Carpenter, from Sky Runner, wrote and graphically shows how the "Screw Shoe" is one solution to the problem! By inserting some screws into the bottom of your shoes you will be able to run in the worst conditions. The process is quick, easy and costs next to nothing. Let's look at how easy it is to make your own Screw Shoes.

Selecting Screws
Sheet metal screws are awesome because the head on them has a lip that really grips well on ice. This is important because the screws are inserted from the outside into the bottom of the shoe and it is the head of the screw that provides the traction not the point! 1/2" long screws work fine in most shoes because they do not go through the shoe yet they are long enough that they don't come out too easily. 3/8" screws might be a little safer in the fronts of some shoes. If you have a very thin shoe, or you are just paranoid about how thin the front of your shoe looks, then you can use 1/4" long screws. Be sure to buy a lot of them however because they come out rather easily.

Tools
A cordless drill with a magnetic tip and a 1/4" socket can do a shoe in less than a minute and makes the project almost fun! A neat trick here is that most magnetic tips are 1/4" so you won't even need to track down the 1/4" socket. Since most shoe screwing is done in the winter a cordless drill could be the perfect x-mas gift for that special crazy runner!

However you go about it, do not over tighten the screws! Stop screwing when the head of the screw touches the rubber so it will stay in longer. Pre-drilling a small pilot hole for the screw will help it stay in longer.

Screw Placement
Usually, anything goes unless you have "air" or "gel" shoes in which case you will need to be more selective when placing the screws. Placing the 3-4 screws around the perimieter of the outsole with two in the center and 4 in the heel area for a total of 12, usually does the trick. However, everyone can be different in the amount they feel secure in.

Note the screws in the heel are more important than the ones in the front because you can fall on your butt when coming down a hill.

Conclusion
That is all there is to the Screw Shoe! Runners use them mostly on warmer days when the snow melts and then the water turns to ice during the colder nights. This seems to happen a lot on trails that get a lot of use like the Back Cove Trail on Baxter Blvd. Others use them all winter long on ice covered roads.

Oh, speaking of roads, Screw Shoes work just fine on, and the clicking can be very rythmatic. Yes, it does wear the screw heads out a little faster but again, the screws are quite inexpensive.

Once winter is over you will not need to buy new shoes because you can just remove the screws. Unless of course you put a bunch of miles on your Screw Shoes$they wear out just like all running shoes!

So "Screw" Winter and remember….Run Happy!